Your call center has a lot of information and resources. And your call center agents are expected to know most, if not all, of those policies and procedures.
So, you’re looking for a place to not only store your call flows, call center scripts, policies, and procedures for your call center, but you need a place where agents can access and use this information 24/7.
You need a knowledge management system for your call center. The problem is there are so many software options on the market. Which is the best for managing your call center resources?
Working for ScreenSteps — a knowledge base software company — I’ve become familiar with the variety of knowledge management options available to call centers and customer service teams. And I’m here to pass that information on to you so that you don’t have to spend so much time digging through the weeds.
In this blog post, I’ll first provide a high-level overview of each of the four knowledge management options. Then I’ll go into more detail below in case you want to learn more about the nuisances that make the software options different.
Hopefully, this will help you know what options are available and help you know how to continue your search for the best knowledge management software solution for your call center.
Quick overview
1. Knowledge base software
Knowledge base software is a cloud-based service that allows you to create, store, and share your resources.
It is a one-stop shop for all of your call center’s knowledge. That means you can write and share:
- Call flows
- Call center scripts
- Policies
- Procedures
- Checklists
- Reference guides (i.e. tables, information sheets, etc.)
- And more
One key thing to consider when choosing a knowledge base — or really any of these software options — is how powerful the search engine is.
Your call center’s knowledge base needs a robust search engine as well as tools, like tags or contextual help, to improve the likelihood of agents finding the script or guide they need when they need it.
Strengths
- Interactive articles (i.e., checklists, workflow articles, etc.)
- Authoring tools and templates
- User analytics: Provide insight into how agents are using your knowledge base.
- Notifications
Weaknesses
- It takes effort to maintain and keep up to date
- It is tempting to include too little or much information
Cost
A knowledge base can cost anywhere from $5/user per month up to more than $400/user per month. Of course, every knowledge base service charges according to different parameters.
Read this article for more information on what factors affect the price of a knowledge base.
Software options
There are dozens if not hundreds of knowledge base software available on the market. Each software service has different strengths and weaknesses. Here are a few popular knowledge base services:
- SharePoint
- Confluence
- Shelf.io
- ScreenSteps
- Helpjuice
Compare some of the best knowledge base software options here.
2. Call flow or call scripting software
Call flow software — also commonly called call scripting software — is software designed specifically for guiding call center agents through a call. It allows you to write, no surprise here, call flows and call center scripts.
You don’t have to have a verbatim script to use call flow software.
Strengths
- Decision tree functions and templates
- Script templates
- Authoring tools
- Integrations with other call center software
Weaknesses
- Takes effort to keep scripts up-to-date
Cost
Call center script software costs anywhere from $15/user per month to $99/user per month.
Software options
There are fewer call script software options available than knowledge base software, but there is still a wide variety of options out there. Some common software options for call flows and call center scripts include:
- Zingtree
- ProcedureFlow
- Shelf
Compare different call center software for call flows and scripts with this best-of list.
3. Decision tree software
Decision tree software is a design software that allows you to create decision tree diagrams or flowcharts. It provides a visual representation of “this-or-that” that leads your call center agents through a procedure step by step.
Another name for decision tree software is flowchart software.
Strengths
- Visual representation of steps
- Helps with simple procedures and calls
Weaknesses
- Difficult to update flowcharts
- Can’t use it for call center scripts
- Complex procedures are difficult to follow
Tip: While flowcharts are a common practice in customer service, we recommend not using them in call centers. Flowcharts are difficult for agents to follow when they are on the phone, especially if it is a complex procedure.
Cost
There are free decision tree software options available. Decision tree software can cost as much as $25/user per month.
Software options
There are a variety of decision tree and flowchart software options available. Each software offers different appearances and designs. Some of the options include:
- ProcedureFlow
- Zingtree
- Lucidchart
- Canva
- Miro
- Microsoft Visio
Visit this blog for some free flowchart software options and this blog for some of the best flowchart software services.
4. Wiki
A corporate wiki — or more commonly known as a wiki — is an internal website for your call center. Essentially, it is a Wikipedia for all of your company knowledge. It is a way to crowdsource your knowledge by allowing agents to contribute to guides and call scripts.
In many ways, a wiki is more of a forum.
Strengths
- A centralized hub for your knowledge
- Everyone can contribute to your content (high collaboration)
- Fast authoring process
Weaknesses
- Everyone can contribute to your content (yes, this is a pro and a con)
- Content easily can become inaccurate
- You accidentally duplicate your effort
- Lack of organization
- Low search capabilities
Cost
While you can get free versions of wikis, those typically have limitations, such as the number of users, storage, etc. Paid wiki services typically start at around $5/user per month.
Software options
There are many different wiki options available from simple to more complex. Some popular wiki options include:
- Guru
- Nuclino
- DocuWiki
- Notion
Why isn’t a CRM on the list?
Customer Relationship Management Systems are different than knowledge management systems. Instead of storing information on your policies, procedures, and scripts — like a knowledge management system does — a CRM stores information on your customers. A CRM is used to track customer interactions with your company.
Drive results with the right knowledge management tools for your call center
Figuring out which knowledge management software option is best for your company can be difficult. Hopefully, this list has helped you narrow down what type of knowledge management software you are looking for.
If you truly want to achieve lower training times, avoid mistakes, improve agent performance, and improve call center KPIs, you need more than a software solution.
ScreenSteps not only provides you with a knowledge management solution with its knowledge base software — we also have frameworks and methodologies to help you achieve the results you want (aka the results listed above).
Want to see how ScreenSteps helps call center manage their call centers and decrease training times?
Watch our pre-recorded demos made specifically for call centers. If you prefer, you can schedule a live demo with one of our ScreenSteps experts to discuss your call center’s specific needs.
