Customer effort score

Customer effort score (CES) measures the amount of effort a customer has to put in to resolve an issue, complete a task, or access support.

A strong CES signals effective support operations: Agents handle queries efficiently, maintain continuity, and reduce the need for repeated clarification. It also gives B2B teams clearer data to analyze where friction occurs and which processes may be slowing customers down.

Plus, customer effort directly shapes the broader customer experience. Difficult interactions erode customer satisfaction (CSAT) and raise the likelihood of churn. By contrast, consistently low-effort interactions build trust, reinforce loyalty, and improve retention.

How to calculate customer effort score

Tracking the CES metric requires gathering feedback by asking customers how difficult a particular interaction was. Teams typically choose from a few different CES scales:

• Likert rating scale: Customers respond to statements like: “[Company] made it easy for me to handle my issue.” They choose an agreement level ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree,” often with point values assigned to each option.
• Numeric rating scale: Similar to Net Promoter Score and CSAT surveys, customers rate the level of effort required for an interaction on a linear 1–7 numeric scale.
• Two-question surveys: When companies need more than a simple rating, they combine a standard effort score with an open-ended question that gives customers space to explain the reasons behind their feedback.

To calculate CES and turn responses into actionable insights, take the average of all ratings:

Sum of CES ratings ÷ Number of survey responses = CES

If five customers rate the effort required to reset a forgotten password as 3, 2, 3, 1, and 1, the total score is 10. Divide 10 by five responses, and the CES is 2.

No matter which scale or survey format you use, consistency in wording and timing is essential. Ask questions the same way and at the same points in the customer journey. Otherwise, comparisons across time periods become unreliable because each measurement is based on a different benchmark.

How to improve customer effort score

If your CES results are falling short, there are several practical ways to reduce friction and achieve higher scores:

• Connect context across channels: Use platforms like Front to keep customer conversations, history, and follow-up work unified across tools and touchpoints. Customers can switch channels or teams without repeating information or starting over.
• Offer self-service options: A well-structured knowledge base and simple self-serve workflows let customers resolve common issues independently without needing to submit a support request.
• Clarify ownership: Define who owns each type of request and establish transparent escalation paths. Clear accountability keeps customers from being passed between teams or searching for the right person to help.