Survey results show untapped potential for modern knowledge management

eGain Corporation, a leading knowledge platform for customer engagement, and KMWorld unveiled results from a recent survey, finding knowledge management (KM) is still underutilized in the enterprise.

The findings were based on more than 300 responses from an online survey of knowledge management executives and practitioners across more than 20 industries, who are subscribers to KMWorld magazine and members of their online community.

“The strategic and operational value of knowledge is the best kept secret in business transformation,” said Anand Subramaniam, SVP global marketing for eGain. “Per Gartner, successful digital transformation leaders are over-investing in this technology, which is not a surprise.”

Sponsored by eGain, it was conducted in the first calendar quarter of 2023. Among key results of the survey are:

• Even organizations such as contact centers, IT helpdesk, and HR, long considered as sweet spots for KM, have yet to fully embrace the technology. The percentage of respondents who said that these departments are not using KM are:
• Contact centers: 44%
• IT helpdesk: 45%
• HR: 61%
• KM is not being leveraged in other departments as well. Among examples of non-use are:
• Sales: 66%
• Legal: 71%
• Field Service: 67%
• Most of the respondents have yet to start using differentiating and game-changing knowledge capabilities such as conversational guidance (77% not using) and process guidance (63% not using)
• Knowledge continues to be siloed in most organizations with 36% of respondents have three or more KM tools in use and 12% two or three, with 31% not even knowing how many they have

“I am delighted that eGain chose Unisphere to conduct this important research,” said Marydee Ojala, editor-in-chief of KMWorld magazine. “The report indicates how central knowledge management is to successful business operations. More importantly, it gives indications of where KM could have greater impact.”

To read the full report, go here.