Expert Systems for Help Desk Management Software

Help desk management software, using expert systems to provide the necessary data to populate a knowledge base, can provide online tech support assistance for businesses.

Expert systems gather information from "experts" in a particular field, using the data to reach conclusions. While the focus of an expert system tends to be very narrow, it is possible to use more than one expert system in relation to others, in order to create help desk knowledge base software. Using help desk management software with an expert-populated knowledge base allows even inexperienced users to offer technical support as needed.

Expert Systems Software

Expert systems software combines a vast amount of knowledge with an inference engine to make use of the information. The data in the knowledge base is gathered from those who are well-trained, and know the most about the subject. This process requires a great deal of time and care, to ensure that all necessary information is added to the program. Once the knowledge base has been populated with all the available information about the topic, the inference engine can then draw conclusions based on programmed variables.

An inference engine is the portion of the expert system that acts like the reasoning portion of a brain. It uses the data stored in a knowledge base to reach conclusions based on pre-programmed rules. Without the use of the inference engine, the expert system would simply be another type of database.

Help Desk Knowledge Base

A help desk knowledge base using expert system software can offer many benefits to a business. While the initial investment of time and money can be considerable, the resulting improvement in consistency and reduction of training time can be impressive.

Many businesses use help desk management software to improve consistency. When support technicians use knowledge base software for online tech support, all support issues are addressed in the same way. Not only does this reduce the amount of time spent solving tech support issues, it ensures that the same information is gathered for each support request. Standardized information gathering improves the database for future calls, increasing the power of the expert system.

Training, in the area of technical support, can be lengthy and complex. In addition, due to the need for highly experienced technicians, the costs of technical support personnel can be high. Using expert systems allows businesses to save on these training and personnel costs by reducing training time, and reducing the need for more qualified technicians. An expert system can walk the support personnel through the appropriate troubleshooting process for each call. This capability allows businesses to hire personnel with little or no training, and still maintain a high quality of technical support.

Knowledge Management Software for Business

Knowledge management software, using expert systems to compile and interpret the data, can greatly benefit help desk operations. Expert systems allow businesses to standardize the technical support process and lower personnel costs by reducing training requirements. While this type of system is initially costly, the long-term benefits are significant enough to justify the expense in many cases.

Reference:

Nikolopoulos, Chris. Expert systems: introduction to first and second generation and hybrid knowledge based systems. (1997) Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, New York.