Survey and customer feedback analytics
NPS vs CSAT vs CES: which customer metric to use
The short answer
Use CSAT to measure satisfaction with a specific interaction, CES to measure how easy a task was, and NPS to track overall loyalty over time. Most small businesses get the most from CSAT after support or delivery and a twice-yearly NPS.
Key takeaways
- CSAT measures one interaction, CES measures how easy a task was, NPS tracks loyalty over time.
- Most small businesses get the most from CSAT after support or delivery plus a twice-yearly NPS.
- Always add one open question; the number says something changed, the comments say what.
| Metric | Question | Scale | Score | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPS | How likely are you to recommend us? | 0 to 10 | % promoters minus % detractors | Loyalty over time |
| CSAT | How satisfied were you with ...? | 1 to 5 | % answering 4 or 5 | A specific interaction |
| CES | How easy was it to ...? | 1 to 7 | Average, or % answering 5 to 7 | A task or process |
Choosing
- If you want to know whether a support team or a delivery partner is doing well, use CSAT straight after the interaction.
- If you are redesigning checkout, onboarding or a returns process, use CES on that step.
- If you want a single number to track the relationship over quarters, use NPS.
Whichever you pick, always add one open question. The number tells you whether something changed; the comments tell you what.
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