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What Is Net Promoter Score (NPS)? A Complete Guide

Some service leaders swear by Net Promoter Score, while others think it’s obsolete. We asked our Trailblazer community to weigh in. Here’s what they told us.

Julian Walker

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Net Promoter Score (NPS) FAQs

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is calculated based on responses to a single question: "On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend our company?" To get the final score, you subtract the percentage of "Detractors" (those who scored 0-6) from the percentage of "Promoters" (those who scored 9-10). The result is a score ranging from -100 to +100.

NPS is important for businesses because it measures customer loyalty and satisfaction, helping identify how likely customers are to recommend the brand. A high NPS indicates strong customer relationships, while a low score highlights areas for improvement. It’s a valuable indicator of growth potential and overall customer experience.

Promoters (score 9-10) are your loyal enthusiasts who will keep buying and refer others, fueling growth. Detractors (score 0-6) are unhappy customers who can damage your brand through negative word-of-mouth. Passives (score 7-8) are satisfied for now but are unenthusiastic and vulnerable to competitive offerings.

Businesses can improve their NPS by actively listening to customer feedback, addressing pain points, and consistently delivering a high-quality customer experience. Personalizing interactions, training staff, and following up with detractors to resolve issues can also boost loyalty and satisfaction.

Net Promoter Score works by measuring customer loyalty through a simple question: how likely are customers to recommend a product or service. Responses are grouped into Detractors, Passives, and Promoters, and the score is calculated by subtracting the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters.