What is NPS and why is it an important customer experience metric?
NPS (Net Promoter Score) is one of the most widely used customer experience metrics. It measures how likely your customers are to recommend your organisation, products or services to others.
In this blog, we explore how to use NPS, its benefits and limitations, and how to implement it effectively in practice.
What is NPS and why should you measure it?
The NPS metric is based on one simple question:
How likely are you to recommend us to others?
Responses are given on a scale of 0–10, where 0 means ‘Not at all likely’ and 10 means ‘Extremely likely’. Responses are divided into three groups:
- Promoters (9–10) – loyal and enthusiastic customers
- Passives (7–8) – satisfied but uncommitted customers
- Detractors (0–6) – dissatisfied customers
How do you calculate NPS score?
NPS = (Percentage of promoters) – (Percentage of detractors)
The NPS value ranges from -100 to +100.
The popularity of the metric lies in its simplicity and comparability. NPS helps organisations to:
- Monitor changes in customer loyalty and willingness to recommend
- Identify strengths and areas for improvement in the customer experience
- Predict customer churn
Benefits and limitations of NPS
Benefits of NPS
- Often correlates with customer loyalty
- Clear metric based on a single, easy-to-answer question
- Widely used, enabling competitor and industry benchmarking
- Provides a concrete indicator for those responsible for customer experience
- Supports trend monitoring over time
Limitations of NPS
- Does not explain in detail why a customer is satisfied or dissatisfied
- Oversimplifies the multidimensional nature of customer experience when used alone
NPS works best when used alongside other customer experience metrics, such as CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) and CES (Customer Effort Score).
NPS survey in practice
You will gain the greatest value from NPS when it is combined with a broader customer feedback survey. Below are three practical tips for using the metric effectively:
Collect feedback regularly and at the right time
Ask customers about their willingness to recommend your organisation at key stages of the customer journey, for example at the beginning of the relationship and after a service interaction. This enables you to compare results across different touchpoints.
Include open-ended questions and additional metrics
Add a follow-up question after the NPS rating, such as:
“What factors influenced your rating?”
This provides valuable insight into the reasons behind the score. You can tailor follow-up questions according to the rating given, asking detractors what could be improved and promoters what worked particularly well.
In addition to NPS, use metrics such as CSAT and CES to gain a broader understanding of the overall customer experience.
Analyse and act on feedback
Segment results by customer group, market and channel to understand how different factors influence NPS scores. When you develop the customer experience based on analysed feedback, you also demonstrate to customers that their opinions genuinely matter.
NPS as part of modern customer experience measurement
When used correctly, NPS is an effective tool for continuous customer experience development. With Webropol’s survey and reporting solution, you can measure customer experience comprehensively using NPS and other metrics, and use the insights to support informed decision-making. Read more about our customer experience measurement solutions!
Frequently asked questions about the NPS metric
What is the NPS metric?
NPS (Net Promoter Score) is a widely used customer experience metric that measures customers’ willingness to recommend on a scale of 0–10. It is one of the most common indicators of customer loyalty.
How is NPS calculated?
NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.
What is a good NPS score?
A positive NPS score is generally considered good. A score above 40 indicates a very strong customer experience. However, interpretation depends on factors such as industry, company size and market context.
How often should the NPS score be measured?
NPS should be measured regularly, but the frequency depends on the objective. For example, service- or product-specific NPS can be measured after each interaction, while brand-level NPS is often tracked continuously, such as on a quarterly basis. The key is to measure systematically so you can respond quickly to changes and monitor progress reliably.
Is NPS alone sufficient for measuring customer experience?
No. NPS delivers the greatest value when used alongside other metrics such as CSAT and CES. It is also advisable to review NPS results in the broader context of customer satisfaction across different areas of the organisation, such as customer service and product offering.