Customer Feedback

CES Calculator

Measure how easy (or hard) it is for customers to get things done.

Inputs

Average CES

About this metric

Customer Effort Score (CES) measures how much effort a customer had to expend to complete a task or get an issue resolved. It typically asks "How easy was it to [complete X]?" on a 1-7 scale. CES is a strong predictor of loyalty — low effort experiences drive repeat usage.

Formula

CES = Average of all responses on 1-7 scale

On a 1-7 scale where 7 = "Very easy" and 1 = "Very difficult," average all responses. Some teams report % of respondents who answered 6 or 7 instead of an average. Either is valid as long as you stay consistent.

Benchmarks

Strong CES (avg)

5.5+

Top quartile (% easy)

70%+

Concerning

<5.0 or <50% easy

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FAQ

When should I use CES?

Right after a customer completes a key task — finishing onboarding, resolving a support ticket, completing a complex action. CES is most useful for diagnosing friction in your UX or support process.

How is CES different from CSAT?

CSAT asks "Were you happy?" CES asks "Was it easy?" Customers can be satisfied with a hard experience or unhappy with an easy one. CES is a better predictor of churn for product UX issues.

How do I improve CES?

Identify the lowest-scoring touchpoints, simplify them. Common wins: reduce form fields, fewer steps in checkout, clearer empty states, better in-app guidance.

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