To get a better look into customer insights, Customer Effort Score (CES) is a tool that helps businesses find out how easy or hard it is for customers to interact with their services or products. When a customer uses a company’s services – the less effort they need to put in, the happier they usually are!
CES asks customers to rate how much effort they had to make to get things done. This can include things like getting help from customer service, returning a product, or even using a website.
When to Use Customer Effort Score (CES)
But when should businesses whip out this tool for effective use? We have listed a few times you can use CES to enhance customer experience.
1. After Customer Support Interactions
When customers have a question or a problem, they reach out to customer support for help. This could be through emails, chats, or calls. Using CES after these interactions helps you gauge how easy it was for customers to get the help they needed. If the CES score is high, it means customers found the support process smooth and efficient.
On the other hand, a low score indicates that customers faced hurdles or confusion while seeking assistance. By using CES here, you can pinpoint pain points and streamline your support process.
2. Post-Purchase Experience Evaluation
After customers make a purchase, using CES can reveal if the post-purchase experience, like setting up the product or using it for the first time, was straightforward. If your CES score is low, it could indicate that customers are having trouble getting started. By addressing these issues, you can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
3. Website and App User Experience Analysis
If customers find your website or app confusing or challenging to use, they might get frustrated and leave. Integrating CES into user experience surveys can help you understand the simplicity or complexity of your digital platforms. High CES scores indicate user-friendly interfaces, while low scores hint at areas needing improvement. This way, you can create an online space that visitors love to explore.
4. Product Return and Refund Process
Returning a product or asking for a refund shouldn’t be confusing. Using CES to measure the ease of the return and refund process provides insights into customer experiences when things don’t go as planned. If customers find this process hassle-free, your CES score will reflect that. Conversely, a low score suggests room for simplification and improvement.
5. Feedback on New Features or Changes
Feedback on new features or changes is crucial. Using CES to evaluate how customers perceive these updates helps you understand whether they find them easy to adapt to or not. High CES scores indicate seamless transitions, while low scores signal confusion. By analyzing these scores, you can make adjustments that keep your customers engaged and content.
Customer Effort Score Questions Approaches
There are two distinct approaches to framing CES questions:
Approach 1: The Direct Question Approach
The Direct Question Approach employs straightforward, uncomplicated language to capture customers’ opinions while intracting with your brand. This method involves posing a single, succinct question that encourages respondents to express their sentiments concisely. The advantage of this approach lies in its simplicity, which often yields quick and easy responses.
Example 1:
“How easy was it to find the product you were looking for on our website?”
This question addresses a specific interaction point, product search on the website, and prompts customers to assess the experience’s ease. The responses provide a clear indication of whether the navigation on the website aligns with customers’ expectations.
Example 2:
“On a scale of 1 to 10, how simple was it to reach a resolution for your issue with our customer support?”
This example has a numerical rating with a direct query. Both ease of response and precision. It also captures the essence of CES by emphasizing the effort customers had to invest in resolving their concerns.
Approach 2: The Scenario-based Approach
The Scenario-based Approach invites respondents to see a hypothetical scenario reflecting their recent interaction with your brand. By immersing customers in a specific situation, this approach encourages them to evaluate the effort required to achieve their goal.
Example 1:
“You recently called our helpline to inquire about a product. Please rate how much effort you felt was needed to get the information you needed.”
This question transports customers into a customer service interaction. It taps into their memory to assess the effort they recall investing. This approach can provide insights into the effectiveness of customer service representatives and the clarity of the information provided.
Example 2:
“Think back to your last purchase from us. How demanding was it to complete the checkout process?”
This scenario-based question prompts customers to reflect on a recent transaction. It not only assesses the checkout process but also invites customers to consider the buying journey, shedding light on any friction points that might have arisen.
Sample Questions You Can Include CES survey
Here are a few sample questions you can include in a CES survey:
| No. | Survey Question |
| 1 | How easy was it to find the product/service you were looking for? |
| 2 | Did you find the website navigation simple and straightforward? |
| 3 | How much effort did you have to put in to complete your purchase? |
| 4 | Was the process of contacting customer support hassle-free? |
| 5 | Did the self-service options available meet your needs effectively? |
| 6 | How simple was it to understand the instructions provided? |
| 7 | Did you encounter any difficulties during the checkout process? |
| 8 | Was the waiting time on hold with customer service reasonable? |
| 9 | Did you face any complications when using our mobile app? |
| 10 | How much effort did you need to invest to resolve your issue? |
| 11 | Was the return/exchange process smooth and trouble-free? |
| 12 | Did you find the online help center useful in solving your problem? |
| 13 | How easy was it to navigate through the payment options? |
| 14 | Did the user interface of our product meet your expectations in terms of simplicity? |
| 15 | Did you need to go through multiple steps to get your question answered? |
| 16 | How straightforward was it to customize your order according to your preferences? |
| 17 | Were the instructions for setting up the product easy to follow? |
| 18 | Did the automated responses from our chatbot resolve your issue efficiently? |
| 19 | Was the process of changing your account settings hassle-free? |
| 20 | Did the overall experience of interacting with our company require more effort than you anticipated? |
Why These Questions Matter
These CES survey questions play an important role in understanding the customer experience. By asking about the level of effort customers had to put in, we gain insights into pain points and areas that need improvement. The language used in these questions is simple and formal, making it easy for customers to understand and respond.
Wrapping Up
Customer Effort Score is a valuable tool that can shed light on how easy or difficult customers find interacting with your business. When you use CES at the right times, like after you talk to customer support, after you buy something, when you use a website or app, return a product, or give feedback on changes, you can make your customer experience better. This can help make customers happier and more loyal to your brand, which can make your business do even better in the market.
