NetPromoterScores

Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a widely used metric for measuring customer loyalty and the likelihood that customers will recommend a brand to others. It is derived from a single question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" Respondents are grouped as promoters (9–10), passives (7–8), or detractors (0–6). The NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters, producing a score that can range from -100 to +100.

Organizations often accompany the main rating with a follow-up prompt to understand the reasons behind the score. NPS data can be collected after purchases, after support interactions, or periodically. The score is used to track changes over time, benchmark against internal targets, and identify areas for improvement.

Limitations include reliance on a single question, potential cultural or language effects, and response bias. The NPS is a proxy for customer loyalty and not a comprehensive measure of satisfaction or value. Critics argue that it may not consistently predict revenue or growth across all industries. Many practitioners supplement NPS with other metrics such as CSAT (customer satisfaction) and CES (customer effort score) and with qualitative feedback.

Origin and variations: NPS was popularized in 2003 by Fred Reichheld, Bain & Company, and Satmetrix. It led to the development of employee-focused variants known as eNPS, and to broader use in customer experience programs. While widely adopted, interpretation and targets can vary by sector and company.