What Are the Different Types of Customer Satisfaction Metrics?

Customer satisfaction metrics measure subjective responses to factors such as pricing, product delivery, issue resolution, the company's ability to respond, dependability, and personalization. When companies measure customer satisfaction, they often survey a sample set, which is comprised of a predetermined number of customers. It is assumed that the data obtained from the sample set will represent the larger customer base. The different types of customer satisfaction metrics are used to gauge how well the company is meeting market expectations and identify areas that could benefit from improvements.

Most measures of customer service are obtained by having survey respondents indicate their satisfaction according to a number scale. For instance, a respondent may be asked to rate his satisfaction with the price of a particular product on a scale of one to five. The number one may indicate a low level of satisfaction, while the number five would indicate a very high level. This scoring method helps quantify and standardize the subjective responses of numerous customers within the sample set.

Satisfaction with the company's ability to meet delivery and fulfillment expectations is among the main group of customer satisfaction metrics. This metric covers whether the customer perceived that the product or service he actually received met his expectations. It also includes whether the product or service was delivered on time and free of any major defects. A customer who might rate a company low on this metric might have received the wrong product or one that did not live up to quality claims.

Issue resolution is one of the crucial customer satisfaction metrics. It is critical since it includes the customer's perception about whether the company is cooperative and adept at addressing anything that goes awry. The ability to resolve customer issues also includes accurately answering questions and providing thorough information. Listening skills and the ability to understand the customer's viewpoint often leads to higher scores on this metric.

Personalization, which includes the ability to display empathy, is another one of the customer satisfaction metrics used by companies. High levels of satisfaction are typically associated with the customer feeling as though he was treated like an individual. Poor customer service ratings often stem from misunderstandings, which may arise during the communication or order fulfillment process. For example, if the customer calls into a customer support line and hears a listless tone in the agent's voice, this may lead to a perception that the company does not care about the individual needs of its customers.

The metric of dependability covers whether the company lives up to its promises. If the product comes with a warranty, the customer should experience a seamless, hassle-free exchange process as long as requirements are met. Poor ratings in this area can usually be attributed to a range of behaviors, including an agent or representative not placing promised call backs to the customer. Dependability can be a crucial metric with services, since the actual product is intangible and highly dependent upon the skills and follow-up ability of the service provider.