What is DSAT? A Complete Guide to Measuring and Improving DSAT Score
Prashanth Kancherla
Dec 11, 2024 | 10 mins read
While customer satisfaction (CSAT) is important, DSAT (customer dissatisfaction) is just as important. Why? DSAT tells you how many of your customers are unhappy with their experience. In other words, it serves as an early warning system revealing the gaps between your brand promise and the reality faced by your customer. A high DSAT score means there are issues you need to fix quickly before customers leave for good.
In this guide, we’ll break down how to track DSAT and why it’s so important for your business. Read along!
What Is Customer Onboarding?
The customer onboarding process focuses on nurturing new customers—ensuring they are properly set up, familiar with your product, and comfortable using it. The purpose of customer onboarding is to provide value to your consumers as soon as possible so that they continue to return to your product and quickly embrace it as part of their regular work routine.
What is the DSAT Score?
The DSAT score (Customer Dissatisfaction) is a metric that measures the percentage of customers who are unhappy with their experience with a brand. Unlike Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores, which focus on what went well, the DSAT score reveals the areas where you’re falling short.
What Does DSAT Tell You About Your Business?
- A high DSAT score could mean there are issues within your contact center or customer service operations that need fixing.
- A low DSAT score is a good sign, indicating that most customers are satisfied, but it’s still important to monitor and address any dissatisfaction as soon as possible.
Why Measuring DSAT Score is Important in Call Centers?
If you don’t measure the DSAT score, you risk losing customers, as 65% of customers switch brands after a poor experience. Instead, tracking DSAT gives you information into your service gaps, allowing you to take quick action before dissatisfaction impacts customer retention or sales.
So more reasons why measuring DSAT score is important are:
- 80% of customers will switch to a competitor after more than one bad experience.
- 12 positive experiences are needed to compensate for a single negative one.
- 65% of customers change brands because of poor customer service.
- Only 1 in 5 customers will forgive poor service from a “very poor” service team.
How to Calculate DSAT Score? 
Calculating your DSAT is a simple process that helps you understand how many of your customers are unhappy with their experience. You can calculate DSAT by following this formula:
DSAT Score = (Number of Dissatisfied Customers / Total Number of Customers Surveyed) x 100%
Let’s break it down:
- Dissatisfied customers are those who gave a low rating, typically 1 or 2 on a 1-5 scale.
- Total number of customers surveyed is the number of people who responded to your survey.
For example, you surveyed 100 customers. If 20 of them reported being dissatisfied (rated 1 or 2), your DSAT score would be calculated like this:
DSAT = (20 / 100) x 100% = 20%
So, a DSAT score of 20% means 20% of your customers were dissatisfied with their experience.
Benefits of Improving DSAT Score
Have you considered how a better DSAT score could boost customer loyalty, and drive revenue growth? No? Well, here are some reasons why focusing on DSAT matters for you:
- Higher Customer Retention: Satisfied customers are more likely to stay with your brand, reducing churn improving customer retention and promoting long-term relationships.
- Stronger Brand Reputation: Reducing dissatisfaction leads to positive reviews and word-of-mouth, building trust in your brand.
- Identifies Weaknesses: Tracking DSAT helps you pinpoint problem areas in your customer service and take action to fix them.
- Increased Customer Loyalty: When customers feel heard and valued, they’re more likely to stay loyal to your brand.
- Competitive Advantage: A low DSAT score can differentiate you from competitors by showing a strong commitment to excellent customer service.
- Pinpointing Systemic Problems: DSAT scores reveal critical weaknesses in products, services, and processes providing insights for targeted improvements.
- Financial Impact: A reduction in DSAT scores directly correlates with financial performance. Studies show that a 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25-95%
- Enhanced Employee Morale: Addressing customer pain points positively influences employee satisfaction and productivity, creating a better work environment.
How to Improve DSAT Score?
Now that you know about the different ways that a good DSAT score can benefit your organization, here are some strategies that will help you boost this score.
Identify and Address Common Causes of DSAT
Understanding why customers are dissatisfied is the first step. Common causes include:
- Long Wait Times: Customers often feel frustrated when they are kept waiting.
- Ineffective Communication: Lack of clarity or empathy in interactions can lead to dissatisfaction.
- Lack of Personalization: Generic responses or failure to understand individual customer needs can make customers feel undervalued.
- Unhelpful Agents: Agents who do not resolve issues efficiently contribute to negative experiences.
- Technical Issues: Problems with the product or service can lead to complaints, even if the agent is helpful.
