Answers.com is a comprehensive online platform designed to provide users with a vast array of reference content and answers to various questions. Here’s an overview of what the product does and its key features:
What Answers.com Does
Answers.com is a website that aggregates reference content from multiple sources, offering over four million entries. It serves as a one-stop destination for users seeking information on a wide range of topics. The site is the primary product of the Answers Corporation, previously known as GuruNet, an Israel-based Internet reference company founded by Bob Rosenschein in 1999.
Key Features and Functionality
Reference Content
Answers.com compiles information from numerous sources, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference materials. This makes it a valuable resource for users looking for detailed and reliable information on various subjects.
WikiAnswers
Answers Corporation also operates WikiAnswers, a Q&A site that utilizes a wiki engine. This allows users to contribute, edit, and improve questions and answers, creating a community-driven knowledge base. WikiAnswers is the second-largest Q&A site after Yahoo Answers and works in tandem with Answers.com to provide both encyclopedic and community-based answers.
AnswerBase Service
In addition to its general reference content, Answers.com has introduced the AnswerBase service, which is designed to enhance customer interaction for businesses. This service uses a pre-programmed set of questions and answers tailored to a company’s specific information. It can respond to customer inquiries almost immediately and learns over time as more questions are asked and answered, providing more precise and relevant responses.
User Interaction
Users can engage with Answers.com in several ways:
- Asking and Answering Questions: Both members and non-members can answer questions on the platform. Users can click on the “Answer this question” box to provide their responses, and they can also edit existing answers to improve them.
- Community Contributions: The wiki-based model of WikiAnswers allows users to contribute new answers, edit existing ones, and improve the overall quality of the content.
Integration with Customer Service
For businesses, Answers.com integrates with existing customer service systems, including toll-free phone staff and live chat services. It filters through frequently asked questions, answering those it can and referring more complex queries to live customer service representatives. This integration helps reduce the number of calls and emails received by companies, improving efficiency and cost savings.
Direct Responses
Unlike many search engines that provide links to other sites, Answers.com is designed to give direct responses to user queries, making it more convenient for users seeking quick and accurate information.
In summary, Answers.com is a robust platform that offers a wide range of reference content, community-driven Q&A capabilities, and specialized services like AnswerBase to enhance customer interaction. Its features make it a valuable resource for both general knowledge seekers and businesses looking to improve their customer service operations.