What is Customer Effort Score (CES)?
Customer Effort Score (CES) is a metric used by businesses to measure how much effort a customer has to exert to get a problem solved, make a purchase, or interact with a company. The concept behind CES is rooted in the idea that the less effort a customer has to put in, the more likely they are to return and recommend the company. It focuses on customer convenience, looking at how easy or difficult it is for a customer to engage with the company at different touchpoints. CES is commonly measured by asking customers a simple question like, "How much effort did you have to put forth to resolve your issue?" Customers then rate their experience on a scale, typically ranging from "very low effort" to "very high effort." The score helps organizations identify friction points in the customer journey that may be hindering a smooth customer experience.How does Customer Effort Score work?
The way CES works is straightforward: after a customer interacts with a business—whether it’s resolving an issue with customer service, completing a transaction, or any other key interaction—they are asked to rate the level of effort involved in their experience. Usually, the question is along the lines of: "How easy was it to resolve your issue?" with a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 means "very easy" and 7 means "very difficult." The idea is that a lower effort score signifies a more seamless experience, whereas a higher score suggests that customers encountered significant challenges. The CES is calculated by averaging the responses across all customers who participate. This score provides valuable insights into how smooth or problematic the customer journey was at specific points of contact with the business. Businesses use this score to identify areas that need improvement to reduce friction in the customer experience. The primary aim is to make interactions as effortless as possible, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.Why measure Customer Effort Score?
Measuring the Customer Effort Score is crucial for several reasons. First, CES directly correlates with customer loyalty. Research shows that customers who encounter minimal effort are more likely to be repeat customers and share positive feedback. On the flip side, those who have to work harder are likely to abandon the brand for competitors. Second, CES helps businesses pinpoint specific pain points in the customer journey. For example, if customers consistently report high effort scores in resolving issues with support, businesses can direct resources toward improving customer service processes, training, or self-service options. Third, Customer Effort Score is an indicator of overall operational efficiency. It highlights how well a company is structured to meet customer needs. A low-effort interaction often signifies that the business is well-organized, with clear processes and minimal barriers to entry for the customer. Finally, measuring CES helps to understand the overall customer experience better. It serves as a metric that can guide improvements in product design, customer service strategies, and technology adoption.How to measure your CES
To measure your Customer Effort Score, you will need to:- Define key touchpoints: Determine which points in the customer journey you want to evaluate. This could be post-purchase surveys, after-customer support interactions, or after navigating the website.
- Ask the right question: The most effective way to gauge CES is by asking your customers a simple, direct question: "How much effort did you have to put forth to [resolve your issue/make a purchase/complete your task]?" You can customize the question based on the nature of the interaction. Make sure the question is consistent across all touchpoints for better comparison.
- Use a rating scale: Typically, businesses use a scale from 1 to 5, or 1 to 7, where a lower score represents lower effort. Some companies opt for a simple binary scale: “Yes, the process was easy” and “No, it was difficult.”
- Track and aggregate data: Collect CES data over time. You can send out surveys through emails, SMS, or even within the product itself (if applicable). Once you have sufficient data, calculate the average score to gauge the overall effort customers are putting in.
- Analyze and act on feedback: Look for patterns in the data. If certain touchpoints have higher effort scores, these areas need immediate attention to improve the customer experience.
What is a good customer effort score?
A good Customer Effort Score typically falls on the lower end of the scale, indicating that customers perceive the interaction as easy and effortless. While the exact definition of a "good" CES can vary depending on industry norms and specific business goals, in general, a CES score of 1-3 is considered positive. Here’s how to interpret the score:- 1-3: These scores indicate that customers find the process easy and smooth, with minimal friction.
- 4-5: These scores indicate a neutral experience, where customers might have encountered some minor hurdles, but they were able to complete the task without too much hassle.
- 6-7: A high score means that the customers faced significant challenges and found the process difficult, which could negatively affect customer loyalty.
Common Ways to Improve the CES Score at Your Company
Improving your Customer Effort Score requires targeted strategies to reduce friction points. Some common methods include:- Simplifying the customer journey: Analyze the steps involved in a customer’s task and remove unnecessary ones. For example, streamlining the checkout process on an e-commerce site can help reduce the effort required to make a purchase.
- Enhancing self-service options: Many customers prefer solving issues on their own. Providing well-organized FAQs, instructional videos, and chatbots can help reduce the effort needed for problem resolution.
- Improving customer service: Ensure that customer support representatives are well-trained and equipped to solve problems efficiently. Offering multiple channels of communication, such as live chat, email, and phone support, can also make it easier for customers to get the help they need.
- Leveraging technology: Automation and AI-driven tools can help streamline many customer interactions, reducing human error and wait times. A good CRM system can also offer personalized solutions that reduce effort.
CES vs. Other Customer Experience Metrics
The Customer Effort Score is often compared to other customer experience metrics such as Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) and Net Promoter Score (NPS). Here’s how CES differs:- CES vs. CSAT: Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) measures how happy a customer is with a particular interaction. While CSAT focuses on emotions and satisfaction, CES focuses on the effort a customer had to exert. It’s possible to have a high CSAT but a high CES, meaning customers may be satisfied but still found the interaction cumbersome.
- CES vs. NPS: The Net Promoter Score (NPS) gauges customer loyalty by asking customers how likely they are to recommend a company to others. Unlike CES, which measures the effort involved in a single transaction, NPS assesses overall brand loyalty and satisfaction.
Common Challenges in Measuring CES
Although Customer Effort Score is a valuable metric, there are challenges in accurately measuring it:- Customer bias: Customers may not always be objective when rating their effort, and responses can be influenced by their current mood or external factors.
- Misinterpretation of results: If businesses don’t carefully analyze the data, they might miss the underlying reasons for high effort scores. It's important to not only measure CES but also understand why customers gave those scores.
- Survey fatigue: Continuously asking customers for feedback can lead to survey fatigue, where they stop responding altogether. This can skew the data and result in less reliable insights.