Solution
Conduct customer surveys, monitor interactions, and analyze feedback to identify these pain points. Addressing these causes may involve process improvements, updating training programs, and enhancing customer service protocols.
Invest in Employee Training and Performance Management
Studies show that companies that invest more in training experience significant returns. In fact, businesses that spend $1,500 per employee on training, compared to the industry average of $125, see an average of 24% higher profit margins and 218% higher income per employee.
Solution
- Conduct ongoing training workshops.
- Use coaching sessions to address areas needing improvement.
- Provide agents with resources and tools that help them resolve issues quickly and competently.
For example, Retail Solutions experienced a 50% increase in customer satisfaction scores after providing targeted sales training to their staff.
Implement Technology for Enhanced Customer Support
Using automation the right way can streamline operations while simultaneously improving customer experiences.
Solution
- Use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system to track interactions and personalize customer service.
- Implement AI-driven analytics to identify trends and areas for improvement.
- Use self-service options like knowledge bases to reduce dependency on customer service agents.
For example, Hootsuite—social media management platform—uses AI-powered sentiment analysis to monitor social media mentions and customer feedback in real time.
This enables Hootsuite to quickly identify emerging issues and respond promptly to customer concerns, creating a seamless feedback loop. The result? Improved customer support, better overall experiences, and higher retention rates.
Tag DSAT Tickets for Better Analysis
After collecting CSAT survey data, tag DSAT responses to analyze why customers were dissatisfied. There are typically three main categories for DSAT:
- Dissatisfaction with Customer Support: Issues like agent inefficiency or long hold times.
- Dissatisfaction with Product or Service: Problems like product defects or missing features.
- Dissatisfaction with Company Policies: Issues such as frustrating return or refund policies.
Solution
Tag DSAT tickets by category and conduct in-depth analysis to target specific issues. This helps in making process changes and improves service delivery.
Conduct Quality Assurance Audits
Quality Assurance (QA) audits can help you understand why customers are dissatisfied with an agent’s performance. Plus, regular QA checks can highlight discrepancies and areas for improvement in customer-agent interactions.
Solution
- Use QA scorecards to evaluate agent performance and ensure consistency.
- Review interactions systematically to identify training needs.
For example, Caterpillar Inc,—world’s largest construction equipment company—has built a robust system for understanding customer pain points. Through customer satisfaction surveys conducted after each purchase and periodic product use, the company collects valuable data on potential issues.
Regular Internal Reviews and Monitoring
Carry out regular internal reviews to ensure that the customer service processes are being followed correctly and that agents meet the required standards.
Solution
- Use conversational analytics to analyze customer-agent interactions.
- Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Average Handle Time (AHT), First Contact Resolution (FCR), and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT).
CSAT vs DSAT
When it comes to measuring customer experience, CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) and DSAT are two key metrics you need to understand. But how do they differ, and why should you care?
| Metric | CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) | DSAT (Dissatisfaction Score) |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Measures customer satisfaction | Measures customer dissatisfaction |
| Scale | Typically 1 to 5 rating, with 4 or 5 indicating satisfaction | Typically 1 to 5 rating, with 1 or 2 indicating dissatisfaction |
| Purpose | Shows overall satisfaction and how well products or services meet customer expectations | Highlights areas where customers are unhappy or dissatisfied |
| Outcome | Higher scores indicate satisfaction | Higher scores indicate dissatisfaction (undesirable) |
| Use Case | Used to track general customer happiness | Used to pinpoint areas needing improvement and to reduce churn |
| Actionable Insights | Provides general feedback on what works well | Provides specific feedback on what needs fixing or improving |
| Example | A customer gives a 4 or 5 after a support interaction | A customer gives a 1 or 2, showing frustration or poor service |
| Customer Impact | Indicates customer loyalty and positive experience | Signals potential customer churn and negative feedback |
Tools to Monitor and Implement DSAT
Some tools that will help you identify areas of improvement and analyze customer sentiment are:
Speech Analytics
Speech analytics tools help contact centers get deep insights from customer conversations by analyzing tone, sentiment, and key phrases. These tools can identify recurring issues, assess agent performance, and understand customer emotions. For instance, Ozonetel’s Speech Analytics solution automates the analysis of every call and chat, enabling 100% quality assurance.
Live Monitoring Dashboard
Live monitoring dashboards provide real-time visibility into call center operations, helping managers track performance, identify issues, and take immediate corrective actions. And Ozonetel’s Live Monitoring Dashboard goes a step further by offering 100+ live reports and AI-driven insights which allow managers to monitor calls, track agent performance, and analyze sentiment in real time.
