In today’s fast-paced call and contact center environment, information is abundant, but knowledge isn’t always readily available when needed.
Every interaction, ticket, and internal conversation holds valuable insights to improve customer experience (CX), reduce handle time, and empower agents. Yet, too often, that knowledge stays locked in emails, tribal memory, or disconnected systems.
That’s where knowledge management (KM) comes in.
Far more than just a collection of FAQs or shared drives, KM is a strategy that helps centers turn information into action.
When done right, it provides agents with fast access to trusted answers, captures lessons learned, and ensures that expertise is never lost: like whether an agent leaves the company or a product undergoes a sudden change.
In this article, we’ll explore proven KM methodologies that are helping contact centers become smarter, faster, and more resilient in the face of constant change. Part 1, in this issue, will cover purpose, structure, and methodologies, while Part 2, in the next issue, will focus on KM readiness, governance, selection, upgrading, and setup.
Why KM Is No Longer Optional
A few years ago, a relatively new agent received a challenging call when I was a team lead working the late shift at a health insurance call center. A mother wanted to switch her son’s health plan to match the one her other child was on. But the agent wasn’t sure if such a change was allowed mid-coverage.
After completing the standard HIPAA verification—a routine process in healthcare call centers for authenticating callers—the agent checked the child’s open enrollment status.
According to the system, the child could not change plans for another eight months. Confident in what she found, the agent informed the mother that her son was locked into his current plan until then.
But the mother pushed back. She explained that both the child’s current health plan and his doctor had told her the change could be made through the enrollment broker.
Far more than just a collection of FAQs or shared drives, [knowledge management]...helps centers turn information into action.
Unsure and feeling the pressure, the agent placed the caller on hold and reached out to mentors and other agents, but no one was available. Four minutes passed. The total call time hit 12 minutes and the agent was still searching for the answer.
Monitoring the call queues - a dashboard that shows agent activity - I noticed the long call and checked in. The agent quickly briefed me on the situation. I recalled a policy update: in specific cases like this, where continuity of care was involved, and siblings could be on the same plan to keep their doctor, a “just cause” form could be submitted to override the default enrollment lock.
We resolved the call at the 16-minute mark. The key information the agent needed had been sent in a team-wide email three weeks earlier. But like many call center emails, it had been buried under a pile of daily updates, making it a challenge to recall or find.
This situation from my past could have easily been avoided with a well-maintained knowledge management system (KMS). Instead of digging through old emails or waiting on unavailable support, the agent could have typed a few keywords into a centralized tool and instantly retrieved the policy details and the next steps needed to assist the caller.
Unfortunately, this challenge remains far too common, especially in small to mid-sized contact centers that rely on outdated resources, such as archived emails, bulky training binders, printed handouts, or scattered shared drives.
While these methods may have been effective in the past, they often result in longer hold times, agent uncertainty, and customer frustration. Over time, this lack of efficiency not only impacts the CX but can also result in missed service level agreements (SLAs), increased escalations, and lost business.
A goal-focused approach also defines how you measure the KMS's impact.
Today, a robust KM tool is no longer optional but a core part of delivering seamless CX while improving the real-time agent experience (AX).
But implementing KM isn’t just about buying a tool and dumping information into it: it’s about adopting the right strategies that help knowledge flow naturally through your people, processes, and platforms.
What Should Your KMS Achieve?
Whenever a department or contact center asks me to help build a KMS, I always start with one simple question: Why are we doing this?
Understanding the purpose behind the system sets the foundation for everything that follows. It guides how the content should be organized and makes it easier to engage subject matter experts (SMEs) in gathering information and approving the site’s design and structure.
Before diving into methodologies, defining what success looks like for your center’s KMS is essential. A KMS isn’t just a storage solution; it should solve a specific operational or experience-based challenge.
Ask yourself:
- Are we trying to reduce average handle time (AHT) by giving agents faster access to answers?
- Do we want to improve first call resolution (FCR) by ensuring consistency across responses?
- Are we aiming to shorten new hire ramp-up time with better onboarding content?
- Is our goal to capture tribal knowledge before it walks out the door?
Your goals will help shape the following KMS components:
How you structure the knowledge base
If your goal is to improve speed and efficiency during live calls, your knowledge base (KB) should be structured to facilitate quick searches and provide instant clarity. That means short, concise answers, easy-to-understand categories, and minimal clicks to reach what matters.
On the other hand, if you’re focused on onboarding or training, you might organize knowledge to build understanding progressively, from basic to advanced.
Example: a KMS designed for call handling may lead with “Steps to Process a Premium Payment” or “20 Common Medical Claim Denial Reasons.” At the same time, a training-focused layout might start with “New Agent Essentials” and procedural walkthroughs, such as how to document a call.
What content gets prioritized
Your goals determine what content gets built or updated first. If you’re losing time due to agents hunting for escalation rules, then that’s where your initial KM effort should go. If policy updates are frequent and confusing, your focus should be on maintaining clarity and implementing effective version control.
Example: a team aiming to reduce escalations may prioritize clear guidance on standard policy exceptions and when and whom to transfer, while a center trying to reduce AHT may emphasize scripting shortcuts and call flows.
What success metrics you track
A goal-focused approach also defines how you measure the KMS’s impact. Suppose you aim to improve agent ramp-up, track training completion times, and improve new agent proficiency. If you’re targeting customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores, monitor post-call CSAT scores and FCR rates linked to KM usage.
Example: don’t just ask, “Is the KMS being used?” Instead, ask, “Is it helping us meet our SLA goals?” or “Is it reducing errors on call authentication?”
