Customer Effort Score (CES): Rating Customer Experience Ease

What Is Customer Effort Score (CES)?

Customer Effort Score (CES) is a customer service metric that measures how much effort a customer had to expend to use your product or service, find information, resolve an issue, or have their needs met.
It’s based on the principle that customers are more loyal to products and services that are easier to use.

In today’s competitive business environment, making things easy for customers isn’t just good service – it’s a crucial survival strategy.
Research by Gartner shows that 96% of customers who experience high-effort interactions become more disloyal, while only 4% with low-effort experiences do the same.
The Customer Effort Score (CES) has emerged as a powerful tool for measuring and improving customer experience ease.

Take Adobe’s transformation story: After discovering that customers were struggling with their software installation process, they used CES to identify pain points and simplify the experience.
The result? A 25% reduction in support calls and a significant increase in customer retention. Let’s dive into how you can achieve similar results with CES.

Evolution of CES

The metric has evolved over time:

• CES 1.0 (Original Version):
  • Question format: “How much effort did you personally have to put forth to handle your request?”
  • Scale: 1 (very low effort) to 5 (very high effort)
  • Challenge: Customers sometimes confused about whether high or low numbers were good
• CES 2.0 (Current Version):
  • Question format: “[Company name] made it easy for me to handle my issue”
  • Scale: 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree)
  • Benefit: Clearer for customers, more actionable for companies

Why CES Matters

Research by the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) reveals some compelling statistics:

• Customers are 4x more likely to become disloyal after a high-effort experience.
• 94% of customers with low-effort experiences will purchase again.
• 88% will increase their spending.
• Low-effort experiences reduce costs by decreasing up to 40% of repeat calls.

How CES Differs from Other Metrics

CES vs NPS (Net Promoter Score)

NPS: Focuses on customer loyalty and likelihood to recommend.
CES: Focuses on ease of service/product usage.
Example: A customer might recommend your product (high NPS) but still find it difficult to use (low CES).

CES vs CSAT (Customer Satisfaction)

CSAT: Measures happiness with a specific interaction.
CES: Measures ease of completing a task.
Example: A customer might be satisfied with your support team (high CSAT) but frustrated by how many steps it took to reach them (low CES).

Calculating CES

Basic Formula:
CES = Sum of all individual scores / Number of responses

Detailed Example:
Let’s say you received these responses from 10 customers (on a 1-7 scale):
7, 6, 6, 7, 5, 6, 7, 6, 7, 5

• Add all scores: 7+6+6+7+5+6+7+6+7+5 = 62
• Divide by number of responses: 62/10 = 6.2

Your CES score would be 6.2 out of 7.

Interpreting Scores (7-Point Scale)

• 7: Excellent (Customers found it extremely easy)
• 5-6: Good (Room for improvement but generally positive)
• 3-4: Neutral (Significant room for improvement)
• 1-2: Poor (Urgent attention needed)

Industry Benchmarks

• Technology: 5.7
• Retail: 5.4
• Financial Services: 5.3
• Healthcare: 5.0
• Telecommunications: 4.8

Implementation Guide

Setting Up CES Surveys

1. Choose Your Survey Timing

The right moment to ask for feedback is crucial. Here are the optimal timing strategies for different scenarios:

Post-Purchase

• Physical products: 3-7 days after delivery
• Digital products: 24-48 hours after first use
• Services: Within 24 hours of service completion

Customer Support

• Email support: 1 day after ticket resolution
• Phone support: Immediately after call or next day
• Chat support: Immediately after chat ends

Website/App Interactions

• Account creation: After first successful login
• Feature usage: After 2-3 uses of new feature
• Cart abandonment: Before exit if possible

Survey Design Best Practices

1. Core Question Structure

Use clear, action-focused statements:

• “XYZ Company made it easy for me to [specific action]”
• “[Specific task] was easy to complete”
• “The process of [specific action] required minimal effort”

Example Survey Flow:

• Main CES question (required)
• Follow-up reason (optional): “What made this experience particularly easy/difficult?”
• Open-ended feedback (optional): “How could we make this process easier?”

2. Response Scale Options

Standard 7-point Scale:

• Strongly disagree
• Disagree
• Somewhat disagree
• Neither agree nor disagree
• Somewhat agree
• Agree
• Strongly agree

Alternative 5-point Scale:

• Very difficult
• Difficult
• Neither easy nor difficult
• Easy
• Very easy

Implementation Channels

1. Email Surveys

Best for:

• Post-purchase feedback
• Service interaction follow-up
• Regular customer pulse checks

Example Template:

Subject: Quick question about your recent [experience/purchase]

Hi [Name],

We want to make [specific action] as easy as possible for our customers.

