Introduction
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures customer loyalty and probability of recommendation, while the Customer Effort Score (CES). measures how easily customers reach their goals.
Many companies focus heavily on NPS, but research shows that convenience (CES) has greater predictive value for customer retention and repeat purchases. In this article, we explain why a low CES is often more beneficial than a high NPS and how organizations can apply it.
NPS vs CES: briefly explained
- NPS: Measure how likely customers are to recommend your company.
- CES: Measures how much effort a customer has to put into achieving their goal.
NPS is valuable for loyalty, CES is essential for retention and efficiency.
Why convenience is crucial
1. Customers leave companies because of frustration, not price
Gartner research shows that 94% of customers leave due to frustration with processes, not because of bad products or price.
2. Repeat purchases are influenced by effort
A customer who has to make an effort to place an order or solve a problem is less likely to buy again, even if the experience is positive enough to give a high NPS.
3. CES better predicts churn
CES is a direct indicator of risk of churn. Customers with high effort scores are more likely to churn than those with lower effort scores, regardless of their NPS.
Examples in practice
- E-commerce: Customers with low effort at returns were found to be more likely to buy again, even if their NPS was average.
- Telecom: Customers who could easily change their subscriptions via app stayed customers longer than customers who could only change via call center.
- B2B SaaS: CES-optimized onboarding reduced support calls and increased contract renewals.
Implementing CES as a strategic tool
1. Measure at crucial moments
- Purchase or registration
- Support interaction
- Contract extension
2. Analyze feedback
- Identify high-effort processes
- Segment by customer value and behavior
3. Improve processes
- Automation of repetitive tasks
- Simple self-service and clear instructions
- Quick and personalized follow-up
4. Combine CES with NPS
CES shows how easy customers are, NPS how loyal they are. Together, they provide a complete picture of customer experience.
Pitfalls
- Measuring only: CES without action does not lead to improvement.
- No segmentation: Different customer groups have different expectations of effort.
- Confusion with satisfaction: CES measures effort, not emotional satisfaction - both are important.
Conclusion
A low Customer Effort Score delivers more concrete results than a high NPS alone. Customers stay longer, buy again more often and become ambassadors when processes are simple and smooth.
Organizations that strategically deploy CES increase customer retention, loyalty and revenue in ways that NPS alone often cannot predict.
