Knowledge Base Technology

Knowledge base technology is centered on the idea that a system can warehouse and deliver information to an end user. This type of information is similar to a question/answer platform. The kinds of delivered information can be:

* A simple list of values (an intelligent codification)

* Full sentences that describe the solution to the question

* Pictures, Diagrams and Attachments of any sort

* Dialogue which guides an end user to a solution, but allows for one question to build on another

* Links provided to web sites

Most have looked at this type of tool as one that assists in a service industry’s repair process or a scripting tool for call centers. The other common use of these tools is support for a phone system where CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) is used, for instance, a phone system that either proactively makes or receives phone calls with an IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system in place. An example of this is an airline that provides flight information based on automated questions asked of the caller. From there, the caller responds with appropriate information. A potential dialogue would be:

Phone voice: “What is your flight number?”

Callers response: “4005.”

Phone voice: “Arrives at DFW at 2:30 pm.”

Knowledge based tools are also useful for augmenting your sales and marketing. You can link your web site to the knowledge based tool, allowing potential customers to look at the material you provide. Web visitors, can utilize question and answer features, provide feedback, bring in materials, and even customize your web site. This can be done with a one-time technology investment and requires almost no resources until you have a good lead.

Types of knowledge based tools can vary, from being very complex and requiring a great deal of time and your most knowledgeable resources (the “expert tool” type), to being easily implemented and automated (the “self-learning tool” type).

The “expert tool” requires that an expert provides information for the application. While implementing an “expert tool” is time and labor intensive, for some information it is the only viable choice. The flight reservation system, mentioned above, would need to be an expert system. Some companies have this type of information gathered in other systems, which can be the starting point to feed the expert system with the information.

The “self-learning tool” gathers information from the systems that run your business. For example, if you have a good sales force automation tool, the information entered into that tool can be used to backfill your self-learning knowledge base with the information gathered during a sales cycle. Analyzing a sales cycle will tell the tool which approaches have worked, how well they have worked, and give you information about the loss of a sale. The more information you can gather in your self-learning tool, the more useful your system will be. For service-oriented companies, a knowledge based tool can help with a call center by allowing non-experts to give expert answers to the customer or update the website to improve customer usability.

Tools can also be a combination of expert and self-learning. With this tool, you can start off with any amount of expert-entered (or converted) information, and your system will gather more every day as events are captured. This allows your tool to become more effective every day as your business is performed.