What key metric can be used to evaluate customer satisfaction?

Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) is a vital metric for assessing customer satisfaction because it provides direct feedback from customers regarding their experience with a product or service. CSAT typically involves a straightforward survey question, such as asking customers to rate their satisfaction on a scale, which allows organizations to quantify satisfaction levels following specific interactions or overall experiences. This metric helps businesses identify areas of improvement and measure changes in customer sentiment over time.

In contrast, while the other options offer valuable insights into different aspects of customer interaction and performance, they do not focus directly on customer satisfaction. For instance, Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures the likelihood of customers recommending a business to others, which is an indirect indicator of satisfaction but concentrates more on loyalty. Average Handle Time (AHT) refers to the average duration of customer calls and does not reflect customer satisfaction itself. Service Level Agreement (SLA) outlines the expected service standards and performance metrics but does not gauge customer satisfaction. Therefore, CSAT stands out as the most appropriate metric specifically designed to evaluate how satisfied customers are with the service provided.