AI-powered Voice and Chatbots
AI-driven voice and chatbots help automate customer interactions, providing instant responses and improving operational efficiency. These tools use natural language processing (NLP) to understand and respond to customer queries in a human-like manner. Similarly, Ozonetel’s AI-powered voice and chat bots offer smart real-time assistance to both agents and customers.
Omnichannel Support
Omnichannel support tools allow businesses to engage customers across multiple touchpoints, from phone and email to chat and social media. These platforms help ensure consistent service, regardless of the communication channel. For instance, Ozonetel’s Omnichannel feature ensures a seamless, consistent experience for customers across all channels.
How Ozonetel Solutions Helps
Ozonetel helps businesses lower their DSAT scores with its unified CX platform. Thousands of businesses rely on Ozonetel’s powerful suite of features to deliver seamless experiences to customers at every stage of their journey. — Don’t believe us? Here are a few real-world examples where Ozonetel’s solutions made a significant impact.
PM-JAY: Improving Citizen Satisfaction with AI-based Sentiment Analysis
How do you handle a high volume of customer interactions while ensuring top-notch service? For PM-JAY, a government health initiative, the answer lay in Ozonetel’s AI-powered sentiment analysis.
This solution boosted First Call Resolution (FCR) rates and helped improve citizen satisfaction. By analyzing callers’ emotional tone, the system provided agents with the insights needed to respond quickly and accurately.
As a result, PM-JAY was able to address healthcare queries more effectively, leading to higher citizen engagement and satisfaction.
Read the full case study here!
Stockbroking Firm: Tackling High Volume with a Robust CX Platform
How do you manage rising customer queries without compromising quality? Ozonetel helped a leading stockbroking firm tackle this challenge by providing a robust customer experience (CX) platform.
With seamless integrations and intelligent IVR, the firm could route calls efficiently, reduce wait times, and offer quicker resolutions. The result? Improved operational efficiency and a more responsive, satisfying experience for their clients.
Read the full case study here!
Healthcare: Boosting Trust and Conversions Through Omnichannel Engagement
A leading health tech brand in India improved patient engagement by providing personalized communication and consistent points of contact across multiple channels like calls, WhatsApp, and more.
The result? A 36% increase in customer satisfaction (CSAT) and 54% higher conversions. By assigning a dedicated representative to each patient, the company built trust and made interactions more meaningful.
The integration of omnichannel tools enabled a seamless patient journey, with 100% compliance with patient confidentiality.
Read the full case study here!
ACKO: Accelerating Policy Resolution with a Smart Self-Service IVR
ACKO, a digital-first insurance company, improved customer satisfaction with a self-service IVR solution that reduced time spent in the IVR by 20% and sped up resolution times by 50%. With 90% CSAT, the solution allowed customers to handle claims, renewals, and policy updates without needing agent intervention.
Moreover, advanced routing and CRM integrations helped direct queries to the right teams, enhancing efficiency and driving 20% higher routing accuracy. This led to 3,000 successful self-service resolutions per month and a frictionless customer experience, setting ACKO apart in the insurance industry.
Final Thoughts
Customer dissatisfaction (DSAT) can hurt your business by damaging your reputation and affecting revenue. And while occasional complaints are normal, a pattern of dissatisfaction can lead to long-term issues such as customers not wanting to associate with your brand.
To guarantee this doesn’t happen, adopt a customer-first mindset – reduce wait times, improve communication and offer personalized services. This will help you create a service culture that not only resolves complaints but also builds long-term customer loyalty.
Plus, Ozonetel’s unified CXi Platform can help you respond quickly to customer concerns and efficiently resolve issues. With features like real-time analytics, intelligent routing, and seamless integration across channels, Ozonetel guarantees that customer issues are addressed promptly, reducing frustration and improving satisfaction
Want to see what Ozonetel can do for your company? Sign up today for a free 7-day trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
AI improves automation, decision-making, and personalization across various industries. It enables businesses to optimize processes, analyze vast amounts of data, and deliver more efficient and tailored solutions.
AI processes data collected by IoT devices, analyzes it in real time using cloud computing, and extracts insights through data analytics. This integration enables more responsive operations, better resource management, and smarter decision-making.
AI is a key technology that accelerates digital transformation by automating tasks and improving operational efficiency. It enables companies to adopt more intelligent, adaptive strategies that better meet customer needs and market demands.
