Customer Effort Score (CES) measures how hard it is for your customers to get help from your customer service teams. And if you’ve ever had a hard time canceling a subscription or fixing a billing issue, you know exactly why it matters.
Has this ever happened to you? You clicked through five help articles, waited on hold for 20 minutes, and answered the same question twice.
At that point, you’re well beyond annoyed and ready to give up.
That’s where Customer Effort Score (CES) comes in. You can use it to gauge which processes are frustrating for customers and how to remove that friction.
Introduced by Matt Dixon and Corporate Executive Board (CEB) in 2010, CES is now a core metric in many customer experience programs.
CES has a clear purpose, but it’s often misunderstood.
Some companies automate their CES surveys. They send them out after every interaction, regardless of context, and that in itself is a source of customer frustration.
Others drop CES into customer feedback programs without giving much thought to question design or survey timing.
The problem with this approach is that you’re left with a flood of surface-level data that’s easy to ignore and hard to act on. Companies that measure CES like this are missing the point of CES entirely, which is to find friction and fix it—not to create more friction.
That’s why we take a different approach.
Interaction Metrics is a leading survey company. We’ve seen how strategically measuring your customer effort score can reveal moments of struggle that other metrics miss.
We focus on asking the right question at the right time, using survey methods that eliminate bias and deliver meaningful insight.
Because when you understand where customers are getting stuck, you can improve service, reduce churn, and build loyalty without overwhelming your team.
Here’s everything you need to know about CES: how it works, why it matters, and how you can use it to create loyal customers who stick around for the long haul.
When you’re ready to start measuring your CES score, reach out to Interaction Metrics.
What Is Customer Effort Score (CES)?
Customer Effort Score (CES) measures how easy it is for customers to get help or complete a task when interacting with your company.
Unlike NPS (which measures loyalty) or CSAT (which gauges satisfaction), CES focuses on one thing: effort.
One way to measure effort is to ask after an interaction (like a support call or a purchase), like:
“How easy was it to handle your issue today?”
“How easy was our shopping cart?”
“How easy was your onboarding experience?”
Then you might use a 5-point, 7-point, or an emoticon scale, with the left anchor being very difficult and the right anchor being very easy. That’s it. One question. One number. And when asked at the right time, CES can uncover friction that other customer service metrics miss.
But there is another way to measure customer effort, which tends to be more accurate.
You take all the questions in your survey that imply customer effort, and calculate the average of all those variables. These could be rating questions about agent clarity, website navigation, or time-to-respond.
So instead of asking your customer if something was easy, you determine the overall ease of doing business with your company. Whether to use one question or look at variables globally depends on your objectives and what you need to know.
Why Customer Effort Score Matters for Customer Satisfaction
Your customers are busy. They have options. If dealing with your business feels complicated or frustrating, they’ll move on to competitors who offer simpler interactions.
That’s why Customer Effort Score (CES) matters so much for overall customer satisfaction.
Unlike other customer experience metrics, CES doesn’t measure how happy or loyal someone feels. It measures how hard they had to work to get what they needed.
As Bill Price, co-author of The Best Service Is No Service, famously argued, the best customer service is the one customers never have to use.
Here’s why.
- High Effort Service Interactions = Lost Customers: The harder it is to get help, the faster customers leave. Gartner found that 96% of customers who face high-effort service experiences become disloyal customers.
- Low Effort Builds Loyalty: When things feel easy, customers stick around. Providing customers with a low-effort experience leads to higher retention, more spending, and more referrals. It encourages customers to stick around and speak positively about your brand.
- CES Predicts Future Purchase Behavior: Low effort means customers are likely to buy again. High effort can signal that churn is just around the corner. Depending on the product or service, customers who feel too much friction are likely to cease buying from you altogether.
- Less Effort = Better Customer Engagement: The less effort customers spend solving problems, the more likely they are to explore your products and engage with your brand.
- You Can Identify and Remove Pain Points: CES shows exactly where customers feel stuck, whether that’s a clunky checkout, a confusing help center, long wait times, or handoffs between multiple departments.
- Reduce Customer Service Costs: When customers can help themselves, support requests go down. Fewer calls and fewer tickets translate to lower customer service costs.
