CSAT Calculator

What is CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)?

CSAT, or Customer Satisfaction Score, is one of the most widely used metrics for measuring how happy customers are with a product, service, or interaction. It works by asking a simple question: "How satisfied were you with your experience?" Customers respond on a rating scale, typically 1 to 5 or 1 to 7.

Unlike broader metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), which measures long-term loyalty, CSAT captures satisfaction at a specific touchpoint. This makes it ideal for evaluating individual interactions like a support ticket resolution, a purchase experience, or a new feature launch.

How the survey works

A CSAT survey asks one core question: "How satisfied are you with [product/service]?" Customers pick a rating on either a 5-point scale (1 = Very Dissatisfied, 5 = Very Satisfied) or a 7-point scale (1 to 7). Only the top two scores count as "satisfied" responses. On a 5-point scale, that means ratings of 4 and 5. On a 7-point scale, ratings of 6 and 7.

How CSAT is Calculated

The CSAT formula is straightforward. Take the number of satisfied responses, divide by the total number of responses, and multiply by 100 to get a percentage.

Example

You send a satisfaction survey after a support interaction and receive 200 responses. Of those, 150 customers rated their experience a 4 or 5.

1. Satisfied Responses = 150
2. Total Responses = 200
3. CSAT = (150 / 200) x 100 = 75%

A 75% CSAT means three out of every four customers left satisfied. The remaining 25% were neutral or dissatisfied, signaling room for improvement.

What is a Good CSAT Score?

CSAT scores vary by industry and context, but the following ranges provide a general benchmark for interpreting your results.

CSAT Benchmarks by Industry

Average CSAT scores differ significantly across industries. Comparing your score against your sector gives a more accurate picture of performance.

Source: data compiled from the Zendesk Customer Satisfaction benchmark report and industry surveys. Benchmarks shift year to year, so treat these as directional.

CSAT vs NPS vs CES

CSAT, NPS, and CES each measure a different dimension of the customer experience. Using them together gives the fullest picture.

• CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score): Measures satisfaction with a specific interaction or touchpoint. Best used right after a transaction, support ticket, or feature release.
• NPS (Net Promoter Score): Measures overall loyalty by asking "How likely are you to recommend us?" Captures long-term sentiment rather than momentary satisfaction.
• CES (Customer Effort Score): Measures how easy it was for a customer to accomplish their goal. Low effort correlates strongly with retention.

CSAT tells you if customers are happy right now. NPS tells you if they will stay and refer others. CES tells you if the process was painless. For product teams, combining all three helps prioritize both quick fixes and long-term strategy.

How to Improve Your CSAT Score

Improving CSAT starts with understanding why customers are dissatisfied. Here are proven approaches that work across industries:

• Close the feedback loop: When a customer reports an issue, follow up when it is resolved. Tools like feeqd let you collect feedback, track it on public boards, and notify users when their suggestion ships.
• Reduce response times: Speed is one of the strongest predictors of satisfaction in support interactions. Aim for first-response times under 1 hour.
• Act on patterns, not outliers: Look for recurring themes in low scores rather than reacting to individual complaints. Voting-based feedback boards help surface the issues that matter most to your user base.
• Set expectations clearly: Many dissatisfied responses come from mismatched expectations, not poor quality. Be transparent about timelines, limitations, and next steps.
• Survey at the right moment: Timing matters. Send CSAT surveys immediately after the interaction you want to measure, not days later.

How to Calculate CSAT in Excel

If you have raw survey data in a spreadsheet, you can calculate CSAT with a single formula. Assume your ratings are in column A (values 1 through 5):

This counts all responses of 4 or 5 (satisfied), divides by the total number of responses, and multiplies by 100 to produce a percentage. For a 7-point scale, change the criteria to ">=6".

To break it down step by step: put =COUNTIF(A:A,">=4") in one cell for the satisfied count, =COUNTA(A:A) in another for the total, then divide and multiply by 100. This works in Google Sheets, Excel, and LibreOffice Calc.

Frequently Asked Questions