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Last updated: October 29, 2026
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Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): Formula, Examples and How to Improve It
Customer satisfaction score (CSAT) measures how satisfied customers are with a specific interaction, such as a support conversation, a delivery or an onboarding call. You ask one question, usually "How satisfied were you with…?" on a 1 to 5 scale, and CSAT is the percentage of respondents who choose the top two answers (4 or 5). It's quick to collect and easy to act on, which is why most help desks, including Zendesk, Freshdesk and Help Scout, send CSAT surveys automatically after a ticket is solved.
- Question: "How satisfied were you with [interaction]?"
- Common scale: 1 to 5 (sometimes emoji faces, thumbs, or 1 to 10).
- Formula: CSAT = (4 and 5 responses ÷ total responses) × 100.
- Best sent right after the interaction.
- Pair the score with an open comment box for the "why".
How to calculate CSAT
- Collect responses on a 1 to 5 scale.
- Count responses of 4 (satisfied) and 5 (very satisfied).
- Divide by the total number of responses.
- Multiply by 100.
Worked example
| Score | Responses |
|---|---|
| 5 (very satisfied) | 140 |
| 4 (satisfied) | 60 |
| 3 (neutral) | 25 |
| 2 (dissatisfied) | 15 |
| 1 (very dissatisfied) | 10 |
| Total | 250 |
CSAT = (140 + 60) ÷ 250 × 100 = 80%.
Spreadsheet formula, with scores in A2 to A251:
=COUNTIF(A2:A251,">=4")/COUNT(A2:A251)*100
Some teams use the average instead
A few teams report CSAT as the average score (for example 4.2 out of 5). Both are valid; choose one and use it consistently so you can compare over time. The percentage method is more common in help desk tools.
CSAT survey questions
| Moment | Question |
|---|---|
| After a support ticket | How satisfied were you with the help you received? |
| After delivery | How satisfied are you with your delivery experience? |
| After onboarding | How satisfied are you with your onboarding so far? |
| After a purchase | How satisfied are you with your purchase? |
| After a feature launch | How satisfied are you with the new [feature]? |
Follow-up: "What's the main reason for your rating?" or "What could we have done better?"
When to send CSAT surveys
Send right after the interaction, while the experience is fresh. For support tickets, most help desks send the survey when a ticket is marked solved. For deliveries, send after the expected delivery date. Keep surveys short: one rating question and one optional comment.
What is a good CSAT score?
Compare with your own past results and across channels or teams within your business. Many support teams aim for scores in the 80s or 90s, but expectations differ by industry and by what's being rated. A drop of several points in a week is a signal to read recent comments.
CSAT vs NPS vs CES
| Metric | Measures | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| CSAT | Satisfaction with one interaction | Right after the interaction |
| NPS | Loyalty and likelihood to recommend | Periodic, for the overall relationship |
| CES | Effort needed to get something done | After a process, like a return or setup |
CSAT tells you how a moment went; NPS tells you how the relationship is going. Use both. See customer service metrics.
How to improve CSAT
- Reply faster. Long waits are a frequent reason for low ratings.
- Solve the problem in as few replies as possible.
- Write clear, friendly answers with next steps.
- Give agents saved replies and a good knowledge base. See how to create a knowledge base.
- Read every low rating, follow up, and look for patterns.
- Fix product or policy issues that keep causing poor scores.
- Share good feedback with the team.
Reading CSAT data
| Pattern | Possible cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Low scores on one topic | Unclear policy or product issue | Fix the cause, update help articles |
| Low scores on one channel | Slow chat or email coverage | Adjust staffing hours |
| Low scores for one agent | Training gap | Coaching and saved replies |
| Low response rate | Survey sent too late or too often | Send immediately, limit frequency |
Tools that measure CSAT
| Tool | CSAT feature | Free plan | Entry paid price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zendesk | Automatic surveys after solved tickets, reports | No | Support Team $19/agent/month (annual) |
| Freshdesk | Satisfaction surveys and reports | No free plan listed | Growth $19/agent/month (annual) |
| Help Scout | Ratings on replies, satisfaction reports | Free for 5 users | Standard $25/user/month |
| Intercom | Conversation ratings, surveys | No | Essential $19/seat/month (annual) |
| Gorgias | Satisfaction surveys for ecommerce support | No | Starter $10/month for 50 tickets |
Survey features can vary by plan; check the vendor's plan comparison. Help Scout's free plan is the cheapest way to start. Zendesk and Freshdesk offer more detailed reporting as you grow. See best help desk software and Freshdesk vs Zendesk.
Start Help Scout free → Satisfaction ratings for up to 5 users · Affiliate link
Common mistakes
- Long surveys that few customers finish.
- Sending surveys days after the interaction.
- Looking at the score without reading comments.
- Rewarding agents only on CSAT, which can discourage honest answers about policies.
- Comparing CSAT across industries.
Terms explained
- CSAT: customer satisfaction score.
- Response rate: the share of surveyed customers who answer.
- CES: customer effort score.
- Top-two box: counting the two highest answers as satisfied.
- Closing the loop: following up on feedback.
Raising your survey response rate
Send the survey immediately, keep it to one click for the rating, show the question inside the email rather than behind a link where possible, and explain that it takes seconds. Don't survey the same customer after every small interaction; many tools let you limit surveys per person over a period.
Turning CSAT into action
Hold a short monthly review: read low ratings and comments, group them by theme, choose one or two fixes and assign owners. Track whether the score for that theme improves the next month. Share examples of excellent ratings with the team; recognition helps keep service quality high.
CSAT in ecommerce and SaaS
Online stores often ask for CSAT after delivery and after support conversations, and link low scores to order details so they can spot problems with carriers or products. SaaS companies ask after support tickets, onboarding calls and feature launches, and compare scores by plan or customer size. In both cases, the value comes from linking the score to the context: which order, which agent, which feature. Help desks such as Gorgias for stores and Intercom for software do this automatically, so you can filter low ratings and act on patterns quickly rather than reading every response by hand.
Our verdict
CSAT is the simplest way to know whether a specific interaction went well. Ask one question right after the interaction, calculate the share of 4 and 5 ratings, read the comments and fix recurring issues. Help Scout, Zendesk and Freshdesk can send surveys automatically after every solved ticket.
How we compiled this guide
The formula follows the standard CSAT calculation. The example is an original illustration. Tool details come from official pricing pages checked October 30, 2026.
FAQ
How do you calculate CSAT?
Divide the number of 4 and 5 ratings by total responses and multiply by 100.
What is a good customer satisfaction score?
Compare with your own past results; many support teams aim for the 80s or 90s.
What is the difference between CSAT and NPS?
CSAT measures satisfaction with an interaction; NPS measures overall loyalty.
When should I send a CSAT survey?
Right after the interaction, such as when a ticket is solved.
What scale should I use for CSAT?
A 1 to 5 scale is most common; keep it consistent.
Can I measure CSAT for free?
Yes, with Help Scout's free plan or a simple form and spreadsheet.
Should CSAT surveys be anonymous?
Usually not; linking ratings to conversations lets you follow up on problems.
Can I use emojis instead of numbers for CSAT?
Yes. Many help desks use faces or thumbs. Map each option to a number so you can still calculate the share of satisfied answers consistently.
Should agents see their own CSAT?
Yes, with context. Sharing scores and comments helps agents learn, as long as the focus is coaching rather than blame.
Does CSAT predict churn?
Low scores often come before cancellations, so follow up quickly on dissatisfied customers and track whether they stay.
Sources
Standard CSAT methodology; official pricing pages of Zendesk, Freshdesk, Help Scout, Intercom and Gorgias, checked October 30, 2026.