What is Customer Effort Score?

Mo Naser

July 26, 2024

A customer concentrates as they use a large touchscreen display to make a purchase in-store, to illustrate the concept of customer efforts score

Customer effort score (CES) is a game-changer in customer experience management. At its essence, CES quantifies the exertion a customer must invest to interact with your business—be it resolving an issue, answering a query, or completing a transaction. Unlike other metrics that gauge overall satisfaction or recommendation likelihood, CES zooms in on effort, a crucial indicator of customer loyalty and contentment.

This blog aims to immerse you in the nuances of CES: its definition, significance, and effective measurement and interpretation. We’ll explore the benefits of tracking CES, strategies to enhance it, challenges you might encounter, and best practices for leveraging CES data to foster continuous improvement in customer interactions.

Understanding customer effort score

At its heart, CES is a metric assessing the effort customers expend to interact with a company, particularly when resolving issues or completing tasks. Typically measured by a straightforward question like, "How easy was it to get the help you needed today?" responses range from "very easy" to "very difficult." Lower scores signify less effort, while higher scores indicate more effort.

CES vs. other customer satisfaction metrics

CES often stands alongside other customer satisfaction metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT). NPS gauges customer loyalty by asking how likely they are to recommend your company, while CSAT measures satisfaction with a specific interaction or service. However, CES distinguishes itself by focusing on interaction ease, a critical element in customer retention.

While NPS and CSAT provide valuable insights, they might miss the subtleties of effort in the customer experience. Research reveals that reducing customer effort can be more effective in building loyalty than delighting customers. Essentially, customers value a smooth, hassle-free experience over one that's cumbersome but extraordinary.

Historical background and development of CES

CES emerged from research by the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) in the late 2000s. Their studies found that customers were likelier to remain loyal if they experienced minimal effort during interactions. This marked a shift from traditional customer delight strategies, emphasising the importance of reducing friction and simplifying customer experiences.

How to measure customer effort score

Measuring customer effort score is straightforward but crucial for obtaining accurate, actionable data. The primary goal is to craft a survey that captures the customer’s perceived effort effectively.

Survey design and question formulation

The classic customer effort score question might be: “How easy was it to resolve your issue today?” or “How much effort did you have to put forth to handle your request today?” Responses typically span from "very easy" to "very difficult" on a 5-point or 7-point scale.

Consistency in question and scale across CES surveys is vital for data comparability over time. Clarity in wording is also essential, to avoid any ambiguity.

Channels for collecting CES data

Several channels effectively collect CES data:

Online surveys: Sent via email or embedded on your website, online surveys reach a broad audience (tip: get started quickly with our customer effort score survey template)
Post-interaction feedback: Prompting customers to take a quick survey after a service call or live chat captures feedback while the interaction is fresh
In-app surveys: Ideal for software and app-based businesses, these appear directly within the application, making it convenient for users to provide feedback

Tools like SmartSurvey streamline creating and distributing surveys, offering customisable customer survey templates and integration across various channels.

Timing and frequency of CES surveys

Effective CES measurement also hinges on timing and frequency. Surveys should ideally be dispatched immediately following a customer interaction to ensure relevant and accurate feedback. Delayed surveys might capture altered perceptions or forgotten details. Frequency depends on customer interaction volume and business nature. High-volume environments benefit from frequent surveys for steady data streams, while periodic surveys suffice for lower-volume settings. The goal is to gather enough data to identify trends without overwhelming customers.

Tools and software for measuring CES

Several tools measure CES, but SmartSurvey stands out for its ease of use and robust features. It allows for survey creation and customisation, multi-channel distribution, and real-time result analysis. The platform integrates with various CRM systems and tools, facilitating CES data incorporation into broader customer feedback strategies.

Interpreting customer effort score

Once CES data is gathered, interpreting the results is crucial for meaningful improvements.

Calculation methods

Calculating customer effort score is simple: average the responses. For instance, on a 1-5 scale, where 1 means "very easy" and 5 means "very difficult," sum the scores and divide by the number of responses to get an average. A lower score indicates less effort. We also offer a free CES calculator to help speed this up.

Understanding the scale

The scale impacts CES data interpretation. A 1-5 scale offers a simple range, while a 1-7 scale provides more granularity. Choose a scale that suits your business and then maintain consistency. Analyse the data for patterns—do certain interactions score higher in effort? Do specific customer segments report more difficulties? Identifying trends pinpoints areas for improvement.

Analysing CES data and identifying trends

Beyond average scores, look for trends and patterns. High effort scores might indicate issues with a specific department or service. Visualisation tools, like SmartSurvey's built-in analytics, help spot trends, making it easier to communicate findings and identify areas needing attention.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Common pitfalls include misreading the scale or context. A high effort score might not always be negative if the task is complex. Understand why customers report higher effort. Another pitfall is not acting on CES insights. Data collection alone isn't enough; use it to drive improvements.

What is a good customer effort score?

Determining a good CES varies by industry and the nature of the interaction. Generally, a lower CES is better, but this depends on several factors:

Industry standards: these can significantly influence a good CES, for example a financial services company might aim for a lower CES than a tech company due to different customer expectations
Product or service complexity: the complexity of your products or services also affects expectations, as customers might tolerate higher effort for complex tasks
Competition: if your competitors are easier or harder to interact with that may influence the sense of what 'good' looks like

Setting realistic CES goals for your business

Set realistic CES goals by benchmarking current performance and comparing it to industry averages. Set incremental goals to reduce customer effort gradually. Regularly review and adjust goals based on ongoing feedback and changing customer expectations.

