A question manager is typically a computer program or application used to more effectively manage incoming questions and the answers to those questions for a website or similar service. This is typically used to receive incoming questions from clients, which are then sent to experts for authoritative answers. Once the question is answered, the question-answer pair is then entered into a large database and sent back to the client to answer the original question. A question manager can then be used to quickly access this database in the future, making answering the same question fast and easy for a host or administrator.
The use of a question manager program has become fairly prevalent in industries that deal with information and a large number of incoming questions. Many libraries, for example, have begun amassing databases with large numbers of question-answer pairings to make research easier for those interested in various aspects of the world. This process essentially begins when a person submits a question — the asker is referred to as the client — to the question manager and this question is then sent off to an expert to answer. The expert provides an answer to the question and then submits this answer back with the question to the host that first received the question.
This question-answer pairing is then received by the host system, which often includes a day manager who oversees ongoing operations of the question manager program and administrators who oversee technical aspects of the program. Once this is received, then it can be entered into a larger database of numerous question-answer pairings to create the resource from which answers can be provided in the future. The answer is then provided to the original client who asked the question. This type of question manager provides a highly scalable functionality, since numerous users can ask the same question and quickly receive the correct answer based on only a single overall process.
A question manager program can also be used in customer service environments, especially through online technical and customer support. When a customer asks a question that is already within the question manager database, then a customer service associate can quickly access that answer and provide it to the client with a very quick turnaround time. This then allows customer service or technical support representatives to more quickly assist customers, enhancing the customer service experience and improving productivity for customer service associates. Answers to new questions can be stored in the database continually, providing enhanced and ongoing support for employees and customers alike.