The repeat rate: the most underestimated Customer Experience indicator

On paper and in practice, organizations have many indicators at their disposal to assess the performance of their Customer Experience.

For years now, there has been a lively debate on the identification of the meta indicatorthe one that gives the most accurate and complete account of the customer's experience. With this in mind, Fred Reichheld proposed the NPS in 2003 («The one number you need to grow» - HBR, 2003), before William Dixon attempted to impose the CES (Customer Effort Score) as an alternative («Stop trying to delight your customers” - HBR, 2010).

If we don't claim to make reiteration rate the successor to NPS or CES, we would nevertheless like to draw attention to its virtues.

In use, it proves extremely powerful for reporting on lived experience, while being unrecognized and clearly under-exploited in many organizations, both public and private.

What is the customer repeat rate??

The repeat rate corresponds to the percentage of customers who contact an organization several times for the same reason, within a given timeframe. Repeat business is generally measured 7, 15 or 30 days after a first exchange.

ExampleIf out of 1,000 incoming contacts in a week, 150 come from customers who have already contacted the service in the previous 7 days for the same subject, then the 7-day repeat rate is 15 %.

To capture the real customer experience, the indicator must be evaluated in an omnichannel approach (telephone, email, chat, forms, etc.)

Why this indicator is so interesting?

1. It reports on customer relationships that are truly at risk

When a customer makes the effort to contact a company again for the same reason, it's most often because the initial response did not solve his problem. So it's not just an annoying detail, but a real one. fluidity break in the customer journey.

This type of situation leaves a strong imprint. Who has never said : "J’I haveejon callé, and nothing’a bougé "? And this feeling has a direct impact on the satisfaction, l’brand image... or even loyalty.

2. It helps identify the causes of the bad experience

Coupled with a root cause analysis, reiteration rate becomes a tool for understanding malfunctions throughout the entire customer journey, from the emergence of the need to the breaking point. The reasons for this can be numerous and rich in information:

The customer has not been able to reach customer service on the first occasion.
Incomplete or overly technical answers: the customer didn't understand the solution
The response was too quick, without personalization or empathy - the customer was not reassured
The solution didn't work / isn't relevant
The customer has been routed to a channel/solution he does not accept
Business processes are failing...

This type of analysis makes it possible to adopt a logical qualitative, Our aim is to go beyond the numbers and fuel a healthy dynamic of continuous animation.

3. It reveals non-quality... and its cost

By definition, every repetition (or almost every repetition) is unnecessary. It represents an operational cost to be avoided. Either the company has failed to solve the problem effectively the problem, or it has misdirected the customer to an unsuitable channel.

Poor initial treatment can lead to several calls, reminders or e-mails. Measuring this rate gives a concrete figure for the non-quality and we can identify cost-saving levers while ensuring customer satisfaction: automate what can be automated, redirect intelligently, or improve processing skills.

4. It is objective, factual and contributes to customer culture.

In contrast to declarative indicators (NPS, CSAT), the rate of repeat offences is entirely based on facts. It measures a actual behavioral response not a feeling.

«Because of this characteristic, the reiteration rate is the best ally for those who internally come up against employees or managers who question the relevance of the Voice of the Customer.»

Who among you hasn't heard, when presenting the results of a customer satisfaction survey within the organization: «But what the customer says is the truth?» or «In France, we know that only dissatisfied customers express themselves».

5. It's easy to communicate

The repeat rate is easy to explain, visualize and share.

«It can be used in quality committees, training sessions or team meetings. It makes irritants concrete, while highlighting successes.»

It fosters a culture of sustainable resolution rather than assembly-line management.

6. It reveals the AI maturity of the company's customer relations.

The rise of artificial intelligence and conversational bots is changing the way repeat business is interpreted.

On the one hand, bots make it possible to unclog traditional channels by automatically handling simple, repetitive requests (FAQ, order tracking, modification of personal information...). But on the other, they can generate a cascade of repetitions if their response is incomplete, misunderstood or irrelevant - leaving the customer at a loss, in a loop of dissatisfaction.

Tracking the post-bot reiteration rate is thus an opportunity to assess the AI maturity of the customer relationship and effectively train the bot to bring value to customers.

An indicator for building genuine customer satisfaction

The repeat offender rate is not just a figure. It is a silent satisfaction thermometer - that which is not expressed in surveys, but which translates into concrete behavior.

A repeat customer means an expectant, disappointed or worried customer. Following him means moving from a logic of repair to a logic of prevention. This means measuring not just speed or courtesy, but also real ability to solve a problem from the very first contact.

In short, integrating the reiteration rate into your indicators means taking a further step towards a more sustainable customer experience. And what do you think?

Why is it rarely used?

Despite all these advantages, the reiteration rate is not systematically integrated into management dashboards. There are several reasons for this:

Low awareness of the indicator : compared to CSAT, NPS or CES
Measurement complexityIt requires a reliable information system, unique customer identifiers, and the right settings for contact reasons.
A lack of omnichannel vision integration between IS channels is rarely complete, and management solutions are often siloed
Interpretation difficulties : in relation to the period of time to be taken into account to define a repeat, the existence of «normal» repeat business (e.g. a customer who calls back to subscribe because he wanted to shop around...

What are the performance thresholds??

Performance levels vary according to sector, channel and complexity of requests. At 7 days, a rate of less than 10%, let alone 5%, can be considered a good or even very good performance. Conversely, a rate in excess of 15% should raise questions among decision-makers.

In areas with high complexity (health, energy, insurance), a higher rate may be acceptable. In contexts simpler (e-commerce, retail), the requirements must be higher and the thresholds lowered.

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Arnaud Allesant

Director

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