What Is Net Promoter Score (NPS)?
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is the most widely used customer loyalty metric in the world. Introduced by Fred Reichheld in 2003, it asks customers one question: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" — on a scale of 0 to 10. The answer slots every respondent into one of three groups: Promoters, Passives, or Detractors. The difference in their proportions becomes your NPS.
In this guide
The NPS Formula
NPS = % Promoters − % Detractors. Promoters score 9–10. Passives score 7–8 (excluded from the calculation). Detractors score 0–6. For example: 60% Promoters, 10% Detractors → NPS = 50. Scores range from −100 to +100.
What Is a Good NPS Score?
Anything above 0 means you have more promoters than detractors. Above 50 is considered excellent. Above 70 is world-class. Industry averages vary widely — SaaS typically sits at 30–50, retail at 50–70. Compare yourself to your own historic scores before benchmarking against industry averages.
Transactional vs Relational NPS
Relational NPS measures overall brand sentiment — sent once a quarter or annually. Transactional NPS is triggered by a specific event: a purchase, a support ticket close, an onboarding completion. Transactional NPS is more actionable because it ties loyalty signals to specific moments in the customer journey.
How to Improve Your NPS
Close the loop with detractors within 48 hours. Identify the top 3 reasons detractors give (from the follow-up open text question) and fix the root cause. Systematically convert passives to promoters by proactively offering support, additional value, or check-in calls. Create referral programmes for promoters to make recommendation frictionless.
Running NPS Surveys with CTA Flow
CTA Flow's form builder includes a native NPS question type (0–10 scale with customisable low/high labels). Add logic branching to route detractors to a "what went wrong?" question and promoters to a referral ask — all in one flow. Responses appear in the analytics dashboard with funnel drop-off per question.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I send an NPS survey?
For relational NPS, once per quarter is sufficient. For transactional NPS, trigger it 24–48 hours after the key event (purchase, support resolution, onboarding). Avoid survey fatigue by not sending to the same customer more than once every 90 days.
What is a good response rate for NPS surveys?
Email NPS surveys typically see 20–30% response rates. In-product or post-interaction surveys can reach 40–60%. Response rate matters: a 5% response from disengaged customers skews your score heavily toward detractors.
Should I ask a follow-up question after the NPS score?
Yes — always. The open text follow-up ("What is the main reason for your score?") is where the real insight lives. Without it, you know your score but not why. Use logic branching to customise the follow-up question by score group.