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CSAT: customer satisfaction score, formula and example

CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) shows how satisfied customers are with a specific interaction, product, or service. It is an "operational thermometer" of service and SLA performance that is best analyzed together with NPS, CES, FCR, and response/resolution time.

What the metric measures

Satisfaction scores broken down by channel, event (delivery, support, refund), team/agent, product, and contact reason, as well as by time and customer segment.

Calculation

  • CSAT, % (Top-2 Box 1–5) = ("4" + "5" responses) / All valid responses × 100
  • For a 0–10 scale, use Top-3 (8–10)
  • Response Rate, % = Responses / Invitations × 100
  • FCR, % = Resolved on first contact / All tickets × 100 (for correlation)
  • If needed, apply weights by channel/segment for company-level reporting

Separate transactional and relational CSAT, and document the Top-Box method in your measurement policy.

Calculation example

After a support contact customers rate the service from 1 to 5. 400 customers replied in a month and 344 gave 4 or 5. CSAT = 344 / 400 × 100 = 86%. Reviewing the 1–2 ratings showed most complaints were about slow replies, not the quality of the solution.

Data sources

CRM/Helpdesk, telephony/IVR, chat platforms, in-app/email/SMS surveys, OMS/WMS/couriers (delivery events), the returns/refunds module, reason code and segment reference data.

Interpretation

  • CSAT↑ & FCR↑ — stable processes and met expectations
  • CSAT↓ with long FRT/Resolution — SLA/capacity issues
  • CSAT↑ but Reopen/Repeat Contact↑ — closing without actually resolving
  • Assess differences by channel/case complexity and check for sample bias

Useful breakdowns

  • Channel / team / agent
  • Product / service / SKU; contact reason
  • Customer segment; region / language
  • First vs. repeat interaction; SLA (FRT/Resolution)

Dashboard visualizations

  • Trend of CSAT and Response Rate
  • Heatmap of channels/teams/reasons
  • Pareto of issues that lower CSAT
  • Correlations CSAT ↔ FCR/FRT/Resolution
  • Score distribution and share of comments/sentiment

How to set targets

Define the Top-Box method, the survey trigger window and frequency, invitation limits, and neutral wording. Benchmarks: CSAT 85–95%, Response Rate ≥ 15–30%, FCR ≥ 70–85%. Launch a closed loop with RCA/CAPA.

Common mistakes

  • Mixing transactional and relational measurements
  • Comparing channels without accounting for case complexity
  • Average score instead of Top-Box
  • Ignoring Response Rate and sample bias
  • Leading questions; excessive invitations

Questions for discussion

  • Which top 5 reasons drive 80% of negative feedback, and how can they be eliminated?
  • Which SLA/script changes will raise CSAT without increasing AHT?
  • How does CSAT change during peaks and across channels?
  • Is the closed loop working: comment → RCA → CAPA?

Questions and answers

What is CSAT?

Customer Satisfaction Score — the share of customers satisfied with a specific purchase or contact, measured by a short survey right after it.

How do you calculate CSAT?

CSAT, % = number of responses with a high score (4–5 on a 1–5 scale) / all responses × 100.

How is CSAT different from NPS?

CSAT measures satisfaction with a specific interaction, NPS measures overall loyalty and willingness to recommend the company.