The Customer Effort Score (CES) is measured by asking customers one targeted question after an interaction: how much effort it took them to get help. You calculate the score by taking the average of all responses on a scale of 1 to 7. The lower the effort customers report, the better the experience. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about measuring CES: from what constitutes a good score to concrete improvement actions.
What is a good CES score?
A good CES score averages above 5.5 on a scale of 1 to 7, where 7 represents "very little effort." There is no universal benchmark that applies to every sector, but as a rule of thumb: the closer to 7, the better. Scores below 4 are a signal that customers are having to put in too much effort and that something is structurally wrong with your process.
What constitutes a good score also depends on your sector and the type of interaction. A repair request at a housing association requires different effort than a digital self-service action. Always compare your scores by touchpoint and by customer journey, not as a single average across the entire organisation. That way you can see where the real pain points are.
In addition, the trend is at least as important as the absolute number. A score that rises month after month shows that improvements are genuinely reaching customers. A declining score is an early warning signal, even if the absolute level still looks acceptable.
Discover what customers truly care about and give every team clear priorities to improve the customer experience in a targeted way.
How do you calculate the CES?
You calculate the CES by taking the average of all submitted scores. Add up all the responses and divide that total by the number of respondents. If you use a scale of 1 to 7, the result is a number within that same range. The higher the average, the less effort customers have experienced.
For example: ten customers complete the CES question with the following scores: 5, 6, 7, 4, 6, 7, 5, 6, 7, and 3. The sum is 56, divided by 10 gives a CES of 5.6. That is a reasonable result, but the two low scores (4 and 3) deserve attention. It is precisely those downward outliers that tell you where things are going wrong.
Some organisations report CES as a percentage of "low effort" responses (scores 5, 6, and 7 combined). That gives a different picture than the average. Choose one method and keep it consistent, so that you can reliably compare trends over time.
What questions do you use in a CES survey?
The core of a CES survey is one main question, supplemented by an open follow-up question. The standard main question reads: "How much effort did it take you to get your question or problem resolved?" Respondents answer on a scale of 1 (very high effort) to 7 (very little effort). Always add an open question afterwards asking for the reason behind the score.
An effective CES survey therefore contains at a minimum:
- The effort question: "How much effort did it take you to get help?" (scale 1–7)
- The open explanation: "What was the main reason for your score?"
- Optionally a follow-up question about the specific interaction, such as the channel or the agent
Keep the survey short. Two to three questions is the maximum for a transactional moment. More questions lower the response rate and dilute the focus. The goal is to know quickly after each interaction whether the customer was helped effortlessly — not to produce an extensive report.
The wording of the main question also determines what you measure. "It was easy to resolve my issue" (agree/disagree scale) is an alternative variant used by some tools. Choose deliberately which wording you use and do not switch between them, otherwise your scores will not be comparable over time.
When do you send a CES survey?
Send a CES survey immediately after an interaction, preferably within one hour and no later than 24 hours. CES is a transactional metric: it measures the experience of a specific interaction, not the overall relationship. The longer you wait, the less accurate the customer's memory is and the lower the response rate will be.
Suitable moments to measure CES include:
- After a service visit or repair
- After contact with customer service (phone, chat, email)
- After handling a complaint or request
- After completing a digital process, such as a sign-up or a return
CES is less suitable as a periodic or relational measurement. If you want to measure overall satisfaction or loyalty, NPS or CSAT are better choices. Use CES specifically at the moments where effort plays a role, and combine it with other metrics for a complete picture of customer satisfaction.
What is the difference between CES, NPS, and CSAT?
CES measures the effort a customer experiences during a specific interaction. NPS (Net Promoter Score) measures overall loyalty and the likelihood that someone will recommend your organisation. CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) measures satisfaction with a product, service, or interaction on a scale of 1 to 5. The three metrics complement each other and each measure a different aspect of the customer experience.
The key distinction:
- CES answers the question: "Was it easy?" — ideal after service contact and processes
- CSAT answers the question: "Were you satisfied?" — broadly applicable, from product to conversation
- NPS answers the question: "Would you recommend us?" — suitable as a relational measurement at the organisational level
CES is the strongest predictor of customer churn following a negative service experience. When customers have to put in a lot of effort, they disengage — even if they are otherwise satisfied. NPS provides a broader picture of the relationship and is valuable for strategic steering. CSAT is flexible and quick, but lacks the depth of CES at the effort level. Combine all three metrics depending on what you want to know and at which point in the customer journey.
How do you use CES results to improve processes?
CES results drive action by showing which steps in your process are causing customers unnecessary effort. Analyse the open responses alongside the score: the score tells you that there is a problem, while the open response tells you what and why. Combine the two and you have a concrete starting point for process improvement.
An effective approach works in three steps. First, you segment the scores by interaction or channel, so you can see where the highest effort is concentrated. Then you analyse the open responses for recurring themes, such as long waiting times, unclear communication, or a cumbersome digital form. Finally, you prioritise improvement actions based on impact and feasibility, so that you do not tackle everything at once but start where the greatest effect can be achieved.
