In today’s competitive marketplace, customer loyalty often hinges on a single factor: effort.
Research consistently shows that customers are more likely to stay loyal to a brand that makes their experience seamless and easy. This is where the Customer Effort Score (CES) comes into play.
Customer Effort Score is a metric used to measure how much effort a customer has to exert to interact with a business, whether it’s during a purchase, resolving an issue, or visiting the website. Unlike other metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS) or Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), which assess overall experience or satisfaction, CES specifically pinpoints the amount of work required by the customer to get their desired outcome.
Why is CES Important?
According to a study published by the Harvard Business Review, 94% of customers who report low effort during their interactions with a company are likely to remain loyal, while 81% of customers who had a high-effort experience expressed a desire to switch brands.
All over the country businesses are now increasingly focusing on reducing customer effort as a key strategy for retaining customers, as customer care standards have become a vital differentiator in the competitive landscape.
A 2023 survey by Amárach Research found that 89% of customers value ease of interaction more than personalised service when engaging with businesses, highlighting the importance of minimising customer effort.
According to research by PwC Ireland, 82% of consumers say they are more likely to repurchase from a company that makes their customer journey simple and straightforward, showing a direct link between effort and loyalty.
To lower customer effort and improve your CES, here are some best practices businesses can implement:
- Ensure that customers can access support easily through their preferred channels, whether it’s on-line, phone, chat, or face-to-face.
- Focus on resolving issues during the first interaction. A Forrester Research study found that 73% of customers who had their issues resolved in the first contact were highly satisfied, compared to just 39% for those who had to make multiple contact
- Whether it’s on-line, phone contact, or face-to-face, ensure your processes are simple and intuitive.
How CES Can Help You
Tracking Customer Effort Score can provide key insights into where friction exists in your customer journey. By regularly monitoring CES, businesses can:
- Identify areas where customer effort is highest.
- Make targeted improvements that enhance the customer experience.
- Retain customers by offering smoother, more effortless interactions.
Customer expectations are rapidly evolving, and ease of experience is a significant driver of customer loyalty. By focusing on reducing effort, companies can not only improve their Customer Effort Score but also see tangible results in customer retention and satisfaction.
As businesses continue to prioritise Customer Experience (CX), the Customer Effort Score is fast becoming a leading indicator of success.
Reducing customer effort isn’t just about making things easier — it’s about securing long-term loyalty and setting your business apart in a crowded market.
Talk to us at Customer Care Insights about how we can help you improve your Customer Effort Score.
