Using segments to slice reports
in CustomerSure

Segments are one of several ways to slice and compare results in CustomerSure.

This page explains:

• what segments are (and are not)
• when you should create a segment
• the difference between Business Segments and Feedback Segments
• common mistakes to avoid

If you’re new to CustomerSure reporting concepts, read Reporting basics first.

What segments are for

Segments exist to answer questions like:

• Do customers who bought Product A give lower scores than Product B?
• Are new customers less satisfied than returning customers?
• Does sentiment differ by channel, journey, or customer type?

In other words:

Segments are custom ways to slice scores, sentiment, and metrics in reports.

They determine how results are filtered, broken down and compared.

What segments are not

Segments are not:

• topics (what customers are talking about)
• metrics (NPS, CSAT, CES)
• labels (categorisation)
• free-form metadata (order numbers, ticket IDs, references)

If something answers “how do customers feel?”, it is not a segment. If something answers “compared by what?”, it might be.

Built-in slices vs custom segments

CustomerSure already lets you slice reports by several built-in dimensions, including:

• Location (Site → Region → Area)
• Staff and Teams
• Brand
• Survey
• Labels
• Customer/Account

You should only create a segment when none of the built-in options describe what you need to compare.

If you can already answer the question using an existing slice, you don’t need a segment.

Business Segments vs Feedback Segments

When you create a segment, you must choose whether it is a Business Segment or a Feedback Segment.

This choice affects how the segment behaves in the platform. Don’t worry if you get it wrong, it’s easy to change.

Business Segments

Business Segments represent operational parts of your business.

Use a Business Segment when:

• a team or role is responsible for the area
• you want it to appear in navigation
• you want dashboards or managers associated with it
• it represents a stable, long-lived part of your organisation

Examples:

• Product lines
• Service divisions
• Customer-facing business units (e.g. Retail vs Enterprise)

Business Segments behave similarly to Teams, Locations, and Brands in reporting and navigation.

Feedback Segments

Feedback Segments exist purely to slice reports.

Use a Feedback Segment when:

• no one “owns” the category
• it should not appear in navigation
• it is mainly useful for analysis and comparison
• it may change over time

Examples:

• Customer age group
• Purchase channel
• Journey variant
• One-off classification needed for insight

Feedback Segments appear in filters and comparisons, but do not create structure or ownership.

A simple decision rule

If someone is accountable for it, it’s probably a Business Segment. If it’s only useful for analysis, it’s probably a Feedback Segment.

Segment values: stability matters

Segments work best when their values are:

• limited in number
• consistent over time
• meaningful in reports

Avoid segments where values:

• are highly variable (e.g. free text)
• change naming frequently
• only apply to a handful of responses

If you’re trying to add a segment that looks like this, it’s more likely to be metadata.

Segments vs metadata

Not all data belongs in a segment.

Some information is useful to see when reading individual feedback, but not useful for comparison, for example:

• order numbers
• ticket IDs
• reference codes

This kind of data should be stored as context only, not as a segment. This context is called ‘metadata’.

If in doubt:

• comparison → segment
• context → metadata

Common mistakes to avoid

• Creating segments “just in case”: You’ll end up with cluttered navigation and CustomerSure will become harder to use, and harder for your team to learn.
• Duplicating topics as segments: See the explanations above, and ask us for help if you need it
• Creating a new segment per survey
• Using custom segments where a built-in slice already exists

Fewer, well-chosen segments produce clearer and more reliable insight.