Low CES scores are also a signal for closed-loop follow-up. Customers who have experienced a lot of effort deserve a personal response. This prevents churn and demonstrates that you take feedback seriously. Organisations that embed CES structurally in their improvement cycle see not only higher scores, but also fewer repeat contacts and lower service costs.
How CYS Group helps with measuring CES
CYS Group helps organisations treat CES not as a standalone number, but as part of a complete listening strategy. Through our platform cx.management, you can set up CES measurements at the moments that truly matter — from a service visit to a digital application process. Our approach is practical and action-oriented:
- Validated surveys that are automatically sent at the right moment, without any manual work
- Driver analysis via our driver model: we show which factors most strongly determine effort, without complex statistics
- Closed-loop follow-up so that customers with a low CES score are immediately followed up by the right team
- Priority Matrix to prioritise improvement actions based on impact, so you know where to start first
- Dashboards per team or touchpoint so that managers can steer at their own level
Whether you want to combine CES with NPS and CSAT, or start with a single targeted measurement after a service interaction: we help you move from measuring to improving. Get in touch and discover how CYS Group sets up your CES measurement. Make every experience count.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hoeveel respondenten heb je nodig voor een betrouwbare CES-meting?
Voor een statistisch betrouwbare CES-score heb je minimaal 30 tot 50 respondenten per contactmoment of kanaal nodig. Met minder reacties kunnen toevallige uitschieters je gemiddelde sterk beïnvloeden en trek je mogelijk verkeerde conclusies. Zorg daarom voor een hoge respons door de enquête kort te houden, op het juiste moment te versturen en via het kanaal dat de klant het meest gebruikt, zoals e-mail of sms.
Wat doe je als je CES-respons erg laag is?
Een lage respons is vaak het gevolg van een te lange vragenlijst, een verkeerd verzendmoment of een onpersoonlijk bericht. Beperk de vragenlijst tot maximaal twee à drie vragen, verstuur de uitnodiging binnen een uur na het contactmoment en gebruik een persoonlijke aanhef met vermelding van het specifieke contactmoment. Overweeg ook om het kanaal te variëren: klanten die niet reageren op e-mail, reageren soms wel op een sms of een in-app melding.
Hoe voorkom je dat medewerkers de CES-scores beïnvloeden?
Een veelvoorkomende valkuil is dat medewerkers klanten actief vragen om een hoge score te geven, wat de betrouwbaarheid van je data ondermijnt. Voorkom dit door de CES-uitnodiging automatisch en anoniem te versturen via je platform, los van de medewerker die het contact heeft afgehandeld. Communiceer intern ook duidelijk dat CES bedoeld is om processen te verbeteren, niet om individuele medewerkers af te rekenen.
Kun je CES ook meten voor digitale selfserviceprocessen?
Ja, CES is juist zeer geschikt voor digitale processen zoals het invullen van een formulier, het aanmaken van een account of het doorlopen van een retourprocedure. Integreer de CES-vraag direct aan het einde van het digitale proces, bijvoorbeeld als pop-up of inline enquête, zodat de beleving nog vers is. Combineer de score met gedragsdata, zoals het aantal klikken of de tijd die iemand nodig had, voor een nog completer beeld van waar de frictie zit.
Hoe vaak moet je de CES-vragenlijst herzien of updaten?
De kern van je CES-vragenlijst, de hoofdvraag en de schaal, moet je zo stabiel mogelijk houden om trends in de tijd betrouwbaar te kunnen vergelijken. Evalueer de vragenlijst wel minimaal één keer per jaar op relevantie, bijvoorbeeld als er nieuwe contactkanalen of processen bijkomen. Pas je de formulering of schaal aan, start dan een nieuwe meetreeks en vergelijk de oude en nieuwe data niet zonder voorbehoud.
Is CES ook geschikt voor B2B-organisaties?
Ja, CES werkt ook goed in een B2B-context, maar houd rekening met een paar nuances. In B2B zijn er vaak meerdere contactpersonen per klant betrokken bij een proces, waardoor je bewust moet kiezen wie je bevraagt, de eindgebruiker, de inkoper of de beslisser. Stuur de CES-uitnodiging bij voorkeur naar de persoon die het directe contactmoment heeft ervaren, en combineer de resultaten op accountniveau voor een compleet beeld van de inspanning per klantrelatie.
Wat zijn veelgemaakte fouten bij het implementeren van CES?
De meest voorkomende fouten zijn: te laat versturen (waardoor de herinnering vervaagt), meten zonder open vervolgvraag (waardoor je weet dát er een probleem is, maar niet waarom), en scores rapporteren zonder actie te ondernemen (waardoor CES een papieren exercitie blijft). Een andere veelgemaakte fout is het vergelijken van scores over verschillende contactmomenten alsof het één cijfer is. Zorg altijd voor segmentatie per touchpoint en koppel elke meting aan een concreet verbeterproces.