Based on your recent experience:
[Company] made it easy for me to [specific action]:

[Scale buttons 1-7]

Thanks for your feedback!
[Company Name]

2. In-App/Website Surveys

Best for:

• Immediate feedback
• Feature-specific feedback
• Website navigation feedback

Implementation Tips:

• Use modal windows for important workflows
• Place inline surveys near relevant actions
• Consider using slide-in surveys for less intrusive feedback

3. SMS Surveys

Best for:

• Quick responses
• Mobile-first experiences
• Local business interactions

Example SMS:

[Company]: How easy was it to [specific action] today? Reply with a number from 1 (very difficult) to 7 (very easy).

Tools and Technology

1. Popular CES Survey Tools:

• Delighted: Pre-built templates, multiple channel options, automated triggers (starts at $224/month).
• Qualtrics: Advanced analytics, complex survey logic, integration capabilities (Enterprise).
• SurveyMonkey: Easy to use, basic analytics, mobile-friendly (starts at $25/month).

2. Integration Considerations:

• CRM integration
• Help desk software connection
• Analytics platform compatibility
• Automation capabilities

Avoiding Survey Fatigue

1. Smart Triggering Rules:

• Maximum 1 survey per customer per month
• No surveys within 2 weeks of previous response
• Limit to key touchpoints only

2. Survey Distribution Strategy:

• Rotate customer segments
• Use different channels for different purposes
• Consider time zones and customer preferences

3. Response Rate Optimization:

• Keep surveys under 2 minutes
• Make mobile-responsive
• Clearly state time commitment
• Consider incentives for longer surveys

Analyzing CES Data

Data Collection Framework

1. Basic Metrics to Track

• Overall CES score
• Response rate
• Score distribution
• Completion rate
• Time to complete
• Channel performance

2. Advanced Analytics

Analyze trends and segment data by:

• Customer type (new vs. existing)
• Product/service category
• Customer value tier
• Geographic location
• Age of customer relationship
• Channel of interaction

Pattern Identification

1. Common Pain Points Analysis

Track frequent sources of high effort, such as:

• Navigation issues
• Process complexity
• Technical problems
• Communication gaps
• Policy restrictions

Example: A software company found that 70% of their “high effort” scores came from password reset processes. After implementing biometric login, their CES improved by 40%.

2. Cross-Metric Correlation

Compare CES with other key metrics, such as:

• Customer lifetime value
• Churn rates
• Support ticket volume
• Sales conversion rates
• NPS and CSAT scores

Taking Action on CES Results

Creating Action Plans

1. Immediate Actions (24-48 hours)

• Respond to all scores of 3 or lower
• Document specific pain points
• Share urgent issues with relevant teams
• Implement quick fixes where possible

2. Short-term Improvements (1-3 months)

• Update FAQs and help documentation
• Modify training materials
• Adjust processes causing friction
• Enhance self-service options

3. Long-term Strategic Changes (3-12 months)

• Redesign problematic processes
• Update technology systems
• Revise policies causing friction
• Implement automation solutions

Real-World Example: Banking App Transformation

Initial Situation:

• CES: 4.2/7
• Main complaint: Complex money transfer process
• High support call volume

Action Plan Implemented:

Immediate:

• Added clear error messages
• Updated help guides
• Trained support team on common issues

Short-term:

• Simplified transfer form
• Added saved payee feature
• Implemented in-app chat support

Long-term:

• Redesigned entire transfer flow
• Added biometric authentication
• Integrated AI-powered assistance

Results:

• CES improved to 6.1/7
• 65% reduction in support calls
• 40% increase in mobile transfers
• 28% increase in app store rating

Real-World Case Studies

Case Study 1: E-commerce Platform Transformation

Company Profile:

Online marketplace with 100,000+ monthly active users

Initial Challenge:

• CES: 3.8/7
• Primary issues:
  • Complicated returns process
  • Confusing checkout flow
  • Difficult product search
• Customer complaints: 200+ weekly
• Cart abandonment rate: 76%

Solution Implementation:

Returns Process:

• Implemented one-click returns
• Added return shipping label to original package
• Created automated refund tracking
• Developed self-service return portal

Checkout Flow:

• Reduced steps from 5 to 3
• Added guest checkout option
• Implemented multiple payment methods
• Created progress indicator

Product Search:

• Added filters and categories
• Implemented AI-powered search
• Created product comparison tool
• Added visual search capability

Results:

