Does the knowledge base, consultant's workspace and selection require three projects?

If they help to make the same product choice decision, it is part of a single consulting solution. The separate knowledge platform is based only on the wider need for content maintenance and training that exists without this sales process.

How does the selection tool have to use an expert knowledge base?

The selection receives the approved product facts and compatibility rules, and the knowledge base provides explanations of them and application limits. Changing the critical fact requires revision of the rules that use it. Free text of the consultation must not become a technical fact without approval.

When is a consulting tool more valuable than additional commodity filters?

When the customer knows their use situation, but cannot select technical criteria themselves. The tool helps the consultant to consistently ask the necessary questions and explain the differences in the right goods. For a simple selection of known parameters filters may be sufficient.

Does the customer's need profile have to be a permanent customer card?

Not always. Some measurements or preferences are required only for a specific purchase. Long-term customer data and single consultation information are stored according to a separately set purpose and a reasonable term.

Specialist product selection tool

How the solution works

The consultant finds out the circumstances of a particular purchase.
Verified product data helps to select and explain the right combination or to contact an expert.
The approved choice is passed to the order along with measurements and conditions agreed with the customer.

Key challenges

Compatibility relationships managed informally
Customer and consultant lack information to select the right product
Change of service channel results in loss of consultation arrangements
Expert knowledge depends on specific employees
Clarifications of counseling vary between employees and digital channels

Solution capabilities

The circumstances of the buyer's use

The consultant collects the information needed for a specific selection and preserves the pre-verified assumptions.

Verified product knowledge

Usage limits, features and additive compatibility have a clear source and update responsibility.

Selection and explanation

Permissible combinations are provided with the reason for the choice. For an uncertain case, a specialist's assessment is anticipated.

Continuity of the consultation

Another employee finds a previous need, a considered offer, and a customer's response under the rights granted.

Transfer to Purchase

The selected set-up is transferred to the order. The same selection rules can be used in self-service without creating another source of the product's truth.

Business context

Compatibility relationships managed informally: Connections between accessories, parts, consumables, tools, and the main product are stored in employees' memory or on separate lists. By losing additional sales and increasing returns due to an incorrect set.
Customer and consultant lack information to select the right product: Supplier names and technical descriptions are not translated into criteria of need, use and comparison that are important to the customer. Search and filters do not help decide, so the customer goes out or chooses the wrong item.
Change of service channel results in loss of consultation arrangements: The store has discussed the need, measured parameters, previous products and online cart are not linked. The customer repeats the information and the employee cannot continue with the previous consultation.
Expert knowledge depends on specific employees: Product selection criteria, compatibility, usage limits and most common errors are not described in a structured way. The quality of the consultation varies, new employees learn slowly, and the digital channel does not answer the most important questions.
Clarifications of counseling vary between employees and digital channels: The verified product usage material is copied into individual consultants' notes and e-commerce texts. When the manufacturer's information changes, it is unclear which explanations need to be reviewed. The customer receives conflicting advice, and the specialist repeats the same explanation for several teams.
Expert advice helps make the purchase decision: The customer needs to understand why the product is suitable for its conditions of use and what its limitations are. Verified knowledge and saved choice motives allow for consistent advice. This helps to justify the value of the product and continue the sale when the employee or service channel changes.

Core features

The circumstances of the buyer's use
Verified product knowledge
Selection and explanation
Continuity of the consultation
Transfer to Purchase

Key integrations

Product Knowledge Base / PIM: Product attributes, compatibility relationships and usage limits have been confirmed.
E-commerce: Customer-provided demand criteria and recommendation representation. Customer-online measurements, choices or questions. Confirmed explanations, comparisons and category knowledge for the customer.
Adviser workspace: The client's needs collected by the consultant, explanation of the recommendation and questions that require an expert. The consultant uses the same approved selection rules as self-service.
The Goods Accessibility System: Availability of the final list of eligible SKUs only; the balance does not have to change the compatibility rule. Availability of selected SKU and the result of the reservation.
CRM / Client Account: Verified customer details and contacts needed to continue the previous consultation.
Product Selection System: Need criteria, options considered and rationale for the recommendation.
Product Information Management System (PIM) or Approved Product Data Source: Product attributes, models, documents and category structure have been approved.
Technical documentation of manufacturers: Instructions, limits of use, compatibility and other facts required for expert rules.

Potential impact (%)

The ranges indicate an illustrative relative change in the metric under the stated assumptions. Results depend on the starting position and actual use of the solution. Percentages for different metrics must not be added together.

Part of the selections that the consultant needs to make significant adjustments for misinterpretation of interoperability or need

5–25%Decreasing

This illustrative scenario assumes that 20-50% of missed actions can be identified through task and deadline tracking. That share is assumed to fall by 25-50%. Company data is needed to verify both the addressable share and the resulting change.

Calculates the proportion of recommendations made by the system that the expert had to change due to an incorrect product or missing mandatory component. The percentage is calculated on the number of all consultant selections checked.

Time allocated to re-collect customer demand information already discussed above

12–36%Decreasing

This illustrative scenario assumes that 30-60% of manual data entry and handover work can be addressed. That share is assumed to fall by 40-60%. Company data is needed to verify both the addressable workload and the resulting change.

Selected continuous sales cases compare the employee's time allotted to recollecting already known information.

Consultant time to find approved product or compatibility information

12–36%Decreasing

This illustrative scenario assumes that 30-60% of manual data entry and handover work can be addressed. That share is assumed to fall by 40-60%. Company data is needed to verify both the addressable workload and the resulting change.

Compares the active time required to answer a recurring technical product question or find approved compatibility information.

Part of consultations completed with the purchase of a suitable item

3–15%Increasing

Sample starting part - 40%. Assumption: 10-25% of the remaining cases involve an unreasonable product selection recommendation; a solution would help resolve 20-40% of these cases.

Consultations that have ended with the purchase of a suitable item are divided by all comparable consultations. At the same time, returns due to improper selection and customer satisfaction are checked.

Conditional calculation scenarios. The assumptions have not been validated against client measurements.

When this solution is relevant

It is difficult for the buyer to choose the right item according to its purpose, dimensions or compatibility with the available equipment.
The quality of the consultation depends on the individual employee, and online search does not help to compare the most important differences.

Implementation requirements

For consultation rules, specialists describe the issues that determine the buyer's need and the approved product combinations. Technical limitations are separated from preferences, and insufficient data have a clear path of transfer to the expert.