The 13 KM Methodologies
Here we look at the 13 knowledge management methodologies that can help make a difference in call and contact centers today, with how-to examples:
1. Knowledge harvesting
What it is. A structured way to capture expert knowledge before it walks out the door, especially tacit knowledge that is not written down.
Why it matters. When a tenured agent, trainer, or team lead leaves, they take years of insight with them. Knowledge harvesting ensures this expertise is retained and shared.
Examples:
- Conduct structured interviews with retiring SMEs.
- Create “day-in-the-life” documentation with screen recordings or job shadowing.
- Utilize video walkthroughs featuring top agents as they explain how they resolve challenging call types.
2. Knowledge mapping
What it is. A visual representation of who knows what and where key information lives in your center.
Why it matters. It reduces duplication or redundancy, improves call routing, and makes expertise more accessible when needed.
Examples:
- Build a digital map showing which teams or agents specialize in specific benefits, products, or customer segments.
- Maintain an internal skills directory so leadership knows where to route complex inquiries.
3. Knowledge codification
What it is. Transforming unstructured knowledge (like emails or FAQs) into organized, searchable content.
Why it matters. It turns tribal knowledge into usable knowledge, especially as teams grow or new hires are onboarded.
Examples:
- Convert FAQs from team chats into quick reference guides (QRGs) or flowcharts.
- Document exception processes (such as overrides or rule exceptions) in a centralized place.
- Use templates to standardize policy changes, procedural updates, and content submissions into the KM tool.
4. Knowledge sharing networks
What it is. Structured channels that allow employees to share knowledge laterally, not just top-down.
Why it matters. It keeps knowledge fresh and helps teams learn in real time.
Examples:
- Launch an internal discussion board or MS Teams channel where agents can ask and answer process questions. If the information can be reused, place it in your KMS, simplify it, and add relevant links and images for faster understanding.
- Create training sessions with SMEs from your center or other departments.
5. After-action reviews (AARs)
What it is. A structured debrief after a major event, focusing on what worked, what didn’t, and what should change.
Why it matters. It promotes a culture of reflection, improvement, and shared accountability.
Examples:
- After open enrollment, gather agents and quality assurance (QA) staff to review what processes worked and where scripts or resources fell short.
- Use AARs after system outages or mass escalations to document lessons learned.
- Create a template for AARs that feeds directly into updating knowledge articles.
6. Knowledge repositories
What it is. Central, searchable systems for storing and retrieving essential knowledge.
Why it matters. When done right, they reduce AHT, improve accuracy, and improve agent confidence.
Examples:
- Utilize tools like SharePoint or Salesforce Knowledge for dynamic search capabilities.
- Create role-based portals or sites with relevant content for agents, team leads, and QA.
- Add feedback buttons so agents can flag outdated or unclear content.
A static KMS becomes obsolete fast in high-change environments.
7. AI-driven KM
What it is. Leveraging AI to refine, personalize, and deliver knowledge articles or pages.
Why it matters. It shortens search time and helps agents work smarter, not harder, when it comes to finding the information they need when they need it.
Examples:
- Integrate chatbots to support internal knowledge queries during live calls or chats.
- Use AI to recommend relevant articles based on call type or CRM context.
- Analyze usage patterns to highlight content gaps or underused resources.
8. Lessons learned systems
What it is. Processes that capture insights from past events to inform future decisions and avoid repeat mistakes.
Why it matters. They help your organization retain hard-won insights and embed them into workflows.
Examples:
- Build a searchable “lessons learned” database linked to common call types or campaign issues.
- Tag entries by department, issue type, and resolution method for quick retrieval.
9. Storytelling
What it is. Using real stories to convey knowledge in a memorable, human-centered way.
Why it matters. Stories are sticky; they resonate emotionally and are more likely to be remembered than procedures.
Examples:
- Share a weekly “Customer Win” story in team huddles or email updates, highlighting how an agent went above and beyond using KM.
- Include success stories in onboarding to help new hires understand the KMS’s value.
10. Peer-assisted learning
What it is. Encouraging agents to learn from each other through mentoring, coaching, or informal support.
Why it matters. It strengthens team cohesion and builds confidence through shared learning.
Example:
- Set up peer-to-peer learning labs where agents walk each other through high-impact call scenarios.
11. Gamification
What it is. Using game-like elements (points or badges) to encourage knowledge use and contribution.
Why it matters. It increases engagement and motivates agents to contribute to and interact with knowledge, like that in the KMS.
Examples:
- Award points for creating or improving knowledge articles and highlighting top contributors.
- Use quizzes and mini-challenges to reinforce new content.
- Celebrate KM milestones, such as “Top Viewed Article of the Month,” in staff meetings.
12. Embedding knowledge feedback loops
What it is. Creating simple, built-in ways for agents to give feedback on knowledge articles, flag inaccuracies, or suggest improvements.
Why it matters. A static KMS becomes obsolete fast in high-change environments. Agent-driven feedback keeps your content current and ensures frontline users shape what’s in the system.
Examples:
- Add thumbs-up/down or “Was this helpful?” buttons to every article.
- Create a Teams channel specifically to surface KMS improvement ideas.
13. KM analytics and optimization
What it is. Using data to understand how the KMS performs and making improvements based on usage trends.
Why it matters. You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Analytics help you pinpoint content gaps, spot overused searches with no results, and understand which knowledge is helping resolve calls.
Examples:
- Monitor “zero-result” search queries to identify missing content.
- Track article open rates during live calls to correlate with FCR or handle time.
Now, you’re ready to examine whether you are ready for a KMS and how to make it happen and obtain the benefits you are seeking from it.