The Three Essential CS Metrics
Track customer health from every angle. Together, these surveys give you a complete picture of customer sentiment.
NPS
Net Promoter Score
What it measures:
Customer loyalty and likelihood to recommend your product
When CS teams use it:
- →Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs)
- →60-90 days before renewal
- →After major milestones
"How likely are you to recommend us to a colleague?"
0-10 scale
CSAT
Customer Satisfaction
What it measures:
Satisfaction with specific experiences or touchpoints
When CS teams use it:
- →After onboarding completion
- →Post-implementation check-ins
- →After feature training
"How satisfied are you with [experience]?"
1-5 scale
CES
Customer Effort Score
What it measures:
How easy it is for customers to accomplish their goals
When CS teams use it:
- →After support ticket resolution
- →Post-setup or configuration
- →After complex workflows
"How easy was it to [complete task]?"
1-7 scale
Pro Tip: Use all three! NPS for loyalty, CSAT for satisfaction, CES for friction. Combined, they create a complete customer health score.
How CS Teams Use These Surveys
Onboarding Success
Send CSAT surveys after implementation milestones (Day 7, Day 30) to measure onboarding satisfaction and identify friction points early.
Trigger: User completes key setup steps
Quarterly Business Reviews
Use NPS surveys before QBRs to gauge overall health and come prepared with data-driven insights about customer sentiment.
Trigger: 1 week before scheduled QBR
Support Excellence
Deploy CES surveys after support ticket resolution to identify areas where customers experience friction and improve support processes.
Trigger: Ticket marked as resolved
Renewal Risk Detection
Send NPS surveys 60-90 days before renewal to identify at-risk accounts and proactively address concerns before it's too late.
Trigger: 90 days before contract end date
Product Adoption
Use CSAT surveys after feature training sessions or when users adopt new features to measure training effectiveness.
Trigger: User completes training or uses feature 3+ times
Health Score Building
Combine all three metrics with usage data to create a comprehensive customer health score that predicts churn and expansion opportunities.
Ongoing: Automated health score calculation
When to Send Each Survey
Timing is everything. Send surveys at key moments in the customer lifecycle.
Post-Implementation (Day 30-60)
After customers have experienced initial value
After Support Interactions
Immediately after ticket resolution to measure support quality
Quarterly Check-Ins
Regular pulse checks to track sentiment trends over time
Pre-Renewal (60-90 days before)
Identify at-risk accounts with enough time to intervene
After Feature Adoption Milestones
When users adopt key features or complete training
Best Practices for CS Teams
Close the Feedback Loop
Always follow up with respondents, especially detractors. A quick call can turn a churning customer into a promoter.
Segment by Customer Tier
Enterprise customers deserve white-glove treatment. Set up instant Slack alerts for high-ARR detractors.
Leverage Promoters
NPS promoters (9-10) are perfect for case studies, testimonials, and referrals. Build an advocacy program around them.
Integrate with Your CS Platform
Connect survey scores to your CRM or CS platform (Gainsight, ChurnZero) for automated health scoring.
Track Trends Over Time
One score means nothing. Track monthly/quarterly trends to see if your CS initiatives are actually working.
Avoid Survey Fatigue
Don't over-survey. NPS quarterly, CSAT for specific touchpoints, CES only after support interactions.
How Mapster Helps CS Teams
Pre-Built Survey Templates
Start with proven NPS, CSAT, and CES templates used by successful CS teams. Customize questions, branding, and triggers to fit your workflow.
Automated Triggers
Set up surveys to automatically send based on customer lifecycle events: post-onboarding, pre-renewal, after support tickets, and more.
Segment by Customer Tier
Segment surveys by ARR, customer tier, industry, or any custom attribute. Analyze scores by segment to identify which cohorts need attention.
Real-Time Detractor Alerts
Get instant Slack or email notifications when a customer gives a detractor score (NPS 0-6, CSAT 1-2, CES 1-3). Act before they churn.
CS Dashboard & Analytics
Track all three metrics in one dashboard. See trends over time, compare segments, and identify which customers need immediate attention.