Measuring Customer Experience: The Power of Customer Effort Score

What is Customer Effort Score?

Customer Effort Score (CES) measures the ease or difficulty customers face when interacting with a product or service. It assesses the effort required to resolve an issue, find information, or complete a transaction. The score is usually calculated based on a survey that asks customers to rate their experience on a scale.

For example, you can use a Likert scale (e.g., 1-5) to ask customers how easy it was to resolve their issue:

<p>How easy was it to resolve your issue today?</p>
<ul>
  <li>1 (Very Difficult)</li>
  <li>2 (Somewhat Difficult)</li>
  <li>3 (Neutral)</li>
  <li>4 (Somewhat Easy)</li>
  <li>5 (Very Easy)</li>
</ul>

Why is CES Important?

CES is essential because it:

• Anticipates future customer behavior: By identifying pain points and areas of friction, businesses can proactively address issues before they lead to customer churn.
• Predicts customer loyalty: Easy interactions and resolutions foster loyalty, while complex or frustrating experiences can drive customers away.
• Indicates the likelihood of customer referral: Satisfied customers are more likely to recommend a product or service to others.
• Reveals areas for improvement: CES helps businesses pinpoint specific areas that require attention, enabling targeted improvements.

How to Measure CES

To calculate CES, you can use a survey that asks customers to rate their experience on a scale, such as:

• Likert scale (e.g., 1-5)
• Numbered scale (e.g., 1-10)
• Emoticon range (e.g., 😊-😠)

The score is then calculated by averaging the responses or summing them up and dividing by the total number of respondents.

const responses = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
const cesScore = responses.reduce((a, b) => a + b, 0) / responses.length;
console.log(cesScore);

Best Practices for Implementing CES

Keep surveys short and simple:

• Avoid lengthy or complex surveys that may frustrate customers.
• Target specific interactions:
• Focus on specific touchpoints, such as after a purchase or customer support interaction.
• Use the right question type:
• Choose question types that align with your goals, such as multiple-choice or open-ended questions.
• Optimize for mobile:
• Ensure surveys are mobile-friendly to cater to the growing number of mobile users.

Deciphering and Acting on CES Results

When analyzing CES results, consider the following:

• Investigate low scores: Identify root causes and implement solutions to improve the customer experience.
• Celebrate high scores: Recognize and build on successes to maintain a positive customer experience.
• Collect CES regularly: Continuously monitor and adjust to changes in customer behavior and preferences.

By implementing CES and following best practices, businesses can gain valuable insights into their customer experience, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to drive growth and loyalty.