Definition
Customer Effort Score (CES) is a feedback metric that asks customers how easy it was to get help, resolve an issue, or complete a specific task. It is usually collected with a short survey after the interaction.
Why It Matters
A low-effort support experience can reduce frustration and reveal where customers encounter unnecessary steps, delays, or confusing instructions. Support teams can use CES alongside conversation reviews and other service metrics to identify process improvements.
Real-Life Use Cases
- After a support conversation: Ask whether the customer found it easy to get an answer and use the feedback to review unclear replies or handoffs.
- During checkout support: Measure how easy it was for a shopper to resolve a payment, delivery, or account question before completing a purchase.
- After a self-service interaction: Ask customers how easy it was to find and follow an article or other help resource.
FAQs
How is Customer Effort Score measured?
Customers are asked to rate how easy or difficult a specific interaction or task was, often using a numeric scale or response options such as “very easy” to “very difficult.”
When should a business collect CES feedback?
Collect it soon after a defined interaction, such as a support conversation, purchase-related question, or self-service session, so the experience is still recent.
How is CES different from customer satisfaction?
Customer satisfaction measures how pleased a customer was overall, while CES focuses on the amount of effort required to complete a particular task or resolve a specific issue.
What should a team do with low CES results?
Review the related conversations or process steps to find sources of friction, then simplify instructions, reduce handoffs, or clarify ownership where appropriate.