Multi-content Search Philosophy

Different knowledge applies to different users for different reasons. Getting the right knowledge to the right people for the right reasons is key to the k-Commerce Support Enterprise’s multi-content search philosophy. The following examples represent how the k-Commerce Support Enterprise system manages knowledge retrieval:

• An automated CBR solution is applied to self-service end-users for their support issues.
• Level-one call-center agents use a knowledge base to assist customers preferring to speak with service representatives.
• Level-two call-center agents and specialists, who handle more complex problems, access corporate knowledge resources such as Lotus Notes or Microsoft Site Server through the Knowledge Gateway.

The Knowledge Pyramid, shown in figure 1, represents graphically the multi-content knowledge base to which the k-Commerce Support Enterprise product has access.

The apex of the pyramid represents the self-service approach to problem resolution found in CBR, Inference’s well known case-based application for self-service customers and level-one agents. At this level, self service deals with the most frequently recurring problems that comprise the highest percentage of contact center activity.

• The self-service format requires highly structured cases because end-users don’t have knowledge of the domain.
• Frequently recurring, common problems are best resolved in a self-service format because of the high volume and associated expense of handling these issues.
• Self-service inquiries at this level often involve novice end-users who prefer solutions—not documents. Documents are more than they require for fast, consistent and accurate answers to their questions.

Represented on the pyramid immediately below case solutions are the call logs, tech notes, email, and document libraries that comprise the wealth of existing corporate content. These are the unstructured document stores located across the enterprise and accessed with the Knowledge Gateway through Lotus Notes and Site Server. This unstructured information is available to solve more complicated problems.

More complicated problems are the domain of level two call-center agents and specialists. These agents rank as subject matter experts who interpret documents, solving uncommon problems with unstructured solutions. The Knowledge Gateway achieves its highest fundamental value proposition at this level.

The bottom tier of the triangle shows the Internet, where information expands potentially without limits and where the Knowledge Gateway can access Web sites to retrieve content.

Problem escalation

The Knowledge Pyramid also shows how unresolved problems are escalated. Two things can happen with respect to problem escalation:

• The system allows a self-service inquiry that starts with a case-base search to escalate seamlessly to a Knowledge Gateway search. This arrangement enables users to search the unstructured knowledge base for a solution.
• By dialing an 800 number, an end-user terminating a self-service search can escalate the problem to a Level 2 agent. The level 2 agent who takes the call can make the transition smoothly because all the previously answered questions accompany the escalation request. The agent uses the previously answered questions to bootstrap the Knowledge Gateway search. The questions drive the system to generate more questions, helping to refine the search.