Taking the leap: Migrating to a new platform

Simple and clear instructions for launching a knowledgebase help the organization get started. Easy ways to set up categories should be available, and an out-of-the-box search engine should be a part of the knowledgebase. The structure of the knowledgebase should be re-evaluated prior to migrating data. Default categories in KnowledgeOwl provide a starting point for organizing content, and users can also create their own categories.

Migrating to KnowledgeOwl can be done in a number of different ways. The customer success team at KnowledgeOwl assists with the migration process. “We recommend that the content be audited as it is imported,” said Calvage. “Having a human in the loop at this stage allows for updating metadata, adding new images to existing content, and updating authoring attribution.” However, content can also be imported directly from several other customer support solutions, and an API can pull data in from other platforms. In addition, KnowledgeOwl supports Zapier, a software product that is used to develop importing tools.

Positive outcomes of successful migration

A well-organized and well-implemented migration can have very positive outcomes. Greater efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced productivity are typical improvements over the previous platform. Bloomfire reports a 50% reduction in onboarding time, 64% improvement in data-driven decision making, and 91% of questions resolved without escalating.

Data migration is not an end in itself, but a path to improved performance. “No one simply announces that they want to migrate data,” Carmichael noted. “Organizations need new capabilities, which means new systems, which in turn requires data migration.” Regardless of the reason for migrating to a new platform, paying attention to the details of the migration process, understanding the specifics of the new platform, and focusing on the user will make the leap successful.