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The Complete Knowledge Base Platform Guide (2023)

by | May 19, 2023

If you’re in the world of customer support, you know how important it is to keep your internal and external support teams as streamlined as possible. You also understand that you can’t always rely on users to have the answers they need—sometimes, they need to be able to find the answers themselves. This is why knowledge-based platforms are so important. A knowledge base platform allows you to create a repository of information that your employees and customers can access when they’re looking for something specific.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what a knowledge base platform is and why it’s so crucial for businesses to have one.

What is a Knowledge Base Platform?

Image explaining the definition of knowledge base platform.

The knowledge base platform is a technology that helps companies acquire significant internal and external information, manage that data in an organized and searchable fashion, and communicate that knowledge with others.

A good knowledge base will contain answers to frequently asked questions and serve as an online reference for all relevant information about your products or services. A knowledge base also effectively communicates company rules, procedures, and other information pertinent to employees.

Your knowledge base software must be user-friendly and straightforward to organize and disseminate data effectively. You may host your data, use pre-made templates, and structure your material with a variety of different types of software. The best knowledge base software will work with your current ticketing and CRM systems to provide seamless customer assistance.

Knowledge bases can include product information, manuals, FAQs, troubleshooting guides, and other support-related content. The most important feature of a knowledge base platform is how easy it is to create and manage your content.

Paper records becoming digitized

Streamline Complex Processes Instantly

Capacity’s AI and automation technology can help:

  • Answer FAQs anytime, anywhere
  • Find relevant documents within seconds
  • Give surveys and collect feedback

How Do Knowledge Base Platforms Work?

Knowledge base software helps organize information so it can be found easily. It has an extensive database of answers to questions. Some knowledge base software uses machine learning, so the program automatically finds the right solution from the database when people ask questions.

Knowledge management systems typically provide settings that let you make your database public, private, or hybrid. Only authenticated users can view the contents of a private database. With a knowledge base platform like Capacity, you can set access permissions by department, role, geolocation, team member, website visitor, and more.

AI knowledge base platforms can help streamline tacit and digital knowledge for businesses. Such programs use artificial intelligence to monitor customer inquiries, identify which topics customers commonly ask about, and make suggestions when users enter their questions. AI-powered platforms can even generate content for your knowledge base tailored to each user’s needs.

6 Benefits of Knowledge Base Platforms

Using a knowledge base platform could benefit your organization in numerous ways. Key advantages include the following:

Image showing the benefits of knowledge base platforms.

Enhanced Customer Satisfaction

In the present day, customers want immediate and helpful assistance. A knowledge base platform enables customers to promptly access the required information without human support intervention, enhancing customer contentment. An AI knowledge base can automatically send users relevant information when they need it.

Improved Employee Efficiency

A knowledge base platform has the potential to optimize employee productivity. Establishing a centralized information repository enables employees to promptly access the requisite information for addressing customer concerns. This helps streamline internal and external support for teams.

Cost-Effective

Knowledge base platforms have the potential to generate cost savings for organizations by mitigating the volume of support tickets and calls. AI chatbots work with knowledge base platforms to reduce the volume of tickets for human support agents. This allows them to focus on more strategic tasks.

Superior Knowledge Management

Implementing a knowledge base platform can aid organizations in enhancing their knowledge management practices. Establishing a centralized knowledge repository enables organizations to guarantee the accuracy and currency of information. Platforms like Capacity can instantly resurface old content, allowing teams to update outdated information consistently.

Access to Valuable Insights

Various knowledge base platforms commonly provide analytics and reporting tools. This can assist organizations in comprehending the most frequently accessed articles, the topics that generate the highest number of support tickets, and other valuable insights.

Knowledge Transfer 

Customers can skip right to the section they need information on without having to read everything you have to offer. The correct knowledge base application will allow you to send the right bit of data at the right time.