• CES improved to: 6.2/7
• Returns processing time reduced by 70%
• Cart abandonment decreased to 45%
• Customer complaints reduced to 50 weekly
• Revenue increased by 32%

Case Study 2: Telecom Provider Transformation

Company Profile:

Regional telecommunications provider with 2 million customers

Initial Situation:

• CES: 3.2/7
• Main pain points:
  • Bill understanding
  • Service upgrades
  • Technical support
• Average resolution time: 48 hours
• Customer churn rate: 15%

Solution Implementation:

Billing Experience:

• Redesigned bill format
• Created interactive bill explainer
• Implemented predictive bill alerts
• Added usage monitoring tools

Service Management:

• Created self-service upgrade portal
• Implemented online service comparison tool
• Added virtual assistant for guidance
• Created service recommendation engine

Technical Support:

• Launched proactive issue detection
• Created video troubleshooting guides
• Implemented remote diagnostics
• Added 24/7 chat support

Results:

• CES improved to: 5.8/7
• Resolution time reduced to 4 hours
• Churn rate decreased to 7%
• Support costs reduced by 35%
• Customer satisfaction increased by 60%

Common Challenges and Solutions

1. Low Response Rates

Challenge:

• Industry average: 15-25% response rate
• Difficulty getting meaningful sample size
• Response bias concerns

Solutions:

Timing Optimization:

• Send surveys within 24 hours of interaction
• Test different times/days for better engagement
• Use smart triggering based on customer behavior

Survey Design:

• Keep it under 2 minutes
• Use clear, concise language
• Mobile-optimize all surveys
• Add progress indicators

Incentivization:

• Offer small rewards
• Gamify the feedback process
• Show impact of previous feedback
• Share improvements made

2. Data Quality Issues

Challenge:

• Inconsistent responses
• Incomplete submissions
• Biased feedback
• Data gaps

Solutions:

Survey Structure:

• Use conditional logic
• Include validation checks
• Add follow-up questions
• Implement skip logic

Data Collection:

• Use multiple channels
• Implement quality checks
• Validate responses
• Cross-reference with other metrics

Analysis Methods:

• Use statistical validation
• Implement outlier detection
• Create baseline metrics
• Segment data appropriately

Best Practices

Survey Design Excellence

1. Question Formulation

• Keep language simple and clear
• Focus on one interaction/task per survey
• Use consistent scale across all touchpoints
• Avoid leading questions

Examples of good CES questions:

• ✅ “Company made it easy for me to resolve my billing issue”
• ✅ “Getting technical support was easy”
• ✅ “The checkout process was effortless”
• ❌ “How hard was it to use our website?” (negative framing)
• ❌ “Would you say that our support was easy to use?” (leading)
• ❌ “Rate the effort required” (vague)

2. Timing and Frequency

• Map customer journey touchpoints
• Set triggers for key interactions
• Respect customer time preferences
• Follow up on extreme scores (high/low)

Optimal Timing Matrix:

Service Type	When to Send	Follow-up
Purchase	24-48 hours	7 days
Support	Immediate	24 hours
Website	Post-session	3 days

Implementation Strategy

1. Employee Training

• Educate staff about CES importance
• Train on handling feedback
• Create response guidelines
• Share success stories

Training Components:

• CES basics and calculation
• Customer effort reduction techniques
• Feedback handling procedures
• Improvement implementation
• Success metrics

2. Process Integration

• Connect CES to business KPIs
• Link to employee performance
• Include in decision-making
• Use in product development

Future of CES

Emerging Trends

1. AI and Machine Learning Integration

• Predictive effort scoring
• Automated response triggers
• Real-time intervention
• Pattern recognition
• Sentiment analysis

Example Application:

AI System detects:

• Customer struggling with checkout
• Multiple failed attempts
• Unusual navigation patterns

Action:

• Triggers live chat support
• Suggests simplified payment method
• Offers guided assistance

2. Personalization

• Custom effort measurements
• Individual preference tracking
• Adaptive surveys
• Contextual questioning

3. Voice of Customer (VOC) Integration

• Multi-channel feedback collection
• Social media monitoring
• Review integration
• Holistic customer view

Technology Advancement

1. Mobile-First Approach

• In-app feedback
• SMS integration
• Mobile-optimized surveys
• Location-based triggers

2. IoT Integration

• Smart device feedback
• Connected product monitoring
• Automated effort detection
• Usage pattern analysis

3. Predictive Analytics

• Effort forecasting
• Churn prediction
• Intervention timing
• Resource allocation

Remember: CES is not just a metric – it’s a philosophy of making customer interactions as effortless as possible. Start small, measure consistently, and continuously improve based on feedback.