Top 5 Enterprise Search Mistakes That Could Be Costing You Millions (and How We Can Help)

Let’s talk about enterprise search mistakes. As someone who’s spent their career helping businesses get the most out of their technology and search platforms, I’ve seen firsthand how the smallest oversights can lead to massive losses in revenue and customer satisfaction. And let me tell you – the game has completely changed in the last few years.

Remember when we used to be the ones introducing clients to AI search concepts? Now, it’s the opposite. Companies are coming to us, eager to implement the latest AI search solutions. But here’s the thing: while everyone’s rushing to adopt generative AI, many are still stumbling over some fundamental pitfalls that can derail even the most sophisticated search implementations.

We get it, search can be hard. Which is why enterprise search mistakes happen.

Transform your search strategy with expert guidance

Ready to elevate your search experience? Our Client Success Offerings provide:

• Dedicated CSM and TAM support to establish your Search Center of Excellence
• 30% reduction in engineering time spent on search maintenance
• Continuous optimization and performance management
• Proven frameworks and best practices for search success

I want to share the top five enterprise search mistakes I see regularly, but more importantly, I want to show you how we can work together to avoid them. Because search isn’t just about installing a platform and walking away – it’s an evolving journey that requires expertise, continuous optimization, and a strong partnership.

1. Missing the “Why” Behind User Searches

We all know keywords matter, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve seen companies pour resources into keyword optimization while completely missing what their users are actually trying to accomplish. Here’s a perfect example: an online retailer specializing in a wide range of seasonal products, including warm-weather items and jackets, faced challenges in delivering relevant search results to their customers. For example, searches for “lightweight jackets” or “summer outerwear” often displayed products that matched keywords but did not align with what shoppers were most likely to purchase during that season.

To address this, the retailer implemented signals boosting, leveraging user interaction data such as clicks, add-to-cart actions, and completed purchases. By prioritizing the products that customers interacted with most frequently, their search results dynamically adjusted to feature highly relevant and in-demand items at the top of the result sets.

This data-driven optimization led to measurable improvements, including a significant increase in click-through rates (CTR) and average order value (AOV), as shoppers were presented with options that better matched their preferences and behaviors. This approach not only improved the search experience but also drove greater engagement and revenue for the retailer.

Here’s where partnership makes a difference: Our team doesn’t just look at what users are typing – we take the time to deeply understand your business, challenges, and your goals.  By analyzing customer behavior, journey patterns, and proven best practices, we provide tailored recommendations to enhance your search experience. With this insight, we develop customized plans that not only meet your desired outcomes but also create a search experience that anticipates and fulfills your customers’ needs. 

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Discover how leading organizations are using the Unified Experience Equation™ to mitigate enterprise search mistakes. Download our “Search as a Strategy” playbook to learn:

• How to unite people and data across your organization
• Steps to progress from basic keyword matching to AI-driven experiences
• Practical ways to avoid revenue leakage from poor search experiences

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2. The “Set It and Forget It” Trap

One of the most common situations I encounter is when companies invest in a powerful search platform but then leave it on autopilot. Even the most sophisticated AI needs ongoing optimization to deliver peak performance. The search landscape is constantly evolving – what worked six months ago might not cut it today. Your search performance can degrade over time as product catalogs, user behaviors, and business goals evolve. To ensure ongoing success, it’s critical to adopt a program of continuous performance management and optimization.

Let me share an example: we worked with a premier, multi-branded provider of technology solutions that faced a challenge – their most relevant products were not showing up for targeted searches. After digging in, we discovered the issue stemmed from ongoing changes to their product catalog, evolving business rules, and conflicting priorities like campaigns and promotions, which created contradictions in their search results. Through our collaboration, we helped them implement a smarter ranking system and process that accounts for product categories, brand preferences, segmented user behavior and business rules leveraging our Smart Rank Facet ordering solution. This approach not only addressed their immediate concerns, resulting in significant improvements in key metrics such as Add to Cart rates, Average Order Value, and overall revenue growth, but also established an ongoing engagement model. This ensures that search results remain optimized and dynamically adapt to their evolving business needs over time.   

Through our Client Success Offerings, we provide ongoing performance management that includes periodic relevancy tuning, technical audits, and data-driven insights to keep your search experience aligned with customer needs and business objectives.

3. Ignoring Content Quality and Searchability

Here’s something that might surprise you: even the most sophisticated search engine can’t help users find information that isn’t properly prepared for search. One of the biggest mistakes I see is companies investing heavily in search technology while neglecting the quality and structure of their content.

Here’s a real-world example: we worked with a major retailer specializing in a variety of consumer goods who couldn’t figure out why their most popular products weren’t showing up in search results. Their product catalog had consistent naming conventions, specifications, and relevant categorizations. After reviewing the data, our teams analyzed how consumers were using search to find products.  A key insight revealed that users were primarily searching by product types rather than specific product names or other catalog elements.  By updating the product catalog to include product type fields, the customer experienced a significant improvement – achieving over a 58% increase in products viewed and a 25% increase in sales driven by search.

