FAQs and knowledgebases are the two most common types of information portals available to consumers online.  They revolutionized the way companies approach customer service.  Customers have since been freed from wasting time on hold bending to someone else’s time schedule which almost never is in conjunction with their own. 

However, as a company, how do you choose which to place on your webpage—FAQs or knowledgebases?  Well, if you have a knowledgebase, odds are that you also have an FAQ section; but having an FAQ section does not necessarily mean that you have a knowledgebase.  It’s kind of like squares and rectangles.  Every square is a rectangle but not every rectangle is a square.

FAQ sections deal specifically with common inquiries and the solutions.  Often, the list of FAQs is a mile long and finding the right question is a hassle.  Many FAQ sections have a search function that makes information easier to find, however, those searches also tend turn up stuff the customer did not request. This forces them to dig in order to find what they need.

On the other hand, if an FAQ section is done right, the questions are categorized with links  so searching through the questions is far easier on the customer.  But to raise the bar of customer service, a business would have to have more than just an FAQ section on its website.  Knowledgebases are the perfect method to use. 

A knowledgebase is a searchable database designed to collect, organize, and retrieve information located in FAQ sections, forums, downloads, and whatever else is contained on a company’s website.  Knowledgebases take what a single FAQ section does on a small scale and expands it to encompass everything.  They are flexible and are able to do infinitely more and more accurately than an FAQ section alone.

Do you have a preference or a way to determine which is best? Leave us a comment. Thanks