What Is Net Promoter Score (NPS)? Definition, Examples & Best Practices
Net Promoter Score Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures customer loyalty with a single question: "How likely are you to recommend this product to a friend or colleague?" on a 0-10 scale. Respondents are grouped into Promoters (9-10), Passives (7-8), and Detractors (0-6). NPS = % Promoters - % Detractors, yielding a score from -100 to +100.
Why net promoter score matters
NPS is one of the most widely used customer loyalty metrics because it correlates with growth. Promoters drive organic growth through referrals. Detractors create negative word-of-mouth and churn. Tracking NPS over time reveals whether your product is becoming more or less loved.
How it works
Send the NPS question to customers at a regular cadence (quarterly is common) or after key product interactions (transactional NPS). Calculate the score. Follow up with an open-ended question ("What is the primary reason for your score?") to understand the why behind the number. Track NPS over time and segment by user type.
Common mistakes
Surveying too frequently (survey fatigue degrades response quality)
Not following up with the open-ended question (the number alone is not actionable)
Comparing NPS across industries (benchmarks vary widely)
Treating NPS as the only customer satisfaction metric