One of our other clients, a large jewelry retailer, was facing challenges with poor search results for customers looking for specific sizes and dimensions of jewelry. In this industry, units of measurement such as carats, millimeters, and grams are essential product attributes and commonly used search terms. For example, a query like “2 carat diamond ring under $5,000” can yield inaccurate results if the search is not optimized with proper indexing, synonyms, and abbreviations. By working closely with this client, we enhanced their search experience by optimizing their data and incorporating unit-specific improvements. As a result, they experienced a 15% increase in click-through rates and a 22% boost in add-to-cart performance.

These aren’t just data cleanup projects – they’re strategic initiatives that directly impact your bottom line. When your content is properly optimized for search, you’re unlocking the full value of your organization’s knowledge and assets.

4. Sitting on a Gold Mine of Enterprise Search Data

Every search query tells a story, but many companies aren’t equipped to read these stories. I’ve seen businesses make decisions based on gut feelings when they’re sitting on a wealth of actionable data that could transform their user experience.

We’ve developed sophisticated analytics tools and dashboards that turn your search data into clear, actionable insights. Here’s a perfect example: From our analytics, we can see customers who searched for “blue dress” were actually clicking on navy, turquoise, and even teal dresses. This insight can then lead to a retailer expanding their color mapping, resulting in an increase in conversion rates for color-specific searches.

An additional notable client, a global technology company that manufactures a wide range of consumer electronics, found that customers searching for “best gaming pc” who didn’t make a purchase often went on to search for “pc specifications” or “graphics card compatibility.” This pattern helped them enhance their product pages with detailed specification sheets, compatibility guides, and other recommended products.  After implementing these changes, they saw a reduction in bounce rates for product searches and an increase in conversion rates. We help you interpret this kind of data and turn it into strategic decisions that drive real business results.

Our partnership is built on helping clients leverage data and insights to drive meaningful outcomes. By combining our expertise with your unique goals, we empower you to unlock the full potential of your data, turning it into actionable intelligence. Beyond providing insights, we share best practices and industry benchmarks to help you measure performance effectively, identify opportunities for growth, and stay ahead in an ever-evolving landscape. Together, we create a data-driven strategy that aligns with your business objectives and ensures long-term success.

5. Playing Catch-Up with Enterprise Search Innovation

The pace of innovation in search technology is staggering. Between AI advances, changing user expectations, and emerging search patterns, staying ahead of the curve is a full-time job. Many companies find themselves constantly playing catch-up, implementing features just as they become outdated.

We work with several financial services clients eager to leverage AI to enhance their customer experience. However, they face significant regulatory and compliance challenges, needing to ensure security and data requirements are met. Through our partnership, we provide the necessary guardrails and solutions grounded in truth, helping them navigate these complexities. By aligning with their internal compliance needs and regulatory standards, we ensure the right AI solution can be implemented at the right time – future-proofing their efforts while maintaining the highest level of trust and accountability.

One such example I love sharing: we had a financial services client whose customers frequently searched for “I want to adjust my tax lot info on securities. How can I do it”.  Their system was only returning documents with those exact words, missing key policy updates, and procedure manuals that were not what these users needed. This resulted in higher calls into their contact center and thus higher costs to service their customers for seasonal and timely information.  With our Lucidworks AI platform, inclusive of Neural Hybrid Search™ technology and understanding the intent and context, we helped them optimize their search with AI to include all relevant documentation based on the user’s intent. This resulted in the right article presented in the top 3 results returned as compared to previously not even being within the first page of results for this query and ultimately reducing the need for their customer to call into their contact center for this need.   

As your trusted search partner, we keep you ahead of the innovation curve by not only implementing features that deliver the greatest impact on your specific business goals and user needs but also guiding you through the adoption of AI and other emerging technologies. Our approach ensures that you fully understand and leverage the latest innovations while providing the tools, expertise, and support needed to integrate them seamlessly into your organization. Together, we help you stay competitive, drive measurable outcomes, and continuously evolve to meet the demands of your business and customers.

Why Partnership Matters for Mitigating Enterprise Search Mistakes

Search isn’t a one-time implementation – it’s an ongoing journey that requires expertise, dedication, and continuous optimization. The mistakes I’ve outlined aren’t just technical challenges but opportunities for transformation. With the right partner, you can turn these common pitfalls into competitive advantages.

Our Lucidworks Client Success Offerings (CSOs) are designed to provide that partnership. Through the dedicated guidance of your Client Success Manager (CSM) and Technical Account Manager (TAM), we collaborate with you to establish a Search Center of Excellence within your organization. This comprehensive approach has helped clients reduce their internal engineering time spent on search maintenance by up to 30%, while achieving faster time-to-value and improved search performance. By leveraging proven frameworks, best practices, and tailored strategies, we help align your search capabilities with your unique business objectives. Our team works closely with you to maximize value realization, improve adoption of key features, and ensure your search platform evolves to meet the dynamic needs of your users.

Let’s talk about how our expert services can transform your search capabilities and deliver the outcomes your business deserves.

Mike Carney is VP of Client Success & Services at Lucidworks, where he helps businesses leverage AI-powered search solutions to drive growth and improve customer experiences. You can connect with Mike on LinkedIn.