CES isn’t a metric to take lightly. It reveals the truth about customer friction, and addressing it can take your entire customer experience to the next level.
If you want satisfied customers who stay, spend more, and recommend your business, reducing customer effort must be a core part of your strategy.
When to Use a Customer Effort Score Survey
Timing matters with CES.
If you send surveys too randomly, you’ll miss the exact moments when effort is highest. When you send them at the right time, CES surveys reveal where your customers struggle and how to fix it.
Here are the best times to send a CES survey, with real-world examples:
1. After Customer Support Interactions
Send a CES survey after a client chats with your customer support team or calls in for help.
Example: A customer contacts customer support to dispute a charge. Once the issue is resolved, send a CES survey and be sure to include at least one open-ended question so you can understand what’s driving your scores.
2. Following a Purchase or Transaction
Send a survey after checkout to learn how smooth the buying experience was.
Example: A customer buys a subscription online. After the confirmation email, follow up with a CES question asking how easy it was to complete the purchase.
3. During Onboarding Processes
Use CES to check if your onboarding process makes sense to new users.
Example: A new customer signs up for your platform and completes the setup wizard. After setup, ask how easy it was to get started.
4. After Using Self-Service Options
Test whether your help center, chatbot, or FAQ is actually helpful.
Example: A customer uses your help center to figure out how to reset their password. Show a CES question after they’ve finished the article to gauge the experience.
5. When Renewing or Upgrading Services
These moments often involve complex decisions or system navigation.
Example: A customer upgrades their account from a free to a paid plan. After they finish, ask how easy the upgrade process was.
6. After Addressing Specific Pain Points
Once you’ve simplified a frustrating process, check if the update worked.
Example: You redesigned your billing page to make it easier to update credit card info. Send a CES survey right after a customer uses that page to see if the change actually reduced effort.
Measuring customer effort at targeted points throughout the entire customer journey helps customers avoid overwhelm from constant surveys, and you gain clear, actionable data to drive improvements.
Next, we’ll look closely at exactly how to measure and interpret your CES results to improve overall customer satisfaction.
How to Measure Customer Effort Score: Questions, Scales & Formulas
To get the most value from your Customer Effort Score (CES), you need clarity on how to structure your surveys and interpret the results.
Here’s exactly how to measure CES effectively:
1. Choose the Right Question Format
CES surveys typically ask one straightforward question, such as:
- “How easy was it to resolve your issue today?” (standard CES question)
- “The company made it easy to handle my request.” (agree/disagree format)
Choose wording that aligns clearly with the interaction you’re assessing.
2. Select an Effective Rating Scale
CES commonly uses one of three formats:
- Numbered Scales (most common): Usually 1–7 or 1–5 (1 = very difficult, 5 or 7 = very easy).
- Likert Scales: Customers rate their agreement with a statement from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.”
- Emoticon Ratings: Frowning faces for difficult interactions, neutral faces for moderate effort, and smiley faces for easy interactions.
Pick a scale that feels intuitive for your customers. Simpler scales tend to get higher response rates.
3. Calculate Your CES Score
The Customer Effort Score calculation is a simple average. Add together the total scores from all responses, then divide the total by the number of responses.
And when calculating your score, don’t forget to segment your customers so you can perform cross-tab analysis.
Breaking your customer base into smaller groups allows you to determine in what situations you’re getting particular scores, and for whom.
This way, you know you’re getting a true picture of customer effort instead of focusing on one specific group (for example, women over 50 with a bachelor’s degree) disproportionately.
Use the formula to get an average CES rating for each segment, then take the average score of each segment and use it to get an idea of overall customer effort.
Higher scores (closer to 5) indicate better customer experiences. Lower scores suggest frustration and friction.
4. Analyze Comments, Not Just Numbers
CES numbers give direction, but open-ended responses provide deeper insights.
Look carefully at customers’ written comments for common themes.
Words like “confusing,” “fast,” “frustrating,” or “easy” show exactly where your service is succeeding or failing.
What’s a Good Customer Effort Score?
A “good” CES score depends on the scale you’re using:
- On a 5-point scale, most companies aim for an average score of 4 or higher.
- On a 7-point scale, aim for 5 or higher.
