One of the biggest challenges in Knowledge Management for customer service is to keep frontline staff engaged and using KM. Below are my top tips for continuously driving forward user engagement and adoption.

Implementing Knowledge Management

1 - Involve Users From Day 1 - When kicking off a Knowledge Management Implementation, involve agents in the discovery sessions. Including frontline users with different tenures is crucial to get a well-rounded view. Understand their needs and most significant pain points. Test content with them before launch and get their feedback on what works and what doesn't. Make sure whatever you deliver addresses the pain points. Make sure you thank the agents for their help.

2 - Pilot – This is a great way to test any new Knowledge Management solution with end users. Make sure they understand the value they offer, and their feedback will determine the future success of the knowledge management initiative. Reward and recognise agents on the pilot.

3 - Naming - Let frontline users name the new knowledge management tool. Ask agents for name ideas, and then get them to vote for the best option. Make knowledge management a system created by frontline users for frontline users.

4 - Launch - When launching Knowledge Management to the frontline estate, make it a BIG DEAL. Have a communication campaign beforehand to get frontline users excited. Have a launch party with celebrations and cakes. Have roadshows showcasing the benefits and functionality and how it addresses the problems of the existing frontline experience.

5 - Bits and Pieces - Offer branded gifts. For example, in the past, we have had branded Pens, Notepads, Calendars, Cakes, Badges, Fidget spinners, Magnets, Fans, Styluses, Battery chargers, Lanyards, Card holders, Cups, Mugs, Rubik's cubes, Stress balls, Stickers and many more. Do what the best cultural fit for your frontline population is.

Keep Engagement in BAU

6 - Content Writing - When analysing, and rewriting content, get frontline users involved in the rewrite sessions. In my experience, frontline staff are open and honest and will tell you what works and what doesn't. Don't get protective over your content. Make sure you thank the frontline staff for their help.

7 - Involve Rogue Agents - Some agents create "Cheat Sheets" or their mini knowledge bases on their desktops. They are making these things as they feel the existing system doesn't work. Don't punish these agents for it. Instead, get them involved in your Knowledge Management Strategy. They may know something that works. Please make sure you thank them for their help.

8 - Secondments - If there are peaks and troughs in workload, utilise seconded frontline staff as additional resources to support Knowledge Management activities. The benefits are that KM professionals get more resources to help, and the frontline staff get to do something different than just taking calls. Make sure you thank the frontline staff for their help.

9 - Look and Learn - KM professionals should spend as much time sitting with the frontline and watching them take calls and navigate knowledge. Look at what they are doing. How are they finding content? What are they searching for? Do they read all the content or just critical parts of it? What could you do better to support them? Make sure you thank the frontline staff for their help.

10 - Be an Agent - KM professionals could regularly take calls or chats with live customers to test the content and knowledge they have produced. It's a great way to get honest feedback. Plus, frontline staff appreciate seeing Knowledge Management professionals putting themselves in their shoes.

11 - Robust Feedback Process - Make sure there is robust feedback so frontline staff can leave feedback when there is content missing or something that needs improvement. Celebrate great feedback and always respond to the frontline users with every bit of feedback they leave. Actively encourage feedback and knowledge sharing with the frontline staff.

12 - Objectives – Make knowledge sharing and feedback a key component in frontline staff's goals and objectives. Reward a Knowledge sharing culture.

13 - Make it Fun - Create games in the knowledge base to encourage and reward great ideas and feedback. Think gift cards, vouchers, opportunities to work in the Knowledge Team etc. Make sure you thank the frontline staff for their help.

14 - Regular Sessions – Roundtable sessions with agents are a great way to get honest feedback and input into any aspect of Knowledge Management. Try to get views from both new starters and tenured staff. Make sure you thank them for their help.

15 - Agent KM Community – Create an agent community where frontline staff can raise their ideas and solutions for improving knowledge management. Perhaps implement Gamification to encourage knowledge sharing. Make sure you thank the frontline staff for their help.

16 - Knowledge Champions – Create a network of Knowledge Champions (who are frontline staff) that represent the needs of agents from a Knowledge Management perspective. People on the frontline work together to help drive KM forward from a user perspective.

17 - Location – If possible, physically locate your Knowledge Teams in the same location as frontline staff for direct access to them and raise Knowledge Management visibility for the frontline population.

Most importantly, always thank the agents and always make them feel valued. 

These tips should ensure end users are engaged and invested in effective Knowledge Management.

~~~

Gary Wyatt is an award-winning knowledge management professional with over 22 years of experience across multiple roles, countries, languages, and industries. Gary has a proven track record of helping businesses achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency through the application of knowledge management tools, principles, and techniques across multiple channels. Gary is committed to helping organisations to deliver tangible, measurable results and believes that by effectively managing and leveraging knowledge, businesses can unlock huge potential and achieve their goals.  

Connect with Gary at LinkedIn...