Benefits of tracking customer effort score

Tracking CES offers several benefits impacting your business.

Predicting customer loyalty and retention

Customers experiencing less effort in interactions are likelier to remain loyal, make repeat purchases, and recommend your business. Tracking CES identifies opportunities to reduce effort and boost loyalty.

Identifying pain points in customer interactions

CES highlights where customers face difficulties. Analysing CES data pinpoints pain points in the customer journey, guiding improvements in processes, communication, or support options.

Enhancing overall customer satisfaction

Reducing effort leads to higher overall satisfaction. Customers with easy, frictionless experiences are likelier to be satisfied and return. CES helps identify areas for a seamless customer experience.

Improving customer service and support processes

CES tracking highlights areas needing improvement in customer service and support. Focus on reducing effort in these areas to streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and deliver better service. Tools like SmartSurvey aid in gathering necessary feedback for these improvements.

How to improve customer effort score

Improving CES involves strategic changes to reduce customer effort.

Streamlining customer service processes

Simplify procedures, reduce wait times, and ensure easy-to-find information. Automating routine tasks frees up support teams for complex issues.

Enhancing self-service options

Provide robust self-service options like FAQs, knowledge bases, and chatbots, allowing customers to find answers without contacting support. Ensure these resources are easy to navigate and up-to-date.

Training and empowering customer support teams

Empower support teams with tools and training to handle customer issues efficiently. Provide ongoing training on products, services, and soft skills like communication and empathy. Enable teams to resolve issues without escalation, reducing customer effort.

Using customer feedback to drive continuous improvement

Regularly review CES data and other feedback to identify trends and areas for improvement. Use this information for data-driven decisions enhancing the customer experience. Tools like SmartSurvey help collect and analyse feedback, providing actionable insights.

Challenges in implementing customer effort score

Implementing CES poses challenges needing resolution for successful adoption.

Potential biases in survey responses

Survey response bias is a challenge. Customers with extreme experiences might skew results. Ensure broad and inclusive survey distribution for a representative sample. Read more about bias in surveys and how to avoid it.

Ensuring high response rates

Achieving high survey response rates is challenging. Keep questionnaires short and straightforward, offer incentives, and clearly communicate survey purpose to encourage participation.

Integrating CES with other customer feedback mechanisms

CES should be part of a broader feedback strategy. Integrate CES with metrics like NPS and CSAT for a comprehensive customer satisfaction view. Platforms like SmartSurvey facilitate multi-source feedback integration.

Overcoming internal resistance to change

Implementing CES may require process and mindset changes, facing resistance. Communicate CES benefits and involve stakeholders in the implementation process. Provide training and support to ease the transition and ensure buy-in.

Best practices for optimising customer effort score

Follow best practices to collect accurate CES data and use it effectively.

Regularly updating and refining CES surveys

Review and update CES surveys to keep them relevant and effective. Revise questions, update response options, or change distribution methods as needed.

Cross-functional collaboration to address customer pain points

Collaborate across departments to reduce customer effort. Regular cross-functional meetings and workshops facilitate effective solutions.

Using CES data to inform business decisions

Use CES data to inform business decisions and strategies. Understand where customers face difficulties to allocate resources and improve processes. Integrate CES data into decision-making processes for focused efforts on reducing customer effort.

Communicating CES results and improvements to customers

Communicate CES results and improvement steps to customers. Show that you value their feedback, building trust and transparency. Regular updates on improvements reinforce your commitment to a seamless customer experience.

Wrapping up

Customer effort score is a powerful metric offering deep insights into your customer experience, fostering loyalty and long-term success. Focus on reducing customer effort to drive satisfaction and loyalty. Use tools like SmartSurvey to measure, analyse, and optimise CES, creating a frictionless, customer-centric experience that stands out in today's competitive market.

Key takeaways

Focus on effort: Customer Effort Score (CES) measures the ease of customer interactions, providing crucial insights into customer loyalty and satisfaction by focusing on the effort required to resolve issues or complete transactions
Comparative advantage: Unlike Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), CES specifically targets the ease of interaction, which research shows is more effective in building customer loyalty
Effective measurement: Measuring CES involves crafting clear, consistent survey questions, distributing surveys through various channels like online, post-interaction, and in-app, and ensuring immediate feedback collection for relevance and accuracy
Actionable insights: Analysing CES data helps identify trends and pain points, informing strategic improvements in customer service processes, self-service options, and support team training, ultimately reducing customer effort
Implementation challenges: Overcoming potential survey biases, ensuring high response rates, integrating CES with other feedback mechanisms, and addressing internal resistance are critical for successful CES implementation
Continuous improvement: Regularly updating CES surveys, fostering cross-functional collaboration, using CES data to inform business decisions, and transparently communicating results and improvements to customers are best practices for optimising CES and enhancing customer experience

Reducing friction through feedback

Effective customer feedback allows you to boost customer contentment, by better understanding what your customers love, like or even dislike about their interactions. But to achieve the best results, you need the right survey tools.

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