A user fills out a registration form, clicks "Submit," but nothing happens. A minute later, they leave — a lost lead. Such friction points can be identified with CES (Customer Effort Score). We have implemented CES surveys on dozens of sites — from B2B SaaS to e-commerce. Result: a 15% reduction in churn per quarter. In this article, we'll dive into how to integrate a CES survey into a website using Laravel and React, configure triggers, and analyze results.
Why CES Is More Accurate Than Other Metrics
CES is a metric that predicts churn better than NPS. The question: "How easy was it to resolve your issue?" Scale 1–7. A low score (1–3) signals the user is exerting excessive effort. In our system, it automatically generates a support ticket. Research shows that 70% of users who encounter difficulties switch to competitors (according to Customer Effort Score on Wikipedia).
| Metric | Question | Prediction | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| CES | How easy? | Repeat purchases, churn | After onboarding, support |
| NPS | Would you recommend? | Loyalty, growth | Quarterly |
| CSAT | How satisfied? | Satisfaction | After specific action |
CES wins in accuracy for B2C and transactional scenarios. For example, in e-commerce after checkout or in SaaS after onboarding — precisely at these moments the user assesses effort, and we can react promptly.
How We Integrate the CES Survey
The process includes stages: analytics → design → implementation → test → deploy.
- Analytics: define measurement points — onboarding, support, checkout, integration. Select triggers (time on page, number of form steps).
- Design: decide where the widget appears — popup, inline, after action. Configure scale (7 points with markers).
- Implementation: write the API in Laravel (see example below) and the React widget using
useState. Backend validates score (1–7) and journey. If score ≤ 3, aSupportTaskis created. - Test: check on mobile devices, different scenarios (quick response, skip, repeated display). Ensure responses are recorded in the database.
- Deploy: roll out on server via CI/CD, set up response monitoring.
On one project, we integrated CES after each support ticket. Within a month, the average score rose from 4.2 to 6.1, and repeat tickets dropped by 30%.
What's Included in the Work
- API endpoints for collecting and analyzing CES responses.
- React widget in source code with comments.
- Documentation for integration and trigger configuration.
- Access to an analytics dashboard updated in real time.
- Team training on the system.
- Technical support during implementation.
Example API and Widget
API Route
// CesController
public function store(Request $request): JsonResponse
{
$request->validate([
'score' => 'required|integer|min:1|max:7',
'journey' => 'required|string|max:100', // 'onboarding', 'support', 'checkout'
'comment' => 'nullable|string|max:500',
]);
CesResponse::create([
'user_id' => auth()->id(),
'score' => $request->score,
'journey' => $request->journey,
'comment' => $request->comment,
]);
// If CES <= 3 — create a task for the support team
if ($request->score <= 3) {
SupportTask::create([
'type' => 'low_ces_followup',
'user_id' => auth()->id(),
'notes' => "CES {$request->score} for {$request->journey}. Comment: {$request->comment}",
]);
}
return response()->json(['success' => true]);
}
React Widget
const SCALE = [
{ value: 1, label: 'Very\nhard' },
{ value: 2, label: '' },
{ value: 3, label: 'Hard' },
{ value: 4, label: 'Neutral' },
{ value: 5, label: 'Easy' },
{ value: 6, label: '' },
{ value: 7, label: 'Very\neasy' },
];
export function CesWidget({ journey }: { journey: string }) {
const [selected, setSelected] = useState<number | null>(null);
const [done, setDone] = useState(false);
const submit = async (value: number) => {
setSelected(value);
await fetch('/api/ces', {
method: 'POST',
headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
body: JSON.stringify({ score: value, journey }),
});
setDone(true);
};
if (done) return <p className="text-sm text-green-600">Thank you! Your feedback helps us improve.</p>;
return (
<div>
<p className="text-sm font-medium mb-3">How easy was it to complete this process?</p>
<div className="flex gap-2">
{SCALE.map(({ value, label }) => (
<button key={value} onClick={() => submit(value)}
className={`flex-1 py-2 rounded border text-sm font-medium transition-colors
${selected === value ? 'bg-blue-600 text-white border-blue-600' : 'border-gray-300 hover:border-blue-400'}`}>
{value}
{label && <span className="block text-xs text-gray-400 whitespace-pre-line leading-tight">{label}</span>}
</button>
))}
</div>
<div className="flex justify-between text-xs text-gray-400 mt-1">
<span>Very hard</span><span>Very easy</span>
</div>
</div>
);
}
SQL Query for Analytics
SQL query for CES analytics
SELECT
journey,
ROUND(AVG(score), 2) AS avg_ces,
COUNT(*) AS responses,
COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE score <= 3) AS low_effort_count
FROM ces_responses
WHERE created_at >= now() - interval '30 days'
GROUP BY journey
ORDER BY avg_ces ASC;
How to Interpret a Low CES Score
Scores 1–3 indicate high effort. We recommend immediately creating a support ticket and analyzing the corresponding funnel. If the average CES is below 5 for a month, it's worth revisiting the UX. Typical support cost savings from proactive problem identification are 20–30%, significantly reducing operational costs.
| Trigger | Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| After registration | User completed registration | Ask CES after 5 seconds |
| After support ticket | Conversation ended | Show widget immediately |
| After error | Exception or timeout occurred | Must ask CES |
Typical CES Implementation Mistakes
- Asking CES too early — before the action is completed.
- Using a 5-point scale instead of 7.
- Not showing the widget after an error occurs.
- Ignoring responses with score 3 — they are already a red zone.
Timeline and Cost
Widget with follow-up logic: 1–2 business days. Full cycle with analytics and dashboard: 5–7 days. Cost depends on complexity and scope of integration. Get a consultation — we will assess your project free of charge.
Why Choose Us
- 5+ years of experience in web development and survey system implementation.
- 50+ completed projects — from startups to enterprise.
- Certified engineers in Laravel and React.
- Quality guarantee: all releases undergo code review and testing.
Order a CES survey implementation and get first results within a week. Contact us for a free consultation.