Measuring deflection without hurting CSAT
Deflection rate is easy to game and easy to misread. How to track automated resolution honestly — alongside the satisfaction signal that keeps it humane.
"Deflection" can mean two very different things: conversations genuinely resolved, or customers who gave up. Only one of those is a win.
Pair the metric with its counterweight
Track automated resolution and CSAT together. A deflection number that climbs while satisfaction falls is a warning, not a trophy.
Signals worth watching
- Resolution rate (confirmed, not assumed)
- Handoff rate and reason
- Post-conversation CSAT on automated threads
Optimize for resolved, not deflected
The goal isn't to keep people away from your team — it's to make sure most conversations never need to get there.
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