What is Net Promoter Score?

Ruben Buijs

Founder & Digital Consultant

Written on Aug 10, 2023

2 minutes

Product Management

Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a metric used to measure customer loyalty and satisfaction with a product or service. It provides insights into how likely customers are to recommend a product to others. The score is derived from a single question survey that asks customers to rate their likelihood of recommending the product on a scale of 0 to 10.

Examples

Here are a few examples to illustrate how Net Promoter Score works:

  1. Company A conducts an NPS survey and receives responses from 100 customers. Out of these, 50 customers give a rating of 9 or 10 (promoters), 30 give a rating of 7 or 8 (passives), and 20 give a rating of 0 to 6 (detractors). The Net Promoter Score is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. In this case, the NPS would be 30 (50% promoters - 20% detractors).

  2. Company B also conducts an NPS survey and receives responses from 200 customers. This time, 80 customers are promoters, 80 are passives, and 40 are detractors. The NPS for Company B would be 40 (40% promoters - 20% detractors).

Importance

Net Promoter Score is a valuable metric for several reasons:

  1. Customer loyalty: NPS helps measure the loyalty of customers towards a product or service. Promoters are more likely to continue using the product, recommend it to others, and provide positive feedback.

  2. Growth indicator: A high NPS indicates satisfied customers who are likely to contribute to the growth of a business through word-of-mouth recommendations. It is a reflection of customer satisfaction and can be correlated with business growth.

  3. Feedback for improvement: NPS surveys not only provide a score but also allow customers to provide additional comments. These comments can be used to identify areas for improvement and enhance the overall customer experience.

How to Use Net Promoter Score

To effectively use Net Promoter Score, follow these steps:

  1. Survey your customers: Send out an NPS survey to gather feedback from your customers. Keep the survey short and simple, focusing on the likelihood of recommendation.

  2. Calculate the NPS: Categorize the responses into promoters, passives, and detractors based on the rating scale. Calculate the percentage of each group and subtract the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters to obtain the NPS.

  3. Analyze the results: Analyze the NPS and the feedback provided by customers. Identify patterns and trends to understand what drives customer loyalty and satisfaction.

  4. Act on the feedback: Use the insights gained from NPS to make improvements in areas highlighted by customers. Address any issues raised by detractors and leverage the positive feedback provided by promoters.

Useful Tips

Here are some useful tips for effectively utilizing Net Promoter Score:

  1. Regularly conduct NPS surveys: Repeat NPS surveys at regular intervals to track changes in customer sentiment over time. This will help you identify trends and measure the impact of any improvements made.

  2. Benchmark against competitors: Compare your NPS with industry benchmarks to gain a better understanding of your standing in the market. This can provide insights into areas where you may need to improve to stay competitive.

  3. Follow up with customers: Reach out to customers who provided feedback, both positive and negative. Engage in conversations to understand their needs better and build stronger relationships.

  4. Share the results: Communicate the NPS and the actions taken based on feedback with your team and stakeholders. This promotes transparency and demonstrates a customer-centric approach.

  • Customer Satisfaction
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Promoters
  • Passives
  • Detractors
  • NPS Survey
  • Word-of-Mouth
  • Feedback Analysis
  • Customer Experience

FAQ

Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a metric used to measure customer loyalty and satisfaction with a product or service.
Net Promoter Score is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors (customers who rate the product/service 0-6) from the percentage of promoters (customers who rate the product/service 9-10).
A Net Promoter Score of 50 or above is generally considered excellent, while scores below 0 are considered poor.
Net Promoter Score provides insights into customer satisfaction and loyalty, helping businesses identify areas for improvement and measure customer advocacy.
Yes, Net Promoter Score can be used by businesses in any industry to understand customer sentiment and gauge loyalty.
Net Promoter Score surveys can be conducted at regular intervals, such as quarterly or annually, to track changes in customer sentiment over time.
Net Promoter Score focuses on a single question and may not capture the entire customer experience. It is also important to consider other metrics alongside NPS for a comprehensive understanding.
Businesses can improve their Net Promoter Score by addressing customer feedback, providing exceptional customer service, and continuously enhancing their product or service offerings.
No, Net Promoter Score is one of many metrics used to measure customer satisfaction. Other metrics like Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) and Customer Effort Score (CES) can also provide valuable insights.
Yes, Net Promoter Score can be benchmarked against competitors to assess performance and identify areas for improvement in comparison to industry standards.

Article by

Ruben Buijs

Ruben is the founder of ProductLift. I employ a decade of consulting experience from Ernst & Young to maximize clients' ROI on new Tech developments. I now help companies build better products

Table of contents

  1. Examples
  2. Importance
  3. How to Use Net Promoter Score
  4. Useful Tips
  5. Related Terms

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