61% of consumers visit a company’s website or customer portal first before seeking direct contact(Deloitte, 2022). At the same time, a successful self-service transaction costs an average of only $0.10, while personal contact at a service center costs around $8 (Gartner, 2022). These figures make it clear that companies that efficiently process and provide knowledge benefit twice over – through more satisfied customers and lower operating costs. However, the path to effective knowledge management is often more complex than it initially appears.
Challenges: From Knowledge Silos to Skills Shortages
Many companies struggle with a heterogeneous knowledge landscape. Information is scattered across different departments, tools, or even just in the minds of experienced employees. This leads to inefficient processes and, not infrequently, to information loss.
Added to this are external factors such as rising customer expectations, increasing technical complexity, regulatory requirements, and a noticeable shortage of skilled workers. Linguistic and cultural differences also make it difficult to transfer knowledge uniformly in international organizations.
The result is lost working time spent searching for information. Nearly half of employees in companies spend up to one hour of their working day searching for information (Kothes, 2023).
The Basis: Uniformly Prepared Knowledge that is Accessible to All
Effective knowledge management begins with the creation of a central knowledge base. This is where all relevant information from different systems and departments comes together. The data ranges from technical documentation and process knowledge to the experience of long-standing employees.
It is crucial that the system is intuitive to use. Employees must recognize the added value and be able to contribute knowledge with minimal effort. Only when knowledge is continuously maintained and updated, a true “single source of truth” can be created.
The Pinnacle of Knowledge Management: Intelligent Use Through AI
The next step is the intelligent provision of knowledge. Modern knowledge management systems already integrate AI-based search functions or chatbots that provide information similar to an intuitive web search.
This means that knowledge is not only collected, but also provided in a context-related manner. A powerful knowledge management system transmits knowledge to a wide variety of stakeholders. On the recipient side, for example, are service agents, sales partners, or customers in the self-service portal. The definition of authorization concepts and the protection of sensitive knowledge data are particularly important here.
The system becomes even more powerful when it is seamlessly connected to existing enterprise systems (e.g., CRM, ERP, ticketing). This allows information to be not only queried, but also actively fed back and evaluated.
Through the intelligent generation of knowledge, customer service in particular can take on a new role in companies in the long term. It is evolving from a reactive support unit to a central knowledge aggregator that brings together information from a wide variety of channels and then makes it available for use by other areas of the company.
Advantages: Greater Efficiency, Quality, and Scalability
Well-structured knowledge management offers a number of advantages:
- Personalized information provision according to roles and rights
- Increased efficiency through reuse of existing content
- Central access to expert knowledge
- Automated notifications for topic updates
- Integration with machines & systems via QR codes
- Consistency & scalability across countries and languages
- Knowledge retention
- Training / further education of employees
Lessons Learned: What Successful Companies do Differently
Practical examples show that successful knowledge management projects do not start with technology, but with people:
- Focus on content: Start with pilot projects, test phases, and feedback loops
- Employee buy-in: Early involvement and transparent communication
- Create acceptance: Visible added value and clear responsibilities
- Quality management: Regular reviews and updates
- Motivation & gamification: Make small milestones visible and reward them
This transforms knowledge management from a one-off project into a living system that continuously improves.
Conclusion: Knowledge is the Resource of the Future
In a world where customers expect fast and accurate answers, knowledge becomes a crucial resource. That’s why professional knowledge management not only strengthens service quality, but also a company’s competitiveness.