Glossary

CSAT

What is CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)?

CSAT, or Customer Satisfaction Score, is a simple and effective method for measuring customer satisfaction. It is used by companies worldwide to understand how satisfied their customers are with a specific product, service, or interaction. By asking customers to rate their experience on a scale – usually from 1 to 5 – companies can quickly get a clear picture of what is working well and what can be improved.

CSAT is particularly useful because it focuses on a specific part of the customer journey, making it possible to identify strengths and weaknesses in real-time. This makes CSAT one of the most popular tools in customer surveys today.

How does CSAT measurement work?

A CSAT measurement usually consists of a single question, which makes it quick and easy for the customer to answer. The most common phrasing is:

”How satisfied are you with your experience of the product/service/interaction?”

Customers are asked to choose a rating from a graded scale, where for example:

1 means ”Very dissatisfied” → 5 means ”Very satisfied”

To calculate your CSAT score, you take the percentage of satisfied customers – those who answered 4 or 5 – and divide it by the total number of responses. You then multiply the result by 100 to get a percentage. The formula looks like this:

CSAT (%) = (Number of satisfied customers (4 and 5) ÷ Total number of responses) × 100

Example: If 80 out of 100 customers give a rating of 4 or 5, the CSAT score is 80%.

When and how should you use CSAT?

CSAT questions are ideal to use at specific touchpoints in the customer journey. Here are some common occasions when companies can use CSAT measurements:

After a purchase: To understand how satisfied customers are with their purchase experience.
After contact with customer service: To measure how effectively customer service handles customer issues.
After delivery: To gain insight into how well the delivery process worked.
At product launches: To assess customer satisfaction with a new product or service.

By collecting customer feedback at these important touchpoints, companies can gain a detailed picture of the customer experience and identify areas for improvement.

Benefits of using CSAT

Using CSAT measurements offers several benefits for companies that want to create a customer-focused business:

Quick insights: Since the CSAT question is simple and direct, you quickly get access to data that can be used to make decisions.
High response rates: Simply formulated questions on a clear scale make it easy for customers to participate, which often leads to more responses.
Flexibility: CSAT can be used to measure specific aspects of the customer journey, from product use to customer support.
Identify areas for improvement: With detailed data from CSAT, companies can pinpoint exactly what needs to be improved, and track DSAT to understand the root causes.

How can you improve CSAT?

Measuring customer satisfaction is just the first step – the real power of CSAT lies in using the insights to create change. Here are some strategies for improving CSAT:

Analyse the results in depth: Understand why some customers are dissatisfied by combining CSAT questions with open-ended follow-up questions, such as: ”What could we do better?” This feedback can provide valuable insights into what needs to be addressed.
Act quickly: When you get indications of dissatisfaction, act immediately to correct the problem. A quick and well-handled response can often turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal ambassador.
Train the staff: Customer service is the face of the company. By training staff in effective communication and problem-solving, you can improve the customer experience at every interaction.
Set measurable goals: Use your CSAT results as a baseline and set goals for improvement. Example: Increase CSAT from 75% to 85% within a year.
Share feedback internally: Ensure that the results from your CSAT measurements are shared with relevant departments, such as customer service, product development, and marketing. This ensures that the entire organisation works together to improve the customer experience.

CSAT questions in practice

To get the most out of your CSAT measurements, it is important to design the right questions and collect data in a way that is relevant to the business. Here are some examples of questions that can be included in a CSAT measurement:

”How satisfied are you with the service from our customer support?”
”How would you rate the delivery of your order?”
”How satisfied are you with the quality of our product/service?”

Remember to combine these questions with open-ended response options to get deeper insights.

Start your measurements the right way with CSAT. CSAT is a simple and effective method for measuring customer satisfaction at specific parts of the customer journey. By asking the right CSAT questions and using the results strategically, companies can quickly identify areas for improvement and strengthen customer relationships.

However, measuring is just the beginning – to truly improve the customer experience requires a clear action plan, quick actions, and a committed team. Brilliant helps companies conduct effective CSAT measurements, analyse the results, and create tailored strategies to improve CSAT and build long-term customer loyalty. With the right tools and insights, your company can take customer satisfaction to the next level.

Frequently Asked Questions about CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)

What is the difference between CSAT, NPS, and CSI?

This is a central question. All measure the customer experience, but they do it from different angles and with different purposes:

CSAT (Customer Satisfaction): Measures immediate satisfaction with a specific, recently completed interaction (e.g., a customer service call or a purchase). It is a ”here and now” metric that is good for operational follow-up.
NPS (Net Promoter Score): Measures customer loyalty and the likelihood that the customer will recommend the company. It is a relational and forward-looking metric that says more about the long-term relationship.
CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index): While CSAT measures satisfaction with a specific interaction, CSI provides an overall rating of total satisfaction.. It is a strategic metric that provides a broad temperature check on the customer relationship.

In simple terms: CSAT measures a transaction, while NPS and CSI measure the relationship.

What is considered a good CSAT score?

A good CSAT score can vary, but a general rule of thumb is that most companies aim to be between 75% and 85%. However, it is important to put the number in its context:

Industry: Expectations differ. The hotel and restaurant industry may have higher average CSAT scores than, for example, the telecom or insurance industries.
Type of interaction: A simple and smooth interaction (like a quick purchase) often has a higher CSAT than a complex interaction (like a technical support issue).
Your own trend: The most important comparison is with your own historical results. Seeing a positive development over time is the primary goal.

A score below 70% is often seen as a warning signal that requires attention and action.

Why do you only count ratings of 4 and 5 as ”satisfied”?

This is a deliberate strategy to set a high standard for what counts as a success. The logic is as follows:

Rating 1-2 (Dissatisfied): The customer has had a negative experience.
Rating 3 (Neutral/Passive): The customer is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. This experience builds no loyalty, and the customer can easily switch to a competitor. It is an ”indifferent” experience.
Rating 4-5 (Satisfied): The customer has had a positive experience. It is these customers who are most likely to return and be loyal.

By only counting the highest ratings, you focus on creating genuinely positive experiences, not just avoiding dissatisfaction.

What are the biggest limitations of CSAT?

CSAT is a powerful tool, but it is good to be aware of its limitations to use it correctly:

Short-term focus: Since it measures a single event, it does not say everything about the overall customer relationship or future loyalty. A customer can be satisfied with a support case but still dissatisfied with the company as a whole.
Cultural differences: In some cultures, people are more inclined to give high ratings, while others are more reserved. This is important to consider in international comparisons.
Risk of ”survey fatigue”: If you send CSAT questions too often or after every small interaction, customers can get tired, which leads to lower response rates.

Therefore, it is best to use CSAT in combination with other metrics like NPS or CSI to get a more complete picture.

Can you use other scales than 1 to 5?

Absolutely. Although 1-5 is most common, there are several alternatives that can suit different situations:

1-3 scale: Simple and quick (Dissatisfied, Neutral, Satisfied).
1-7 or 1-10 scale: Provides more nuanced answers but can sometimes be harder for the customer to quickly choose a rating.
Visual scales: Using symbols like smileys, stars, or thumbs up/down. This is particularly effective on physical terminals or in fast digital flows where simplicity is key.

The important thing is to choose a scale that is clear to the customer and then to be consistent in your measurement over time.