What Is Net Promoter Score (NPS)?
NPS measures how likely customers are to recommend you. It's one of the most widely used customer satisfaction metrics in the world.
Key Takeaways
- NPS asks: 'How likely are you to recommend us?' on a 0–10 scale.
- Promoters (9–10) minus Detractors (0–6) = NPS, which ranges from -100 to +100.
- An NPS above 50 is excellent; above 70 is exceptional.
How NPS works
The NPS survey asks one question: 'On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?' Respondents are grouped: Promoters (9–10) are enthusiastic advocates. Passives (7–8) are satisfied but not vocal. Detractors (0–6) are unhappy and may actively discourage others. NPS = % Promoters minus % Detractors. It ranges from -100 to +100.
What NPS benchmarks look like
Scores vary widely by industry. Consumer products and eCommerce average 30–45. B2B software averages 30–40. Retail banking typically runs 20–30. Anything above 50 is considered excellent; above 70 is world-class. The score matters less in absolute terms than the trend — a rising NPS indicates improving customer sentiment; a falling NPS is a warning signal.
The follow-up question is what matters
The score is just the quantitative signal. The real value comes from asking 'What is the main reason for your score?' This free-text follow-up reveals why customers are promoters or detractors — the specific strengths to amplify and problems to fix. Aggregate the themes from detractor responses to identify your most pressing product or service improvement priorities.
When and how to collect it
Post-purchase NPS (sent 7–14 days after delivery) captures the immediate experience. Relationship NPS (sent quarterly or annually to your whole customer base) captures ongoing satisfaction. Aim for a response rate of at least 10–15% for statistical relevance. Keep the survey short — one quantitative question and one open-ended question is the optimal format.