How do You Select an Enterprise Search Software?
How long does it take your employees to locate a piece of specific information?
If you feel a simple Google Drive or SharePoint search is what it takes, think again! Here, we are talking about accurate data (for example, exact growth in your Google ads conversion in Q2).
When we mention an AI (artificial intelligence) search engine, we mean unified search software that indexes content from multiple internal data sources and has built-in data analysis capabilities to provide users with accurate insights. We don’t mean simply locating a document or database, where users will need to perform another round of search.
And this is why you need enterprise search software or an AI-powered search engine.
However, selecting the right AI search engine is a big decision because it analyzes and indexes some of the most confidential documents from your internal database. You cannot afford to make a mistake here.
This article will explain selecting an enterprise search solution for your organization.
What is an Enterprise Search Software?
Enterprise search software discovers specific data from multiple sources within an organization. Unlike regular search engines, AI-powered search engines' results are accurate, specific, and predictive.
These tools integrate with multiple types of data sources, such as Spreadsheets like Google Sheets, emails like Gmail or Outlook, workplace solutions like Slack or Microsoft Teams, and knowledge management software like Notion.
Enterprise search software goes beyond a regular cloud-based content repository. It plucks and extracts relevant information from databases, email drafts, notes, etc.
When to Opt for an Enterprise Search Software?
Do all organizations need enterprise search software? Or how do you know if you need one?
Well, if you relate to any one or all three of the below-mentioned scenarios, you need enterprise search software at the earliest:
You have lots of unstructured data scattered across
With remote work taking center stage, employees work from different locations and time zones.
Think of a situation where you are onboarding a remote team member. The onboarding phase is arguably the most overwhelming phase for a new employee. This is when they have to adjust to new processes, get access to all required tools, and complete training sessions faster to adapt to daily responsibilities. The last thing they would want at this time is to not find a particular data or information.
While most organizations already have an employee onboard program, employees often have more questions about certain training modules or processes beyond what is provided to them. In a remote set-up, employees cannot seek help through physical interactions.
If your datasets are scattered throughout, it becomes even more confusing for employees to find specific answers to their queries. Therefore, it becomes important to maintain a unified search system.
Employees are not productive as they are spending most of their time ‘searching’
Employees can productively complete their responsibilities when all the information they seek is available in a single search. However, in the absence of enterprise search software, they spend hours simply locating the information they seek. Recent research shows that 35% to 50% of information within any company is not centrally indexed. No wonder this causes knowledge and productivity gaps.
An enterprise search software centralizes all relevant information based on the connectors you integrate. Be it a Notion repository where your leave policy is documented or a spreadsheet where your lead data gets captured, enterprise search software ensures that employees can get answers to any specific questions within seconds.
This will mean completing tasks faster with all information in one place and more productive employees.
Your support teams are having a hard time assisting the customers
Customer-facing teams deal with new and repetitive customer queries every day. While new and complex queries require their attention, they are often invested in answering repetitive queries. Now, it is impossible to remember each problem they solved before.
But what if your knowledge base is integrated with enterprise search software? This means that each time a repetitive query comes in, customer support teams can quickly search for relevant answers within the database to solve it faster.
This essentially means freeing up more of their time to solve unique and urgent queries.
Features to look out for in an enterprise search software
By now, you should have a fair idea of whether you need enterprise search software. Before selecting an enterprise search software, make sure to look for the following features:
Its integrations and connectivity
The whole purpose of enterprise search software is to connect it with relevant data sources and connectors to centralize all information in one place. The first thing to look for in an AI search engine is whether it is compatible with your existing tech stack.
Many AI search engines promote “200+ integrations” on their websites. But our suggestion would be, don’t fall for numbers. Instead, carefully check if the tool integrates with your preferred solutions before making a final call. For example, if you use Teams as a workplace communication channel but an AI search engine only integrates with Slack, that won’t be the right solution for you.
We also love tools like Findr that invite potential and existing users to make an integration request:
Smart recommendations and predictive search
An enterprise search software should not provide the same results for every employee. Eventually, it is supposed to adjust its outputs based on an employee’s search patterns and trends.
For example, a regular employee searching for a ‘leave policy’ will have a different intention than an HR manager searching for a ‘leave policy’. While the regular employee simply confirms their leave balance, the HR manager is trying to update the existing leave policy.
An AI search software should analyze these search queries and patterns to provide smart recommendations. With time, it should also be able to predict search queries of different user groups and provide tailored outputs.
Watch how Findr’s search engine recommends content based on the search query of a freelance writer:
Unified search abilities
Every tool has its own search bar, be it Google Drive, Notion, Slack, or any other tool. But when you search for something in any one of these tools, it only provides outputs based on the records stored in that particular platform.
Unified search is when a single AI-powered search engine provides you with relevant results by searching across multiple platforms and databases.
Watch how AI search software Findr provides results from both Google Drive and Notion for a simple search query:
Ability to build a centralized knowledge base
Different employees need a knowledge base for different reasons. A customer support team member requires a knowledge base to easily access past conversion histories and repeat queries to help new customers faster.
A new marketing employee can use the knowledge base to understand past marketing strategies and performance reports.
AI search software develops a centralized knowledge base for the entire organization, which different teams can access and use for different purposes. This would mean filling knowledge gaps when required and creating a more productive workforce.
Note how engineers use AI-powered search engines like Findr as a knowledge base:
Access to detailed search analytics
AI search software provides insights into your organization’s current search analytics. With detailed insights and a breakdown of department-specific search terms, search volume, etc., employers will have a detailed idea of the most common search queries, which areas require training, which tools are most used, and so on.
These insights will not only help you optimize your enterprise search software but also guide you in creating better knowledge resources for employees.
Simple user interface
Remember that the AI search engine you select will be used by both tech and non-tech professionals. It should have a simple user interface that makes it easy to connect with data sources and navigate to your desired options.
With Findr, you can simply get started within three steps and start searching:
Role-based access for different team members
Ensure the enterprise search software provides role-based access to your team members. For example, if you are working with contractors, you should be able to control access so that they can access Notion search results but not email search results.
Other features to keep in mind:
- Ensure that the AI search engine doesn’t store your data
- It should be ISO certified to ensure data protection and operational integrity
- It should be SOC-2 certified, guaranteeing top-level data security
Looking for Enterprise Search Software?
By now, you should already know which features to look for in enterprise search software. But the question is, where can you find one that ticks all the boxes?
We recommend Findr.
Findr offers all the above features and tailored solutions for sales, marketing, engineering, and customer support teams.
Want to see it in action?