Q&A with a support knowledge manager

Hi folks,

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Knowledge managers have always been important for self-serve support, but what they do has evolved significantly since AI entered the picture.?

I’ve had plenty of CS leaders reach out with questions as they navigate this change, so I thought why not get some real insights from someone who’s actually doing it?

Our Senior Knowledge Manager at Intercom, Beth-Ann Sher , recently spoke on an episode of?The Ticket?podcast?about what her day-to-day looks like and the impact AI has had on her role. Here are some insights Beth-Ann shared that I found particularly interesting.

?? To get the full value of The Ticket, with all your essential Customer Service intel both inside and outside of Intercom, subscribe to the email version of The Ticket here.

What does a typical day look like, and what are your key responsibilities?

“Since I first started, things have changed quite dramatically. Our knowledge base has become more robust and our help center word count has doubled in the last year.?

So, I’m definitely not working as a one-man band anymore. A big part of my role now is working with our Knowledge Specialty team – 13 customer service agents who have dedicated time to update and improve our support content. Every Monday, I'll set them up with our key focus for the week, which often involves actioning back-office tickets, working on large scale audits for redesigned features, reviewing content that hasn't been updated in the last six months, and adding new knowledge based on customer interactions.

I work really closely with product managers before we release a new feature, providing early feedback to the Product teams and having weekly syncs with product marketing managers. My role also involves creating a ‘vision’ for how we want to maintain, improve, and create new knowledge in the future.”

How has AI reshaped the role of a knowledge manager in customer service?

“AI has brought new life to this role. It's totally dependent on knowledge and data – you can have the best large language models in the world, but if they don't have a database to draw from, they won't be able to show you much. This has brought my role closer to teams all over the organization and all the way up to senior leadership as our focus shifted to that knowledge and data.”

How can leaders demonstrate the ROI of a knowledge manager role?

“AI has meant that being a knowledge manager can now have a serious and quantifiable impact on inbound volume and support costs.?

We're used to measuring content effectiveness through viewership, satisfaction ratings, and conversations started from a piece of content. That used to give us some idea of the number of conversations that were potentially deflected through self-serve support, but now, AI lets us measure true resolutions.

This is so much more valuable than deflection because we actually know when a customer got the information they needed and didn't just give up and disappear.

At Intercom, we track Fin’s overall resolution rate weekly. The fact that we can even reach 45% was unimaginable a couple of years ago. We monitor any increases, but especially any drops, so we can quickly identify the cause. This allows us to isolate problems early and fix them, directly impacting our support efficiency and costs.”

What key skills and competencies do you need to excel as a knowledge manager?

“You need to be someone who can drive a whole self-serve support operation, not just quietly tap out articles. Ideally, you’re a problem solver and creative thinker who can ensure AI uses knowledge effectively.

You should be confident drawing from different content sources to evolve the knowledge base, and bold enough to make decisions that’ll drive things forward. Cross-functional collaboration skills are crucial. So is being excited about AI’s potential. Remember, you don't need to start as a knowledge manager – I didn't start off thinking I'd be in this role today, but I find it extremely fulfilling.”

Bonus resource: Beth-Ann compiled a thorough guide on knowledge management in the age of AI. It covers everything from what you should include in your knowledge base to creating effective processes and AI-friendly best practices. Check it out here.

I’ve worked closely with Beth-Ann for the last few years and seen her story play out in real-time, but hearing her describe the transformative effects AI has had on her career fills me with a fresh sense of excitement about the future of customer service. There’s so much potential for growth – both professional and personal – so, let’s lean into this and make the most of it.

Here’s to exciting new opportunities!

Ruth O'Brien

Senior Director, Automated & Proactive Support

?? To get the full value of The Ticket, with all your essential Customer Service intel both inside and outside of Intercom, subscribe to the email version of The Ticket here.