Knowledge repositories are inherent to organizations. Whether we are talking about how to execute processes in the company, solve incidents, or interact with customers, all these activities are supported by a specific set of knowledge to be carried out. It is a fact that the better this resource is managed, the better the company’s performance will be. That is why implementing a good IT knowledge base represents a vital factor when carrying out good Service Management.
Learn more about the benefits and best practices related to the IT knowledge base, and learn how to give members of your organization access to the right information at the right time.
What exactly is a Knowledge Base?
How a company collects, shares, and exploits knowledge internally is proportional to its successful development. Aware of this, many companies have implemented a process aimed at making the best use of the knowledge produced within it; the name of this process is Knowledge Management.
This process goes far beyond using knowledge in a company exclusively to imagine new products and brilliant services; or to design new and ingenious ways to sell them. It’s much simpler. It is a process aimed at using the information and talent that has the human potential of the company to create a collaborative environment, in which the skills of their peers nurture all members of the organization.
The challenge is to exploit this knowledge consistently and profitably. To do this, one of the main tools that Knowledge Management needs is The Knowledge Base. A Knowledge Base is nothing more than a repertoire of knowledge related to all areas of the organization and available to each of its members.
Advantages
- An improvement in the goods or services you offer and the methods you use to sell them. For example, identifying market trends ahead of time might allow you to offer products and services to customers before your competitors.
- Greater customer satisfaction thanks to a better understanding of their needs through feedback from communications to them.
- Increase the quality of your suppliers, thanks to a better knowledge of customers’ desires and your staff’s needs.
- Improved staff performance, as employees, can benefit from the knowledge and experience of their colleagues to find the best way to achieve results. They will also feel more valued in a company where their ideas are heard.
- Increasing the company’s performance by making better use of internal expertise.
- Improved recruitment and staffing policies. For example, if you’ve increased your knowledge of what customers are looking for; you’re better able to find the right people to serve them.
- Constant innovation capacity.
Information Technologies and the Knowledge Base
The IT department represents an essential link in the company, as it is in charge of ensuring that the relationship between technology and people works well within the organization. Because it is so important, the IT team tends to receive amounts of requests from internal and external stakeholders. As a result, they can often become saturated with tasks, slowing down their workflow.
With an IT knowledge base, users will be able to enjoy a self-service mode, allowing them to access timely information about IT services whenever they need it. As a result, the IT team reduces its workload to concentrate on high-priority tasks within the organization.
IT Knowledge Base: Best Practices
Creating a knowledge base within your company should normally be a simple job. However, if you need some tips to start the process here are some of the best practices you can do.
Make it simple
Ideally, the knowledge base should be built through the knowledge of a team of well-trained professionals. However, keep in mind that not everyone who will access this base is an expert. So make sure that your team writes the terms and definitions in clear and simple language.
Prioritize information
It would be great if you could accumulate all the knowledge that your organization produces; in the same knowledge base. However, considering the volumes of data that you would have to manage; often creating such an extensive database is not possible. That is why we recommend you prioritize the information based on the most common requirements of users. In this way, you can begin to create a knowledge base with the most useful information for the members of your company.
Give your team the right tools
The characteristics of a knowledge base can vary from one company to another, and frequently the disorderly accumulation of information can create misinterpretations. To keep information tidy, and updated, you should create and automate your knowledge base with an IT tool. In this way, you can centralize and democratize more easily the access to knowledge within your organization.
If you still have no idea which software solution might work best for you. We recommend you take a look at Freshservice, an excellent ITSM tool designed to help you create a simple, easy-to-understand database.
What are you waiting for? Start optimizing the processes within your company with a good knowledge base. If you want to know more about the best IT tools, don’t hesitate to contact us. In GB Advisors we have for you lead solutions in ITSM and IT sec designed to help you maximize every area of your organization.
