What Is DSAT And How Does It Differ From CSAT?

Everyone is familiar with CSAT (customer satisfaction score), which measures customer satisfaction in customer support. However, not many are as familiar with looking at the opposite end of the spectrum: the share of customers that are dissatisfied with a product, brand or interaction.

In this article, we'll tell you:

• What DSAT means
• How to calculate DSAT
• What constitutes a good DSAT score
• When you should use DSAT
• How CSAT and DSAT are different
• And why it's useful for support teams to track both

What is the difference between DSAT and CSAT?

DSAT is a customer support and CX metric that means "dissatisfied customer". Unlike CSAT, which measures customer satisfaction, DSAT measures the percentage of customers who are unhappy with a product or service. Instead of looking at satisfied customers as in the case of CSAT, we're looking at dissatisfied ones. DSAT is used by call centers and in-house customer support teams to measure their performance.

How to calculate DSAT

The idea behind DSAT is to measure the percentage of customer dissatisfaction. To do this, you need to take into account both the total number of dissatisfied customers and the total number of survey responses. The formula looks like this:

DSAT = Total number of dissatisfied survey respondents (people who answered 1 or 2 on your survey)/ total number of survey responses x 100

The idea of what counts as dissatisfied may vary depending on the type of survey you send out. However, in most cases, the rating system is between 1-5, with ratings of 1 and 2 defined as unsatisfied/dissatisfied.

For example, if you have a total of 500 survey responses and 25 of them are rated 1 or 2 (unhappy customers), your DSAT score would be 5%. Which is a good score — congratulations!

How to calculate DSAT in Excel or Google Sheets

Manually calculating DSAT can be tedious and time-consuming — especially if you're crunching a large amount of data. We've made it easier by creating a simple and free-to-use excel template to do the work for you. You can copy-paste our template or take a look at the formula if you're looking for a simple DSAT calculation. Find the sheet here.

Why is DSAT important?

Out of all the support metrics your customer support team is tracking, do you really need to add another into the mix?

Though it may seem like overkill, tracking DSAT in addition to CSAT can give you a better overall understand of how your customer support team is performing. Here's why: 

• Shifting your perspective from CSAT to DSAT can also give your company a good idea of problems that need to be tackled immediately. That'll help you bring CSAT scores up across the board.
• If your DSAT score is too high, it could mean that most customers are unsatisfied with your services or products — not a situation you want to be in and something that requires immediate action.
• High DSAT scores can also indicate that there are areas in your customer support workflow that need to be improved — especially if you can isolate DSAT scores and figure out what parts of your flow are leading to unhappy customers.
• In addition to all that, keeping track of your DSAT score over time can help you better understand customer churn as well as customer trends and how they are reacting to changes in your product, service, or overall customer experience. For example, if your DSAT score is consistently high when it comes to the user interface, you may need to invest more in improving your UI.

This means asking very specific questions regarding customer satisfaction, such as how they felt about the ease of use, response time, helpfulness, etc. Creating an effective DSAT survey is very much like creating an effective CSAT survey, which we've covered previously: How to write a great customer satisfaction survey (with examples).

Frustrating customer support experiences = Poor DSAT

Back-and-forth over chat and email to resolve technical support requests can be the cause of a lot of friction. With Fullview, you can cut all that out thanks to zero-download screen control calls with users live in your app. Boost CSAT and DSAT while reducing agent load.

Learn More

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What is a good DSAT score?

Once you've calculated your score, you may be wondering what constitutes a good DSAT score. However, this isn't as easy to answer as you might think. Different industries may have different standards for what is considered good based on things like customer expectations and industry norms.

That being said, here's a general overview of what you can consider a good DSAT score:

• DSAT scores between 0% and 20% are considered excellent
• DSAT scores between 21% and 30% are considered good and are pretty standard for many industries
• DSAT scores between 31% and 60% are bad and indicate that there are areas that need to be improved
• DSAT scores between 61% and 100% indicate that significant changes need to be made to most parts of your customer support and CX setup. This could involve training customer support staff, improving communication channels, or updating product features.

DSAT scores between 0% to 20%

Congratulations! Most of your customers are generally satisfied with their experience. When it comes to customer service, this means that you are providing an excellent experience for your customers, whether it's through communication, product quality, or responsiveness. Depending on your industry and product, these scores may not always be possible for a variety of reasons, such as customer expectations and budget constraints. However, if your score is consistently in this range, then you are doing something right.

DSAT scores between 21% to 30%

These scores are good and pretty standard for many industries. This means that overall, you provide satisfactory customer support, but there is still room for improvement. Though you should never strive to intentionally have a DSAT score in this range, it's important to acknowledge that not all customers will be completely satisfied 100% of the time. However, it doesn't hurt to consider what factors are contributing to these scores and if there is anything you can do to improve them.

