TOPDESK MAGAZINE - JUNE 2015 21

Wes Heemskerk
is a TOPdesk service management consultant. He
has provided help and advice for various organizations
implementing customer satisfaction measurements.

WHICH CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION
MEASUREMENT IS
RIGHT FOR YOU?
More and more organizations are becoming aware of the necessity of
internal customer satisfaction surveys for improving services. Some
organizations gauge this every year, others continuously. Which
measurement approach is right for your situation?
As a supporting department, serving the organization is your main goal. Your services are focused on
providing the best possible support for employees, or internal customers. Customer feedback is essential
for achieving this. Internal customer satisfaction measurements are used to discover how services are
experienced. But how do you go about this? Periodic or continuous measurements are popular choices.

Periodic measurements
A periodic measurement means that a survey is sent to the entire customer base, usually on an annual basis.
Such measurements are ideal for gauging the services in broad terms. All main aspects are included in the
questionnaire. SERVQUAL is a commonly used research model to cover all these aspects. SERVQUAL divides
the services into five dimensions (Reliability, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy and Responsiveness). Your
customer receives a number of propositions for each dimension, asking about their experience. Moreover,
your customer is asked to indicate the dimensions that matter most to them. This lets your department get
to work improving the dimensions that are of the biggest benefit to the customer.

22 TOPDESK MAGAZINE - JUNE 2015

Propositions are not enough in a periodic measurement, however:

perceived effort dovetails with the goal of taking the most

open questions are also a must. Answers to questions such as What

customer-oriented approach possible. After all, you are not working

can the department do to be of better service? support the scores for

to wow the customer. Instead, you want to make it as easy as you can

the SERVQUAL dimensions. Whats more, the answers not only provide

for colleagues to use so that they can focus on their primary tasks.

input on your current services but also suggestions on what the

departments service provision is missing.
This measurement grants insight into the customer satisfaction

A high Customer Effort Score (in the customers experience they

have to put in a lot of effort to get a solution) should be followed up
immediately. If customers can also provide additional information

in broad terms, some improvements will not be achieved in a

about their score in the survey, it soon becomes clear why the score

matter of days. Think for instance of developing into a skilled service

is high and how to follow it up. Think for instance of comments like

desk that achieves a high first time fix percentage. This is a good

I had to explain my problem three times to three different service

example of a growth step that requires a lot of attention and long-

desk employees. The operators in question can be alerted to the

term focus. You can then measure the results of your efforts in the

importance of a clear problem description in TOPdesk.

following years survey. In addition to long-term improvements,

You can also link reports on Customer Effort Scores for a specific

periodic measurements can also provide quick wins that are easy to

period to specific parameters to help you spot structural problems

implement. For instance, if you discover that your customers do not

from the customers point of view. Such a parameter could be a

know who to contact within your department, you can specify in your

specific service, such as requesting a telephone. If the Customer

organizations chat program who is on first line duty and therefore

Effort Score for this service is structurally high and many customers

ready for any questions colleagues may have.

indicate that printing and scanning the form takes a lot of effort, its
high time to prioritize the simplification of this procedure. This makes

Continuous measurement
Continuously measuring services entails measuring how a service is

continuous customer satisfaction measurement a KPI: you always have

an up-to-date picture of how your department is doing, and you can
immediately step in.

experienced throughout the year. A customer is asked for feedback

immediately after receiving a service from your department
when a call is resolved, for instance. This is often done in an email

When to use which measurement method?

automatically sent from TOPdesk, such as the closure email. The

Periodic and continuous measurements are suitable for different

message then includes a link to a brief survey where the customer can

topics and lead to different insights. In order to select a measurement

assess the service. The customer has just experienced the service, so

method, it is important to check which situation applies to

they can clearly remember how this went and can therefore provide

your department:

concrete feedback.
This measurement method is excellent for determining the

Quick polish or complete overhaul?

Customer Effort Score. This measures the effort a customer felt had

Are you about to completely overhaul your services? Then a periodic

to be put in to get their call or request completed. Measuring this

measurement is recommended. It can then serve as a benchmark, so

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results can help shape the choices made during the change process.

Service catalogue or unclear supply?

A benchmark also ensures that the results of your efforts are visible

Continuous measurement becomes truly effective when the results

in a follow-up measurement. The effort is rewarded with improved

can be traced back to specific services. This requires a clear service

scores. The results are also an important motivation for service desk

catalogue. If you do not yet have a service catalogue and your offered

employees to keep up a customer-oriented approach.

services are still undefined, a periodic measurement is the more

Are your services in order, or have you just completed a change

obvious choice. With a periodic measurement, your customer will

process? A continuous measurement can help you gradually polish

undoubtedly indicate that they would like a clear overview of services

your service provision. Constantly receiving feedback from customers

on offer and the results could be a good occasion to invest time in this.

can help you quickly implement improvements.

It should be clear that these two measurement methods grant

different insights. This is why the methods can enhance each other,

Is the customer always right?

so you do not necessarily have to choose one or the other. The more

The extent to which you are focused on customer satisfaction also

customer input the better, you could say. However, do keep in mind

plays a role in selecting the measurement method. Continuously

that following up on results is crucial for both measurement methods,

measuring requires discipline from the department: they have to put

and requires a lot of attention. Only then is measuring worth it. In

the results to use throughout the entire year. If customer satisfaction

order to actually invest this much in the follow-up, choosing a single

is your most important goal, continuous measurement is a logical choice.

method at first is advisable.

Conversely, if you still experience customers as difficult, a periodic

measurement might work better. A complete picture of the service
provision from the customers perspective can help the department
realize the customer should come first.