Knowledge Management Tools
What is a Knowledge Management Tool?
A knowledge management tool is a digital tool used to store information, keep it organized, and allow users to search and interact. Knowledge management tools are often used within organizations to share information both externally (with customers, partners, suppliers, etc.) and internally (among employees). They can also be used to help manage relationships with customers and internal stakeholders. Some examples include wikis, blogs, Knowledge Management System(KMS), discussion forums, intranet sites, document repositories, and knowledge bases.
Knowledge management tools have been widely adopted by businesses because they provide the ability for people to collaborate on projects and share ideas. The use of these tools has increased in recent years as more companies adopt social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. These platforms enable individuals to communicate directly with one another, which makes sharing content easier than ever before.
However, many knowledge management tools suffer from several drawbacks that make them difficult to use effectively. For example, some knowledge management tools do not offer an intuitive user interface or require extensive training to learn how to use them properly. Other knowledge management tools may lack features that are necessary to meet specific business needs. In addition, some knowledge management tools may be too expensive to purchase or maintain. Finally, some knowledge management tools are limited in their functionality and cannot easily integrate with other systems.
What is needed is a system and method for providing a knowledge management tool that overcomes the above-described shortcomings of existing knowledge management tools.
What are some examples of Knowledge Management Tools?
Knowledge Management System
A knowledge management system (KMS) like Support Hero is an application that allows users to create, access, edit, and share documents and other types of data. KMSs typically contain features like version control, collaboration, workflow, and security. Many KMSs are web-based applications that run on top of a database or server. Other KMSs are desktop applications that connect to databases or servers
Wiki
A wiki is a type of collaborative website where users can add, remove, and modify pages, images, videos, and other files. Wikis are usually hosted on the Internet and are designed to make it easy for anyone to contribute information. A wiki is similar to a blog in that it enables users to post new articles, but unlike a blog, a wiki does not require any special
A wiki is an online collaborative workspace that allows multiple users to edit the same page simultaneously. Wikis are typically hosted on web servers and accessed via a browser or mobile device. Wikipedia is probably the best-known example of a wiki.
Blog
A blog is a website where authors post articles, usually in reverse chronological order. Blogs are typically hosted on web server and accessed via a browser. WordPress is probably the best-know blogging platform.
Discussion Forum
A discussion forum is a place where members of a community can ask questions and get answers from other members. Discussion forums are typically hosted on web sever and accessed via a browser, but may also be accessible through mobile devices. For example, Yahoo! Answers is a well-known discussion forum.
Social Media Management Tool
A social media management tool helps you manage your social media presence across various social networks. It provides features like scheduling posts, monitoring mentions, managing followers, and analyzing performance.
Content Management System
A content management system is software designed to help you organize and publish content on websites. Content management systems can be used to house a knowledge base, but are sometimes hard to manage and organize. Also, some content management systems do not offer great search capability, which is key to a good Knowledge Base.
Why does my team need a Knowledge Base or Knowledge Management System that contains searchable documents?
In today's online everything world, information and knowledge are keys to survival and success. Using a knowledge management tool can be a huge advantage for a company that competes with competitors that are still using printed manuals or documents for their teams. A knowledge base can put each document in the cloud and allow teams to quickly search and access their information.
What can I house in Knowledge Management Software?
A knowledge base can be a collection of information about products, services, processes, procedures, policies, and so forth. Companies use them to collect customer feedback, track product development, and improve their business operations.
A knowledge management system is similar to a knowledge base, except that it focuses on storing and organizing all forms of knowledge, including technical documentation, marketing materials, employee training manuals, and so forth.
Who can benefit from a Knowledge Management System?
Whether it is your sales team or customer support team providing high levels of customer satisfaction, many people can benefit from a KMS. This a well curated content library for your customers and employees. When your customers access this tool the customer experience provided by your business will increase to a new level.
How does Knowledge Management Software help messaging and communication within a business?
One of the best reasons to use a Knowledge Management platform is because it create a single source of truth for you and your customers. In the past, we used to carry around binders with documents that were old as soon as they came off the printer. Revision after revision of these documents would need to be printed and sent out to employees and customers. With the speed of enhancements in today's world, printed manuals, even PDFs, are not an acceptable way to manage knowledge. Having a sing source of up-to-date information is one of the best ways to share important documents, information, manuals, processes, etc.
Can my Sales Team use some sort of Knowledge Base software?
Yes! Many sales teams are benefiting from the use of a Knowledge Management System. They are using these systems in many ways. Whether it is product information from a content library that they can share with a prospect, pricing information for newly released products, or scripts that they can use when calling on prospects, sales teams can be aligned and speaking in a knowledgeable way with potential customers.
How to Choose the Best Knowledge Management Tool
When selecting a knowledge management platform, there are several factors to keep in mind. These include ease-of-use, feature set, and how well the system fits into your existing processes.
Ease-of-Use
If your employees don't find the digital tool easy to use, they might struggle to learn it quickly, and your organization won’t see the benefits of implementing it. Before deciding to implement a digital tool, make sure that it’s user friendly and requires minimal training.
Feature Set
Knowledge management platforms come in many different forms, including desktop applications, mobile apps, web-based tools, and cloud-hosted solutions. Each type offers unique features and capabilities. For example, desktop applications typically offer better collaboration functionality, while online knowledge bases allow teams to access information from anywhere.
Your team needs to know what they're looking for. Are they interested in sharing documents, accessing data, creating dashboards, or collaborating across departments? Once you've identified the functions you want to support, look for a solution that provides those features in one place. You'll likely find that most vendors offer multiple versions of each function, so you'll need to evaluate each option based on its strengths and weaknesses.
Simple Implementation
When you implement a new technology, you often must train new users on how to perform certain tasks. This process can take weeks or even months. So, when deciding which knowledge management solution to adopt, make sure that it provides sufficient support during the onboarding period. You should also look for a vendor that offers free trials and/or demos. These programs let you try out the software without committing to purchasing anything. A good knowledge management solution provider will also provide customer success stories and testimonials. Customer reviews are another great resource because they tell you exactly how well the product works.