An enterprise search tool is an organization-specific search engine that empowers employees with the knowledge they need to accomplish tasks. In an ideal world, enterprise search solutions land somewhere in between basic indexing and advanced commercial services like Google. Far less comprehensive than the latter, drastically more helpful than the former.
And with the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), intuitive enterprise search tools aren’t exclusive to Fortune 500 orgs. From SMBs to Wall Street goliaths, making tacit knowledge and mined documents (and more) readily accessible is becoming standard practice.
If you’re employed by an enterprise search hold out, don’t fret. We compiled a few of our favorite features below to help you convince the powers-that-be on why this tech tool matters.
1. App integration
With a single query, Capacity’s enterprise search functionality quickly and easily explores 50+ popular apps and systems (with more integrations on the way) for critical information. From CRMs to project management tools, Capacity consolidates your team’s tools into a single chat interface.
Unsurprisingly, the ability to de-silo available knowledge through a simple chat portal is a hallmark feature of enterprise search.
Why enterprise search?
- Nearly 70% of employees switch back and forth between apps 10 times per hour looking for information.
- 72% of organizations report that managing multiple CRMs within a technology silo is extremely challenging.
2. Productivity triumphs
With an enterprise search tool mining docs and apps for organizational knowledge, employees can focus on doing the jobs they were hired to do! As we alluded to above, the typical team spends a shocking percentage of their work day digging through siloed information. Every second spent searching comes at the cost of higher ROI activities.
In the short term, OKRs are met and products are launched on-schedule. Long term, your org is more competitive and profitable.
Why enterprise search?
- According to the American Psychological Association, the brief mental blocks caused by switching tasks can consume up to 40% of an employee’s productivity.
- Failure to effectively share knowledge amongst teams costs Fortune 500 companies nearly $32 billion annually.
3. Only ask once
Natural language processing (NLP), a technology made possible by AI, empowers enterprise search tools to understand the context and semantic structure of an inquiry. Through a chat interface, teammates request knowledge in casual terminology, knowing that NLP will pinpoint the intent and the corresponding knowledge.
And when a satisfactory answer can’t be found within the knowledge base, human-in-the-loop (HITL) functionality forwards the request to a designated teammate in the know. Then, the reply is automatically added to your org’s knowledge management system for future use.
Why enterprise search?
- The average employee spends nearly 20% of their time (just over 9 hours per week) searching for information.
- Establishing a knowledge base within your org can reduce support desk calls by 25%.
4. Fully informed decisions
An enterprise search tool can erase organizational missteps by keeping separate departments in sync. Before the marketing department places a $9,500 order for packaging, Capacity can mine project management software to confirm that the engineering team is still expected to release the new widget on time.
Taking information access one step further, Capacity’s user permission function allows admins to easily control who has access. Through a user-friendly group permissions tool, management can securely share organizational knowledge with the teammates who need to know.
Why enterprise search?
- According to a PMI report, 12% of all the capital spent on projects in the U.S is lost to poor management.
- 40% of businesses admit their unstructured data requires frequent management.
5. Access information anywhere
A far cry from the information silos of local storage, a cloud-based enterprise search solution equips employees to work from anywhere with an internet connection. From simple FAQs to highly sensitive data, organizational knowledge is made instantly accessible through chat.
More than a simple search tool, Capacity can also take actions on behalf of the user. For example, if a territory manager needs to update a lead status within your CRM after a successful sales call, she can simply submit the request through the chat portal, and Capacity will take care of the rest.
Why enterprise search?
- Between 2005 and 2017, remote work increased nearly 160%.
- By 2028, 73% of departments will have teammates working remotely.
Not just knowledge
AI-powered systems like Capacity are much more than internal facsimiles of Google and Bing. Machine learning, HITL, and seamless app integration are just a few of the next-generation features transforming enterprise search tools into full-blown digital assistants.