Why do some brands manage to build lifelong loyalty, while others lose customers after just one frustrating experience? The answer often lies in an often-overlooked metric: the Customer Effort Score (CES). Modern consumers aren’t looking to be wowed; they want quick, hassle-free solutions. In this guide, you’ll discover what Customer Effort Score is, why it matters in marketing and consumer psychology, and how you can use CES surveys to create seamless customer journeys that give your brand a real edge over the competition.
Key Takeaway:
- Reducing customer effort is the most effective way to drive loyalty and repeat business. Brands that make interactions easy outperform those focused only on delighting customers.
- Customer Effort Score (CES) surveys pinpoint friction in the customer journey, providing actionable insights for marketers to simplify experiences and reduce churn.
- Regularly measuring, analysing, and acting on CES enables brands to create seamless journeys, strengthen customer relationships, and gain a lasting competitive advantage.
What is Customer Effort Score?
Customer Effort Score (CES) is an important metric in customer experience (CX), measuring just how easy or difficult it is for a customer to interact with your business, sort out an issue, make a purchase, or get support. Rather than asking, “How satisfied were you?’, CES poses a more straightforward question: ‘How easy was it to resolve your problem?”.
This seemingly simple question signals a significant shift in consumer psychology. Modern shoppers, often pressed for time and overwhelmed with choices, tend to value convenience, simplicity, and reliability more than being “wowed” by one-off surprises. In fact, research published in the Harvard Business Review (“Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers“), along with a landmark study by Gartner/CEB, shows that reducing customer effort is the most important factor in fostering loyalty and encouraging repeat business, even more than satisfaction or the Net Promoter Score (NPS).
CES identifies key customer pain points and provides a psychology-backed tool for marketers to build lasting relationships, not just fleeting delight.
Why Customer Effort Score Matters in Modern Marketing
For decades, brands invested heavily in the idea of “delighting” customers, trying to go above and beyond at every opportunity. However, the evidence suggests differently: what customers want is a straightforward, hassle-free experience. A study by CEB, analysing over 75,000 customer interactions, found that 96% of those who faced a high-effort service encounter became less loyal, compared to only 9% of those who experienced low-effort interactions.
- 94% of customers who had a low-effort interaction expressed intent to repurchase (vs. just 4% of high-effort customers).
- 88% said they would spend more after an effortless experience.
- Only 1% of low-effort customers would speak negatively about the company, compared to a staggering 81% after a high-effort experience.
These figures are quite revealing: making every interaction smoother and easier is arguably the most effective way for marketers to boost loyalty and growth.
CES and Consumer Behaviour
From a psychological point of view, the principle is straightforward: friction kills motivation. If a process is confusing or tricky, customers tend to feel frustrated, uncertain, and less loyal to your brand. On the other hand, smooth and easy experiences create positive feelings, reduce anxiety, and encourage customers to return; these are all crucial elements in today’s behavioural marketing.
In the era of digital transformation, brands that systematically reduce friction at every stage of the customer journey consistently outperform competitors, not only in loyalty metrics but in lifetime value and referral rates.
How to Run a Customer Effort Score Survey (and Calculate CES)?
Measuring the Customer Effort Score (CES) isn’t difficult, but to ensure you get reliable and actionable insights, you need a clear and straightforward process. Here’s a practical guide anyone can easily follow.
Step 1: Choose Your Touchpoint
Pinpoint the moment when you’d like to gather customer feedback. For instance, after a purchase, a support interaction, or during onboarding. The CES becomes far more meaningful when it’s linked to a particular transaction or task.
Not sure which touchpoints to measure? Explore our practical guide to customer journey touchpoints for actionable ideas.
Step 2: Write Your Survey Question
Use a single, focused question such as:
- “How easy was it to resolve your issue today?”
- Or, the modern CES 2.0 version: “The company made it easy for me to handle my issue.” (Rated on a 1-5 or 1-7 agreement scale)
Keep language neutral and specific to the interaction.
Step 3: Select a Response Scale
Pick a scale that matches your reporting needs. Most common:
- 1 to 5 (1 = very difficult, 5 = very easy)
- 1 to 7 (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)
- For digital interactions, you might find it helpful to use emoticons, ranging from sad to happy faces, to gather quick feedback.
