In IT services, hearing your clients’ honest thoughts can shape everything—from delivery priorities to relationship health. But when feedback flows through internal channels, clients often filter what they say. When we bring in the option of anonymity and layer in third-party administration, something shifts.
We studied tens of thousands of CSAT responses across global IT services firms to understand this shift. What we found is simple: how you run your CSAT matters just as much as what you ask.
1. The reality of disclosure
Let’s start with the big picture. When given a choice, about 63% of respondents choose to disclose their identity, while 37% choose to stay anonymous.
That’s not static. The disclosure rate has grown steadily:
- In 2022, about 57% disclosed
- By 2025, it’s close to 65%
This rise isn’t accidental. It reflects increased trust in how feedback is being handled—especially when clients know an independent partner is running the program.
Disclosure patterns vary meaningfully across segments:
- Levels: CXOs (70%) and Senior leaders (67%) are the most likely to disclose. Middle managers (just over 50%) lean more toward anonymity.
- Regions: North America (72%) and India (68%) lead in disclosure rates. Some APAC (58%) and EMEA (54%) segments are more cautious.
- Tenure: Both new clients (<1 year) and long-tenured ones (>5 years) are more open to disclosure. But something changes in the middle.
2. The Quiet Middle: something happens in years 3–4
We noticed something unusual in the 3–4 year segment. Disclosure drops here—just ~51% of respondents disclose, the lowest among all tenure bands. These clients sit in an awkward middle:
- They’re not new enough to be hopeful
- And not old enough to be loyal
- They’ve had enough experience to form strong opinions, but not enough history to feel invested.
Some in this group many not move forward. They either churn quietly or disengage. Some do cross over—becoming long-tenured and more invested—but many do not.
And what do these clients say when they remain anonymous?
- Their scores tend to be middling: not scathing, but not enthusiastic.
- Their comments are often brief
- Their tone signals more indifference than disapproval.
We think of this group as the Quiet Middle—a segment worth paying closer attention to. Not because they’re loud, but because they’re on the fence. And catching them early might make the difference between a long-term partner and a silent exit.
3. What changes when clients disclose?
We compared responses between those who disclosed and those who didn’t.
The results:
- Disclosers give 5–8% higher scores across all key metrics: Satisfaction, Loyalty, Advocacy, and Value for Money.
- The highest lift was seen in Satisfaction—over 6% higher among disclosers.
It’s also visible in free-text feedback:
- Those who disclose write nearly 40% more, on average.
- But that doesn’t mean they’re just saying more nice things. In fact, longer comments often reflect more practical, balanced feedback.
- These respondents are more engaged overall—they’re not just clicking through the survey, they’re taking time to shape a conversation.
4. What we learn from all these patterns
Across the dataset, a few takeaways stood out:
- Disclosure is growing year on year, especially in accounts where CSAT is run independently.
- Disclosers are not just more positive—they’re more engaged. They participate more fully, write more detail, and offer more balanced views.
- Anonymity isn’t necessarily all negative. Some of them tend to show signs of disengagement and hence sentiment may be moderate. In the real world, I’ve noticed the tendency of service providers to let the ‘Anonymous Moderates’ be and not act vigorously as there is no noise – maybe we need to think differently
Conclusion
Feedback is only as valuable as the environment in which it’s shared. In our experience, when CSATs are run by an independent partner—and when clients are given the option to choose anonymity —the quality of feedback improves dramatically.
You get better scores, deeper responses, and more actionable insight. But most importantly, you get something far more valuable: a more real picture of how your clients feel.
That’s something no internal dashboard can fully replicate.
Attributions: Image by Wipada Wipawin | Feedback Stock photos by Vecteezy