For example, if your DSAT score is higher for the customer communication aspect of your service, it could be because customers aren't receiving responses in a timely manner. Investing more resources into improving response times could help improve your DSAT.

DSAT scores between 31% to 60%

These scores indicate that there are areas of your customer service that could use improvement. It's important to identify what is causing this dissatisfaction and take steps to address it. This is why reaching out to customers, conducting research, and using feedback are such important tools. By understanding your customer's needs and expectations, you'll be able to make improvements that can help reduce your DSAT through actionable steps.

DSAT scores between 61% to 100%

This score would indicate that most of your customers are dissatisfied with your services. It's essential to act quickly and identify what is causing the dissatisfaction and make the necessary changes. This could involve training customer support staff, improving communication channels, or updating product features. Taking the time to receive customer feedback and really trying to understand what your customers want will help you make the necessary changes.

How to improve your DSAT score

If you're struggling with high DSAT scores, the best thing to do is focus on improving your customer support and CX. When surveyed, customers often cite the following reasons for their dissatisfaction: 

• Long wait times
• Unprofessional or uninformed support representatives
• And inconsistent experience across channels
• No first call resolution
• Difficulty explaining their issue or having to repeat it multiple times

There are concrete steps you can take in all those situations: 

• To reduce wait times, you can hire more support staff, automate tasks or support customers proactively. Modern AI agents, like Fullview, can handle initial customer inquiries, provide instant guidance, and even resolve simpler issues autonomously - allowing human agents to focus on more complex problems that truly require their expertise.
• You can invest in employee training to reduce the chances that an agent comes across as rude or unhelpful.
• You can use multichannel support software to make CX across all touchpoints cohesive.
• You can invest in a solution like co browsing to skyrocket your first call resolution rates — cobrowsing allows agents to take control of a user's screen to solve issues themselves and solutions like Fullview are fully GDPR compliant, so it's an essential piece of tech to have in your support arsenal — especially if you have a complicated product.
• You can invest in session replays technology to cut down on customers having to explain the same problem to multiple people. Session replays software, like Fullview, automatically record and store all user sessions in your app so you can watch them back to see exactly what a user experienced: how their mouse moved across the page, what buttons they clicked on, whether they displayed signs of frustration like rage clicks, and whether they encountered console errors or warnings. You can then share these recordings with higher-level support staff or developers so everyone is working with the exact same information all the time.

When should you use DSAT?

DSAT is a great metric to track if you have an issue with customer churn.

• It can help you identify specific areas that need to be improved and give you insight into which customers are more likely to leave.
• You should also use DSAT when looking at the effectiveness of your customer support team, as it can provide you with valuable feedback on what is working and what isn't.
• Additionally, DSAT is a useful metric when you are managing customer expectations and setting service level agreements.
• DSAT is particularly valuable when implementing new support technologies like AI agents, as it helps you measure whether automated assistance is actually improving customer satisfaction or if there are gaps where human intervention is still preferred.

However, it really all depends on the type of business and the goals you're trying to achieve. Implement it for a period of time as a test run to help you understand if it provides value and unique insights — or if it is redundant in your particular situation.

How can you use DSAT to improve your company?

By tracking both CSAT and DSAT, you can get an accurate picture of your customer satisfaction levels. Use this data to identify areas where customers are most dissatisfied and then take steps to address the issue. For example, if customers are unhappy with a particular feature, look for ways to improve it or make it easier to use. You can also use DSAT data to measure how your customer satisfaction levels change over time. Finally, understanding why customer satisfaction levels are low can help you to identify underlying issues and potential opportunities for improvement. 

You can use DSAT as part of a comprehensive customer feedback program to understand what customers are saying, what their expectations are, and how well you're meeting them. Once you have this data, you'll be in a better position to make changes that will help improve your company's services or products, whether that's better technology, better customer service, or improvements to the structure of your organization.

The limits of DSAT scores

While DSAT scores can tell you a lot about your customers and their experience with your company, it's important to note that the picture you get may be skewed or incomplete.

For example, some customers may express dissatisfaction about something that is beyond your control to fix. Or maybe a certain section of customers expressing high customer dissatisfaction are doing so because your product isn't the right fit for their use case and you have no plans of going in that direction or offering those features.

As with all metrics, it's helpful to keep in mind that some amount of discernment is crucial when interpreting the results.

DSAT, like any other metric, should be used in conjunction with other crucial customer support metrics for the most accurate picture of the state of your company's customer relationships.

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Frequently asked questions

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How often should I measure DSAT scores?

