What Is CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)?
CSAT — Customer Satisfaction Score — measures how satisfied a customer was with a specific interaction, product, or experience. Unlike NPS, which gauges long-term loyalty, CSAT is transactional: it captures the sentiment immediately after something happened. A support ticket resolved, an order delivered, an onboarding session completed.
In this guide
How to Calculate CSAT
CSAT = (Number of satisfied responses ÷ Total responses) × 100. "Satisfied" typically means a score of 4 or 5 on a 1–5 scale, or 7+ on a 1–10 scale. Example: 80 satisfied responses out of 100 → CSAT = 80%. Most companies target 75–85% as a healthy range.
CSAT vs NPS vs CES
CSAT measures satisfaction with a moment. NPS measures likelihood to recommend (long-term loyalty). CES (Customer Effort Score) measures how easy an interaction was. Use all three at different points: CSAT post-interaction, CES to identify friction, NPS quarterly for overall brand health.
When to Send CSAT Surveys
Send within 30 minutes to 24 hours of the touchpoint. After a support interaction, after delivery, after a product demo, after onboarding. The closer to the event, the more accurate the recall.
Acting on CSAT Results
Low CSAT on support tickets → investigate agent handling time and resolution quality. Low CSAT post-delivery → look at fulfilment SLAs. High CSAT in onboarding but low 90-day retention → the expectation set during onboarding doesn't match the product experience. Segment CSAT by customer cohort, channel, and touchpoint before drawing conclusions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good CSAT score?
A CSAT of 75–85% is considered healthy across most industries. Above 90% is exceptional. Below 70% signals structural problems worth investigating immediately.
How many questions should a CSAT survey have?
1–3 questions maximum. The rating question is mandatory. An optional open-text "why?" follow-up adds qualitative context. Keep it short — every additional question reduces response rates.