An administrator for a non-profit posed a question recently about implementing Salesforce Service & Support’s Knowledge Base feature. This is a critical part of the CRM lifecycle, and some upfront investment in thinking about what solutions to create can dramatically reduce repetitive support inquiries later on. I figured I’d give you some process tips if you’re considering using this.
First, some vocabulary. A Knowledge base in Salesforce is comprised of a set of Solutions, so certain designated customers (or the general public) can search through it to find answers to common issues. Considering that phone-based, live customer support is one of the most expensive customer support channels, businesses of any size should consider offloading some of the more basic questions to an area that people can search themselves.
And that’s the key to building a successful knowledge base. Management needs to understand that this takes some time, and requires some processes wrapped around it so information in the solutions stays current.
Jot down all the frequently asked questions you can think of. Poll your customer-facing employees about what questions they hear the most. You’ll start seeing patterns of topics appear that can guide you in how to classify them.
Figure out a simple set of checks and balances so the Solution Detail succinctly conveys the answer in the right tone that fits your company, and is free of spelling errors. Usually this means 2 people are involved in the Solution creation and review process. Then agree on when and which certain categories contain more time-sensitive information and are more susceptible to updating.
Like I said, this does take a little bit of upfront thought time. Some of you may shake your heads and proclaim that you have no time for this. Trust me, a little extra prep work at the beginning will make the trip that much more enjoyable.