Tip: Always ensure that higher numbers represent “easier” or “lower effort” responses for consistency.
Step 4: Distribute the Survey Immediately
Please submit your CES survey immediately after the interaction, whether by email, SMS, app notification, or a website pop-up. This way, the responses are fresh and more accurate. Remember, optimisation for mobile devices is key: over half of customer interactions now occur on mobile devices.
Step 5: (Optional but Recommended) Add an Open-Ended Follow-Up
To gain deeper insight, include a follow-up question like:
- “What made this interaction easy or difficult?”
This kind of feedback helps you spot particular issues and areas where you could improve.
Step 6: Collect and Calculate Your CES
Once responses are in, the calculation is simple:
Formula:
Customer Effort Score (CES) = (Sum of all response scores) / (Total number of responses)
Example: If 100 customers respond on a 1-7 scale and the total score is 620, your average CES is 6.2.
Step 7: Interpret and Take Action
- On a 1-7 scale, a CES above 5 indicates strong performance.
- On a 1-5 scale (where higher is better), aim for above 4.
- Always benchmark against your past scores for continuous improvement.
Use the results to identify areas that require extra effort. Collaborate with your team to streamline processes, enhance support, and make everything flow more smoothly.
To better identify key touchpoints for your CES survey, consider building a comprehensive customer journey map to visualise every step of your customer’s experience.
| Steps to Run a Customer Effort Score Survey and Calculate CES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Step | What to Do | Pro Tip or Best Practice |
| Choose Touchpoint | Identify when and where to survey (e.g., after purchase, support call, onboarding) | Map your customer journey to find the most critical touchpoints |
| Write Survey Question | Use a focused question, e.g. “How easy was it to resolve your issue today?” or “The company made it easy for me to handle my issue.” | Keep the language clear and interaction-specific |
| Select Response Scale | Decide on a rating scale (1–5 or 1–7), or use emoticons for digital channels | Higher numbers should always represent “easier” or “lower effort” |
| Distribute Survey Immediately | Send the survey right after the interaction via email, SMS, in-app, or website pop-up | Optimise surveys for mobile devices |
| Add Open-Ended Follow-Up (Optional) | Include a follow-up question such as “What made this interaction easy or difficult?” | Collect qualitative insights for deeper analysis |
| Collect & Calculate CES | Gather responses and calculate: CES = (Sum of all scores) / (Number of responses) | Regularly benchmark against your own previous scores |
| Interpret & Take Action | Analyse results, identify pain points, and implement improvements | Share insights across teams for coordinated action |
How to Improve Your Customer Effort Score
A low Customer Effort Score (CES) can be a warning sign that your customer journey is too complicated or frustrating. The good thing is, a low CES is something you can act on. Here are some proven ways to boost your CES.
Redesign Painful Touchpoints
Identify the points in your customer journey where the most friction occurs, whether it’s a convoluted checkout process, tricky navigation, or slow responses. Use both CES data and customer comments to pinpoint where improvements are needed. Try simplifying forms, clarifying instructions, and streamlining steps to make every process as smooth and intuitive as possible.
A global study found that when companies improved their Customer Effort Score (CES) by just one point, they saw an average 20% reduction in customer churn and a 17% increase in customer referrals.
Strengthen Self-Service Options
Many customers prefer to resolve issues on their own. Invest in an up-to-date FAQ, knowledge base, video tutorials, and interactive guides, and make sure these resources are easy to find from your main website or app. By empowering customers to help themselves, you can reduce support effort and achieve faster resolutions.
Invest in Proactive and Responsive Support
Promptly providing friendly and knowledgeable support can turn a demanding customer experience into a positive one. Train your agents to resolve issues efficiently without unnecessary escalation, and consider using live chat or AI chatbots to offer immediate assistance. Don’t hesitate to reach out proactively if a customer seems to be struggling; addressing concerns early can prevent frustration from growing.
96% of customers who experience high-effort service interactions become more disloyal, while only 9% of customers with low-effort experiences report decreased loyalty.
Optimise for Omnichannel Consistency
Ensure your brand offers a smooth experience across all channels, whether that’s your website, mobile app, phone support, email, or social media. Avoid making customers repeat themselves when they switch platforms, and ensure help is available wherever your customers are most active.
