Customer Effort Score (CES)
Customer effort score (CES) is a metric that measures how easy it was for a customer to get something done, such as solving a problem or completing a purchase, usually on a scale from very difficult to very easy.
Definition
CES is built on a simple idea: customers stay loyal to companies that make things easy. After a specific interaction, the customer is asked to react to a statement such as “The company made it easy for me to handle my request”, on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). It is most useful right after a support request, a return, a renewal or a first setup.
The most common calculation is the average of all scores: CES = sum of the scores divided by the number of responses. Some teams instead report the percentage of customers who answered 5 to 7, meaning they found it easy. Both work as long as you keep the same one. Add a free-text question, because the interesting part is which step felt heavy.
CES is a good complement to CSAT and NPS because a customer can be polite and satisfied yet have spent too much time to get there. Look for repeated contacts, long forms and handoffs between teams, which often explain high effort. Its limit is that it covers one action at a time: it does not describe the full relationship.
Key points
- Formula: sum of the scores divided by the number of answers, or the share of easy answers (5-7).
- It measures the effort of one specific action, not general satisfaction.
- Ask it right after the interaction, when the effort is still fresh.
- High effort often comes from repeated contacts, handoffs and unclear steps.
- Pair it with an open question to see which step to simplify.
Example
After a plan change, a company asks 40 customers whether it was easy on a scale from 1 to 7. The scores add up to 232, so the average CES is 232 / 40 = 5.8. Comments from the customers who answered 3 or lower mostly mention having to contact support twice, which tells the team which step to simplify.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CES and CSAT?
CSAT asks how satisfied the customer is, while CES asks how easy it was to get something done. A customer can be satisfied with a result and still have found the path painful. CES points more directly to the steps to simplify.
When should I send a CES survey?
Right after an interaction where the customer had a goal to achieve: a support request, a setup step, a return, a renewal. Sending it later reduces the quality of the answers, because customers no longer remember the effort.
Does a good CES reduce churn?
Making things easier is generally a good way to keep customers, but the link depends on your business and should be checked with your own data. Compare the effort scores of customers who stayed with those who left to see if the pattern appears in your case.
Related terms
AI conversations, human decisions
Passisto holds structured voice conversations with candidates, employees, clients and students, and turns them into reports your team can act on.