How to Use KCS to Optimize workflow

Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS) is a methodology based on how to manage and create knowledge effectively to support your key business processes. When implemented successfully, KCS helps with your operational efficiency, self-service success and organizational learning and improvement. This article focuses on some of the key lessons of KCS in regards to creating and searching for knowledge articles.

Basics of KCS

1. Search Early, Search Often

One of the core lessons of KCS is for contact center agents to search the knowledge base early and often.  KCS encourages agents to search the knowledge base as early as possible.  When looking for the answer to an inquiry, checking the knowledge base is the first thing the agent should do. This way the agent is able to find the answer they need immediately and the inquiry is resolved as quickly as possible. This leads to a better overall service experience for your agent and, more importantly, for your customer. KCS also proposes agents should search the knowledge base often. If an agent receives an inquiry the first thing they should do is search the knowledge base. If they do not find the answer they need for that inquiry, they should flag for a new article to be created. The next time an agent receives that same inquiry, they should now be able to find the answer in the knowledge base. The goal is for every inquiry answer to eventually be an article in the knowledge base. This way your knowledge base has all of the answers your agents need.

2. Capture Knowledge in the Moment

Another lesson KCS teaches is that knowledge articles should be created in real time.  KCS strongly promotes creating articles at the time of the inquiry. This way you can capture the inquiry in the customer’s context and make sure to document each step of the resolution. When an article is created after the fact, information is lost or mistranslated. This leads to the knowledge article being less effective. For better quality articles, capturing knowledge in the moment is key. 

3. Keep It Simple

KCS wants you to keep it simple. Especially when it comes to creating articles. KCS suggests that when you create an article you should write in complete thoughts, not in complete sentences.  Think of when an agent performs a search in the knowledge base. Most agents will only type a few words into the search bar in order to find the answer they need. Most agents will not take the time or effort to type out the entire sentence of the inquiry. By creating articles in the same fashion your agents will be searching for them, the search results will be more accurate. Another way KCS wants you to keep it simple is by using templates. Templates are a standard format in which you create your knowledge articles. Using a template will help with the consistency of your content.  This also makes it easier for agents to find the specific piece of information they are looking for.

Overview

This article covers just some of the highlights of KCS in regards to creating knowledge articles.  KCS is a rich methodology filled with many more principals and concepts relating to Knowledge Centered Service.  By learning and implementing KCS, your business can realize profound benefits such as improved time to resolution, increase in first contact resolution, improved time to proficiency and much more.