Think of a knowledge base as your go-to stash of articles and resources that businesses whip out to tackle their customers' questions. Since folks have their own favorite ways of getting help, having a knowledge base is super handy for those who love to sort things out themselves.

This DIY help desk style is quickly becoming a must-have in customer service. Why? Well, it lets customers get the answers they need pronto and it grows right along with your business.

Getting the most out of your knowledge base means making sure your customers can snag the info they need without much fuss, and preferably without needing to bug your team. Wondering where to kick things off? You've got to figure out what sort of articles you want to put out there. Here’s how you can get the ball rolling.

Chat with your customer-facing squads - These folks chat with customers day in, day out and are sitting on a goldmine of ideas based on all the questions they get asked. Depending on how tricky the topic, they might also help you figure out how to sort your info so it's a breeze for customers to find what they're after.

Take a deep dive into past chats - Within the tools like Front, Zendesk, Salesforce etc, you can sift through your resolved chats to spot common themes. Use tags to filter, peek at old messages, or take a second look at your message templates to find what’s popping up a lot.

Hit up your customers - Straight-up ask them how they've found getting help. Gathering feedback, especially the numbers kind, can spotlight trends in what your customers are asking about, nudging you towards the hot topics.

Ready to make your knowledge base a hit? Here are some solid tips. 

Arrange your content in a way that feels natural and aligns with how customers engage with your business.

By organizing the knowledge base to reflect the customer's purchasing journey, the process stays smooth and efficient.

• Content Format Matters: Breaking down the information into clear sections ensures each part of the ordering process is easy to understand and follow. This prevents any confusion and helps customers know exactly what to expect at each step.
• Enhance with Descriptions: Alongside each category title and icon, there are descriptive texts that provide additional clarity. This extra layer of information helps set the right expectations and guides customers more effectively.
• Highlight FAQs: Common questions get their own spotlight, making it easy for customers to find answers to the most frequent inquiries without having to search through other content. This approach not only saves time but also enhances the overall customer experience by providing immediate access to important information.

Smoothly shift from DIY help to direct team assistance by integrating a live chat feature right into your knowledge base.

Using a knowledge base can streamline customer interactions by offering immediate answers to questions about check-in procedures, payment details, basic accommodation information, and other frequently asked topics.

Incorporating a sophisticated chatbot into a chat service allows for self-service support directly through the chat interface. When customers pose questions, the chatbot responds with relevant help center articles, following a programmed conversation flow. This setup not only provides quicker solutions but also reduces the volume of simple inquiries that the support team needs to handle.

Additionally, these chatbots are designed to gather information during the interaction, identifying whether someone is a new or returning guest. This process ensures that when a transition to a human agent is necessary, they have all the vital customer details at their fingertips. As a result, the switch feels seamless to the customer, with agents well-prepared to offer a swift and informed resolution.

Expand the variety of your help center's content to address questions from a broad spectrum of users.

A well-structured knowledge base is instrumental in supporting a wide range of topics to ensure comprehensive coverage of customer inquiries. By categorizing content into specific areas, such as:

• "How-to guides" – These provide clear, step-by-step instructions for frequently encountered tasks, like making an order or checking on inventory status.
• "Services offered" – This section outlines the array of services provided, giving users a broad view of what's available.
• "Policies" – It's important to establish clear expectations around delivery timescales and operational hours.

Moreover, the knowledge base can act as a central hub of information, linking directly to essential resources like the online ordering system and the main website, making it an invaluable resource for both new and existing customers.

Dive into the AI wonderland with a hop, skip, and a tech-savvy leap!

Ariglad allows you to make sure your knowledge base is always kept up to date by automatically updating and creating new knowledge articles. We do this by analyzing your support tickets. Interested in learning more? Book a demo.