CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)
CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) is a metric that measures how satisfied customers are with a specific interaction, product, or experience. It is typically measured by asking customers to rate their experience on a scale (1-5 or 1-10) immediately after an interaction.
How it works
CSAT is calculated as:
CSAT = (Number of satisfied responses / Total responses) x 100
Typically, responses of 4-5 (on a 5-point scale) are counted as "satisfied." A CSAT score of 80% means 80% of respondents rated their experience 4 or 5 out of 5.
CSAT is measured at the individual interaction level, making it different from NPS (which measures overall brand loyalty) or CES (which measures effort). It is the most common metric for evaluating customer support quality.
Operational Review
In practice, csat (customer satisfaction score) should be evaluated by what it changes in the support workflow. Ask whether it improves answer accuracy, reduces repeated agent work, clarifies handoff decisions, or makes reporting easier. If the answer is only "it sounds modern," the concept is not yet operational.
A concrete example is post-chat survey for ai interactions: After an AI chatbot resolves a shipping question, the customer is asked "How helpful was this response?" on a 1-5 scale. A rating of 4 or 5 counts as satisfied. The aggregated score reveals the AI achieves 87% CSAT, on par with human agents.
The simplest takeaway is: CSAT measures satisfaction with a specific interaction, typically on a 1-5 or 1-10 scale
Why it matters
How Chatsy uses csat (customer satisfaction score)
Real-world examples
Key takeaways
When csat (customer satisfaction score) does not apply
- You have under 50 conversations per month. Sample sizes are too small for stable averages.
- Your customers will not respond to satisfaction prompts and the response rate is below 5%.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good CSAT score?
A CSAT score above 80% is generally considered good. Best-in-class support teams achieve 90%+. For AI chatbots, aim for CSAT parity with human agents (typically 80-85%) as a baseline.
How is CSAT different from NPS?
CSAT measures satisfaction with a specific interaction (transactional). NPS measures overall brand loyalty and likelihood to recommend (relational). Both are useful: CSAT for support quality, NPS for overall customer relationship health.
How often should I measure CSAT?
Measure after every support interaction for the most accurate data. Keep the survey short: a single 1-5 rating question with an optional comment field achieves the highest response rates (typically 20-30% for chat, 5-10% for email).
Can AI chatbots achieve the same CSAT as human agents?
Yes, for common questions. Studies show AI chatbots achieve 80-90% CSAT on straightforward queries (FAQs, order status, policy questions), matching or exceeding human agents. CSAT drops for complex or emotional issues, which is why human handoff remains essential.
What does CSAT stand for?
CSAT stands for Customer Satisfaction Score. It is a transactional metric: customers rate a specific interaction (a support chat, a purchase, a delivery) on a short scale, usually 1-5 or 1-10, and the score is reported as the percentage who chose the top one or two options.
Does CSAT mean the same thing in healthcare?
In healthcare, "CSAT" usually still refers to Customer Satisfaction Score applied to patient experience. Note that in clinical contexts, CSAT can also be an unrelated abbreviation for Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, which is a US government agency, not a metric.