‍Most companies measure DSAT monthly or quarterly, but the frequency depends on your support volume. High-volume support teams might track it weekly to catch trends early, while smaller teams may find monthly tracking sufficient. The key is consistency - pick a schedule and stick to it so you can identify meaningful trends over time.

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What survey questions should I ask to measure DSAT effectively?

‍Focus on specific, actionable questions like: "How satisfied were you with the resolution time?" "Did our agent understand your problem clearly?" "How easy was it to get the help you needed?" Avoid vague questions like "How was your experience?" Instead, target specific touchpoints where dissatisfaction commonly occurs.

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How is DSAT different from Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Effort Score (CES)?

‍While DSAT measures immediate dissatisfaction with specific interactions, NPS measures long-term loyalty and likelihood to recommend your company. CES focuses on how much effort customers had to exert to get their problem solved. DSAT is more immediate and action-oriented, while NPS is strategic and CES is process-focused.

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How many survey responses do I need for my DSAT score to be statistically significant?

‍You typically need at least 30-50 responses for basic statistical validity, but 100+ responses give you more reliable insights. For companies with thousands of monthly support interactions, aim for a response rate of at least 10-15% to ensure your sample represents your customer base accurately.

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Can DSAT scores vary significantly between different support channels (email, chat, phone)?

‍Absolutely. It's common to see higher DSAT scores in channels where resolution takes longer (like email) versus real-time channels (like chat or phone). You should track DSAT separately by channel to identify which touchpoints need the most improvement and optimize your support strategy accordingly. Many companies are also finding that AI-powered support channels often show lower DSAT scores due to instant response times and consistent service quality.

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What should I do immediately if my DSAT score suddenly spikes?

‍First, investigate recent changes - did you launch new features, change processes, or experience system outages? Review the specific feedback from dissatisfied customers to identify patterns. Session replay tools can be invaluable here, allowing you to see exactly what customers experienced during their interactions, including where they encountered friction or errors. Then take immediate corrective action on the most common complaints while conducting a deeper analysis of root causes.

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How do I train my team to improve DSAT scores without obsessing over the metric?

‍Focus on the behaviors that naturally improve customer satisfaction: active listening, clear communication, and thorough problem-solving. Use DSAT data to identify training opportunities rather than as a performance punishment tool. Share success stories when DSAT improves and involve the team in brainstorming solutions. Training agents on tools like cobrowsing can dramatically improve their ability to resolve issues on the first interaction, which naturally leads to higher satisfaction scores.

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Should small businesses track DSAT or is it only useful for larger companies?

‍Small businesses can benefit enormously from DSAT tracking because they have fewer resources to recover from customer dissatisfaction. However, you might track it less frequently and focus on qualitative feedback alongside the numbers. Even 10-20 responses per month can provide valuable insights for small teams.

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How do I integrate DSAT tracking with my existing customer support software?

‍Most modern helpdesk platforms (Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom) have built-in satisfaction surveys. You can also use tools like Typeform or SurveyMonkey that integrate via API. The key is automating the survey delivery immediately after ticket resolution while the experience is fresh in the customer's mind.

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What's the relationship between DSAT scores and customer churn rate?

‍Higher DSAT scores often correlate with increased churn, but the relationship isn't always linear. A customer might be dissatisfied with one interaction but still love your product overall. Track both metrics together and look for patterns - customers with multiple high-DSAT interactions are much more likely to churn than those with isolated incidents.

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Can cultural differences affect DSAT scores for international companies?

‍Yes, significantly. Customers in some cultures are more likely to express dissatisfaction directly, while others may be more reserved in their feedback. Response rates and scoring patterns can vary widely by region. Consider cultural context when interpreting scores and potentially adjust your survey approach for different markets.

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How do I calculate DSAT when using different rating scales (1-3, 1-10, etc.)?

‍The principle remains the same - identify what ratings constitute "dissatisfied" for your scale. For 1-10 scales, typically 1-4 are considered dissatisfied. For 1-3 scales, only 1 would count. The key is being consistent and clearly defining your thresholds upfront, then sticking to them for accurate trend tracking.

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Wrapping things up

DSAT is a useful metric for any business that wants to get a better understanding of its customer satisfaction levels. Tracking both CSAT and DSAT scores can provide valuable insights into areas where customers are most dissatisfied and help you identify ways to improve their experience. And when used together with other metrics, you can get a complete picture of your customers and how to best serve them.

You should also have a better idea of how to calculate your DSAT scores as well as what constitutes a good score now. Keeping track of your scores over time and setting goals for improvement can help you stay on top of your customer support game and make sure that your customers are always satisfied with their experience.

With the right data and analysis, you can use DSAT to help improve your company's products and services, increase customer satisfaction levels, and reduce customer churn. So don't overlook this important metric when it comes to measuring customer satisfaction.