If your average is creeping below those numbers, it likely means customers are encountering friction—slow response times, confusing processes, or broken self-service tools.
Here are a few points to keep in mind after calculating CES.
1. Higher Scores Are Better
Generally, you want scores on the higher end (closer to 5 or 7). Higher scores signal that your customers find interactions straightforward and frustration-free.
2. Compare to Industry Benchmarks
While there’s no universal benchmark, many companies target a CES average of around 4 on a 5-point scale (or about 5 on a 7-point scale).
If your scores are consistently lower, your customers might face unnecessary challenges.
3. Track Changes Over Time
CES is most valuable when you track it consistently and compare it month-over-month or quarter-over-quarter.
Even small improvements (like a CES increase from 2.7 to 3.0) indicate meaningful enhancements to your customer experience.
4. Look Beyond the Numbers
Don’t just rely on your average score. Analyze CES data by specific interactions, support channels, and agents. Averages alone might hide issues like specific customer support agents who are struggling or a certain product causing confusion.
5. Take Action on the Insights
The goal of CES isn’t just measurement—it’s improvement. Use CES results to clearly identify areas of friction. Then, simplify processes, improve agent training, and make proactive changes to reduce customer frustration.
How to Improve Your Customer Effort Score
CES reveals where your customers face unnecessary challenges. Once you pinpoint these pain points, here’s how to address them directly:
1. Streamline Customer Interactions
Look at the entire customer journey and remove unnecessary steps. Are customers being passed between multiple agents or repeating their problems multiple times? Simplify these interactions.
2. Enhance Self-Service Options
Invest in intuitive, easy-to-use self-service tools like knowledge bases, FAQs, chatbots, or automated phone systems. Good self-service reduces effort and prevents unnecessary interactions with your support team.
3. Offer Solution-Oriented Training
Equip your customer service representatives with the tools, training, and scripts needed to solve problems quickly. Reducing back-and-forth interactions and eliminating confusion makes a big difference in CES scores.
4. Provide Omnichannel Support
Customers often switch channels when they encounter problems. Whether starting online, via chat, or phone, be sure interactions are consistent across every channel. Customers should never feel they’re starting over each time they reach out.
5. Reduce Response Times
Shortening hold times and quickly responding to emails and chats improve customer perception. High service efficiency makes interactions feel easy and reduces customer frustration.
6. Proactively Address Common Issues
Use CES feedback to identify recurring problems (billing confusion, delayed shipments, etc.). Then proactively communicate solutions before customers even notice or complain. This approach can significantly lower your CES.
7. Monitor & Measure Progress
After taking these steps, keep tracking CES. Continuously measure whether your actions translate to lower customer effort. Regular tracking uncovers improvements and highlights new areas to optimize.
Improving your CES means happier customers, fewer service costs, and higher loyalty. Next, let’s clearly distinguish how CES compares to other popular metrics—NPS and CSAT—and why you need all three for a complete CX picture.
Customer Effort Score vs. NPS & CSAT: What’s the Difference?
Customer Effort Score is powerful. But if you look at just one metric, it’s like using a pair of prescription glasses that have only one lens.
To get a full picture of your customer experience, pair CES with other core metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT).
Each one tells you something different:
- CES shows how much effort the customer had to exert.
- NPS reveals how likely they are to recommend your brand.
- CSAT captures how satisfied they were with a specific interaction.
By combining them, you uncover customer insights that would otherwise go unnoticed.
5 Customer Effort Score Mistakes to Avoid
CES can mislead you if you’re not careful. Here are common mistakes to avoid, so your CES results stay accurate and actionable.
1. Poor Survey Timing
If your CES survey isn’t sent immediately after the right customer service touchpoint, customers may forget key details. Late surveys produce inaccurate data that won’t clearly reflect true customer effort.
Always send CES surveys promptly—right after each relevant interaction, while customers’ experiences are fresh.
2. Vague or Misleading Questions
Asking unclear or overly broad questions confuses customers. A vague CES question leads to vague responses, leaving you without actionable insights.
Use precise, straightforward questions like: “How easy was it to resolve your billing issue today?”
3. Over-Reliance on Numbers Alone
CES numbers highlight general friction points but rarely explain why friction exists. If you rely solely on numeric scores, you’ll miss essential details behind customer struggles.
