What is the Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)?

The Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) is one of the most widely used indicators for understanding how satisfied customers are after a specific interaction. Whether the moment concerns a purchase, a customer service conversation, or the use of a product, CSAT gives direct insight into how well the experience met expectations.

How does the Customer Satisfaction Score work?

After a customer interaction, the customer is asked to rate their experience. This usually happens through a simple question such as: “How satisfied are you with our service?” or “How would you rate your experience with us?”. Customers score their satisfaction on a scale, most often from 1 to 5, with 1 representing “very dissatisfied” and 5 representing “very satisfied.”

Why CSAT is so valuable?

CSAT offers immediate clarity. Customers share feedback in real time, the metric is quick to calculate, and the results point directly to opportunities for improvement in service, processes, or product experience.

How to calculate CSAT?

CSAT is calculated by dividing the number of satisfied customers (those who give a 4 or 5) by the total number of respondents and multiplying that by 100: CSAT (%) = (Number of satisfied customers / Total respondents) × 100.

For example: if 80 out of 100 customers give a score of 4 or 5, the CSAT is 80%.

Examples of companies with strong and weak CSAT performance

Apple consistently achieves high satisfaction scores thanks to its customer-centric approach and intuitive products. Customers value the service experience and ease of use. Vodafone experiences lower CSAT results, often due to long waiting times and a lack of personalised attention, which frequently coincides with a high Customer Effort Score (CES).

What is the difference between Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) and Net Promoter Score (NPS)?

NPS measures long-term loyalty and future behaviour, while CSAT focuses on the immediate experience. Both metrics matter, but CSAT is the most direct way to understand how customers feel right after interacting with your organisation.

CSAT is simple, fast and effective. By actively responding to customer feedback, organisations can significantly increase satisfaction — a crucial foundation for sustainable growth and loyal customer relationships.