Customer Experience Glossary
Definitions and context for the terms that matter most in modern customer service.
AI Customer Service Agent
Software that autonomously handles customer inquiries — answering questions, resolving issues, and executing tasks — without requiring a human agent.
Read MoreAverage Handle Time (AHT)
The average total time a support agent spends on a customer interaction, including talk time, hold time, and after-call work — a key contact center efficiency metric.
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CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)
A metric that measures how satisfied customers are with a specific interaction, typically collected via a post-contact survey asking customers to rate their experience.
Read MoreCost Per Contact
The total cost of running customer support divided by the number of contacts handled — the primary financial efficiency metric for contact centers.
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Customer Effort Score (CES)
A metric that measures how much effort a customer had to exert to get their issue resolved — a stronger predictor of loyalty than satisfaction alone.
Read MoreCustomer Journey Mapping
A visual or structured representation of the steps a customer takes when interacting with a company — used to identify friction, gaps, and opportunities across the full experience.
Read MoreHelpdesk vs. CRM: What's the Difference?
A helpdesk manages support tickets; a CRM manages customer relationships. The distinction matters less than most teams think — and the cost of keeping them separate is higher than most realize.
Read MoreHuman-in-the-Loop (HITL)
An AI design principle in which human judgment is incorporated into an automated workflow — ensuring people remain in control of decisions that exceed the AI's competence or authority.
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