Always include an open-ended question for comments. Customer comments provide context and deeper insight into why your CES scores are high or low.
4. Misinterpreting Results Without Context
A sudden spike in CES may seem alarming. But it could reflect temporary issues (e.g., a website outage) rather than systemic problems.
Always analyze CES data within context. Review external factors—like service outages, product changes, or training issues—that may influence scores.
5. Failing to Take Action
Collecting CES without acting on insights frustrates customers. Customers who repeatedly share feedback without seeing improvements become disillusioned and eventually churn.
Identify issues your CES reveals. Take visible, concrete actions. Communicate those improvements back to customers to build trust and loyalty.
Avoiding these pitfalls ensures your CES surveys produce accurate data and real business improvements.
Do More Than Simply Collect Data
Customer Effort Score is a powerful tool for real improvement. But it only works if you act on what your customers tell you.
Too many companies collect CES data only to let it gather dust. They miss the opportunity to reduce friction, simplify interactions, and improve customer service altogether.
Don’t make that mistake.
When customers share feedback, they expect improvement. Listen carefully to what they say. Identify exactly where they struggle and act decisively to simplify those interactions.
At Interaction Metrics, we believe measuring customer effort should always lead directly to real change. Every survey you send should deliver clear insights, actionable steps, and measurable results.
Don’t settle for generic, one-size-fits-all surveys that deliver vague results. Go deeper. Identify pain points. Remove friction. Then, communicate improvements back to your customers.
Discover A Better Way to Measure CES
At Interaction Metrics, we believe CES demands a more disciplined, thoughtful approach.
We’re a full-service survey firm with a scientific, rigorous approach to measuring customer effort.
Our TrueData™ model transforms CES from raw numbers into actionable insights that drive your business forward.
Here’s how the TrueData™ model works:
1. True-Facts: Scientifically Valid Surveys
Every CES survey is custom-built for your company. We use an exclusive 20-point bias checklist to eliminate leading questions or skewed data. That means you get genuinely accurate survey responses that reflect true customer effort.
2. True-Tech: World-Class Survey Software
We license top-tier software tools like Qualtrics, Alchemer, and SPSS. With us, you get enterprise-level data analysis without the hassle or expense of managing software yourself.
Our experts manage all survey creation, deployment, and analytics to free up your resources.
3. True-Insight: Actionable Analysis
CES numbers alone can’t drive improvements. That’s why we go deeper. We use techniques like text mining, correlation analysis, and cross-tabs to understand the full story behind your CES scores. So you receive clear, actionable recommendations to improve your customer interactions right away.
At Interaction Metrics, we move beyond CES measurement into genuine customer experience improvement.
We pinpoint exactly why your customers experience friction. Then we provide practical guidance to simplify customer service interactions, reduce frustration, and build lasting loyalty.
If you’re serious about lowering customer effort and improving your customer relationships, Interaction Metrics has the clear, rigorous approach you need. Let’s discuss your survey needs today.
FAQs About Customer Effort Score
What is the difference between CES, NPS, and CSAT?
CES (Customer Effort Score) measures how easy it is for a customer to complete an interaction. NPS (Net Promoter Score) measures loyalty and willingness to recommend. CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) measures how satisfied a customer feels after a specific interaction. Using all three gives you a complete view of the customer experience.
What is a good Customer Effort Score benchmark?
A good Customer Effort Score is typically 4 or higher on a 5-point scale. Higher scores mean customers experienced less friction. Scores below 4 may indicate areas that need improvement. Trends over time are more important than one specific number.
How often should I send a CES survey?
You should send a CES survey after key customer interactions. These include after a support call, product purchase, or using a self-service feature. Timely, event-based surveys deliver more accurate and actionable feedback.
What is the best CES question to ask?
The best CES question is: “How easy was it to resolve your issue today?” It’s simple, clear, and directly tied to the customer’s experience. It works well across support, billing, onboarding, and more.
Can CES predict customer behavior?
Yes, Customer Effort Score can predict customer behavior. High-effort experiences often lead to churn, while low-effort interactions increase long-term customer loyalty and repeat purchases. CES is one of the strongest predictors of future customer retention.
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