Close the Feedback Loop and Show Customers You Act
Don’t just gather CES data, use it. Share your feedback with the team, address recurring issues, and keep customers informed about the changes. Showing customers that their input makes a difference helps build trust and encourages them to stay engaged.
| Steps to Run a Customer Effort Score Survey and Calculate CES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Step | What to Do | Pro Tip or Best Practice |
| Choose Touchpoint | Identify when and where to survey (e.g., after purchase, support call, onboarding) | Map your customer journey to find the most critical touchpoints |
| Write Survey Question | Use a focused question, e.g. “How easy was it to resolve your issue today?” or “The company made it easy for me to handle my issue.” | Keep the language clear and interaction-specific |
| Select Response Scale | Decide on a rating scale (1–5 or 1–7), or use emoticons for digital channels | Higher numbers should always represent “easier” or “lower effort” |
| Distribute Survey Immediately | Send the survey right after the interaction via email, SMS, in-app, or website pop-up | Optimise surveys for mobile devices |
| Add Open-Ended Follow-Up (Optional) | Include a follow-up question such as “What made this interaction easy or difficult?” | Collect qualitative insights for deeper analysis |
| Collect & Calculate CES | Gather responses and calculate: CES = (Sum of all scores) / (Number of responses) | Regularly benchmark against your own previous scores |
| Interpret & Take Action | Analyse results, identify pain points, and implement improvements | Share insights across teams for coordinated action |
Key Customer Experience Metrics: When to Use Them and How They Differ
While CES is powerful for identifying friction, it’s not the only customer experience metric marketers rely on. Here’s a side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right metric for each business goal.
| Metric | What It Measures | When to Use | Main Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Effort Score (CES) | Perceived effort to complete a task or interaction | Immediately after a specific touchpoint (e.g., support call, checkout, onboarding) | Pinpoints friction; predicts loyalty, churn, and repurchase; highly actionable | Doesn’t capture overall brand loyalty or satisfaction |
| Net Promoter Score (NPS) | Likelihood to recommend your brand | Periodically (quarterly, after major milestones) | Measures overall brand advocacy and long-term loyalty | Lacks detail on specific interactions; influenced by all brand factors |
| Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) | Satisfaction with a specific experience, product, or service | Right after an event (e.g., purchase, service call) | Easy to measure; good for quick feedback | Captures only immediate sentiment, not long-term loyalty |
| Customer Churn Rate | Percentage of customers who stop using your service | Monitored regularly (monthly, quarterly) | Direct measure of retention problems | Reactive; doesn’t explain the “why” |
| Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) | Total value a customer brings over their relationship | Used for strategic planning and segmentation | Connects CX to revenue; prioritises high-value segments | Harder to influence in the short term |
| First Contact Resolution (FCR) | Whether the customer’s issue was solved on the first attempt | After support interactions | Indicates support team effectiveness | Doesn’t coverthe overall journey |
To see how improving CES can impact customer lifetime value, check out our step-by-step guide to calculating Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).
Conclusion
In a market where convenience and speed are key to customer loyalty, monitoring your Customer Effort Score (CES) is crucial for any brand seeking to differentiate itself. By smoothing out any rough patches at each touchpoint, marketers can craft more seamless experiences that foster loyalty, generate positive word-of-mouth, and support long-term growth. Start tracking your CES today, act on what you learn, and turn effortless customer journeys into your competitive advantage.
FAQ
Customer Effort Score (CES) is a customer experience metric that measures how easy or difficult it is for customers to complete a specific interaction, such as resolving a support issue or making a purchase. It focuses on reducing friction, which research shows is the most effective way to boost loyalty and retention.
CES is typically calculated by asking customers to rate the ease of their experience on a scale (commonly 1–5 or 1–7) immediately after a specific interaction. The score is averaged across all respondents:
Customer Effort Score = (Sum of response scores) / (Total number of responses)
Use CES surveys right after critical touchpoints, such as after a purchase, customer service call, or onboarding. Immediate feedback captures the proper level of effort and identifies where friction exists in your customer journey.
On a 1–7 scale, a CES above 5 is considered strong. On a 1–5 scale (where higher is better), aim for above 4. However, “good” scores vary by industry and historical performance, so always benchmark against your previous results for meaningful improvement.
