Getting What You Measure in Customer Service

Because businesses rely so heavily on their contact centers for key support, it’s imperative they maintain a constant awareness of how the call center and individual agents are performing. By giving customers the chance to voice their own satisfaction levels with each interaction, businesses can gain valuable insight into how their call centers are performing and where there agents need additional coaching and support. Here are some of the most common ways businesses measure customer satisfaction.

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Customer Satisfaction Index

Known as CSAT, the Consumer Satisfaction Index generally measures call center performance through a single question asked immediately following the call. The request asks the customer to rate the level of customer service he received on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest. Companies often tout their CSAT scores as a measure of customer service quality, with those scores appearing as a percentage of 100.

In the quest to reach 100-percent customer satisfaction, businesses sometimes put pressure on contact center team members to make improvements in the service they provide. Representatives may be required to maintain 4s and 5s on every CSAT survey, with action taken for scores of 3 or less.

Net Promoter Score and System

With the Net Promoter Score and System (NPS), customers are divided into three distinct categories: promoters, passives, and detractors. This system ranks customers on a scale of zero to ten by asking the question, “How likely are you to recommend this business to a friend?” Promoters are enthusiasts who act as brand advocates, often serving as a business’s best marketing tool. Detractors pose a danger to a business, since they are unlikely to patronize a company while very likely to share their negative feelings with others. Passives fall between these two extremes and serve as a great group to convert into loyalists.

The best thing about the NPS system is how it recognizes the vast majority of customers participating in surveys are either passionately for or against a brand. The problem with this scoring system, however is the scoring happens after an interaction with a call center, when a customer is often reporting a problem. A consumer may be unhappy with business product or service while still remaining loyal to the brand, but this scoring system won’t reflect those feelings.

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Customer Effort Score

The Customer Effort Score (CES) assigns ratings from one to five based on the answer to the question, “How much effort did you personally have to put forth to handle your request?” The CES has been shown to outperform NPS in predicting customer behavior. With the CES, call centers may be able to get a more accurate depiction of how their agents are performing.

One drawback to CES is customers are often already unhappy about having to call the contact center in the first place. Customer Service Representatives may have done an excellent job of handling a customer’s issue, but get a negative response anyway, since customers are annoyed they had to “put forth effort” to make the call in the first place.

Each feedback type has its drawbacks and benefits. Some work better than others in the various channels a center may use. The right combination of this feedback and other metrics shows a company where to make positive changes with the biggest impact on brand and perception. It also helps managers and supervisors work with agents to improve their individual performance. When done correctly all parties benefit from the customer’s feedback.

GCS uses these tools on behalf of our clients. Our consulting group can also help you set up a system that meets the goals of your organization. Feel free to contact us for a no obligation consultation at 1-844-324-5427.

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