5 Tips to Answer: How to Choose a Knowledge Base Platform?

It can be challenging to settle on a knowledge base platform. When selecting a knowledge base system, keep the following tips in mind:

  1. The platform should be user-friendly for both staff and customers. It should have a straightforward design allowing users to access the information they require quickly.
  2. The platform should be adaptable to fit your company’s needs and goals. This will help maintain high quality throughout the customer’s interaction.
  3. Customer service software, chatbots, and customer relationship management systems are only some technologies that should be compatible with the platform.
  4. Look for a system with in-depth tracking and reporting options. This will help you gain valuable insights into customer behavior, usage trends, and more.
  5. Pick a system with a solid commitment to keeping your data safe. Find a platform with robust security measures, user roles and permissions, and two-factor authentication.

Top 5 Knowledge Base Platforms

The knowledge base is a crucial part of any business. It helps users find answers to their questions and guides them through your product’s various features and functions. With so many knowledge base platforms available today, it can be difficult for businesses to find the right solution for their needs.

To help you, we’ve compiled a list of 5 knowledge-base platforms we recommend for your business:

Image showing the best knowledge base platforms.

Capacity

This platform is at the top of our list for several reasons (shameless plug).

Capacity is an advanced knowledge base system that provides a unified AI-driven environment to boost the effectiveness of teams everywhere in the world. It has tools that make it simple to automate support activities, create answers to business problems, and manage information efficiently. The platform helps businesses standardize their internal and external assistance, boost output, and increase customer satisfaction.

With Capacity, an organization can integrate its most used apps and software to streamline routine support activities and devise innovative approaches to any problem. More than 90% of FAQs are answered within the AI knowledge base.

Low-code workflows help teams automate mundane operations and procedures, boosting output and efficiency. Capacity makes it simple for groups to construct workflows that automate processes like data entry, approvals, and notifications.

Paper records becoming digitized

Streamline Complex Processes Instantly

Capacity’s AI and automation technology can help:

  • Answer FAQs anytime, anywhere
  • Find relevant documents within seconds
  • Give surveys and collect feedback

HubSpot

HubSpot’s knowledge base is just one component of its extensive service module, which includes marketing and sales automation and customer service. It’s a self-hosted platform can function with or without a hosting provider, and its ticketing system is straightforward.

HubSpot’s SEO recommendations are handy while writing articles; however, the marketing module is sold separately. The platform provides a one-stop shop for a company’s marketing, sales, and customer service needs, but at a premium price that may rule out all but the most desperate of startups.

Zendesk

Zendesk is a help desk software with a knowledge management system in its self-service section. Unlike a solitary knowledge source, this tool allows users to solve their problems at their own pace. In addition to providing over a thousand possible connectors, the program also offers suggestions for relevant information to help desk workers, even during live chat. 

However, the cost can be prohibitive, and installation may be complicated and require expert assistance. Zendesk is an all-inclusive customer service platform that boasts cutting-edge AI tools that can be proven beneficial for your organization.

Bloomfire

Support agents may more easily provide consistent, high-quality, context-relevant service using Bloomfire, another knowledge base platform that centralizes corporate knowledge in a single, searchable platform. It has social media-like interactions, crowdsourced frequently asked questions, and AI-powered search. 

This platform can make content auto-tagging, full-text search, a self-service portal, reports on content utilization and customer feedback, and AI-enabled search easy for your business to automate internal and external knowledge.

Notion

Notion is a flexible software platform that improves team productivity by facilitating the management of internal documents and communication. Its robust database and versatile content organization features make it a popular choice for managing KBs. Notes, to-do lists, project plans, and meeting agendas are just some documents and templates that can be made using Notion.

It’s great for internal documentation and team collaboration, but it doesn’t have robust search or AI-enabled features for customer support.

Takeaway

When selecting the right knowledge base platform for your business, it is essential to research and determine which one best fits your needs. Scalability, integration with other platforms, and analytics capabilities should be considered. With the right knowledge base platform, your business can level up its customer service and create a more efficient experience for your team and customers.

See why 1200+ businesses choose Capacity. Try it for free today!

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