An NPS survey is a single-question customer loyalty measurement that asks: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" on a 0-10 scale. Respondents split into three groups: Promoters (9-10) who love you and drive growth, Passives (7-8) who are satisfied but indifferent, and Detractors (0-6) who are unhappy and can damage your brand. It is the most widely used customer experience metric in the world because it is simple, benchmarkable, and predictive of growth.
How to Calculate NPS
NPS formula: percentage of Promoters minus percentage of Detractors. The result ranges from -100 (everyone is a detractor) to +100 (everyone is a promoter).
Worked example: You survey 200 customers. 100 respond. 50 score 9-10 (Promoters = 50%), 20 score 0-6 (Detractors = 20%), 30 score 7-8 (Passives, ignored in calculation). NPS = 50 - 20 = +30.
Passives count toward the total respondents used to calculate percentages but do not add or subtract from the final score. This is the most common NPS calculation mistake — always divide by total respondents, not just promoters and detractors.
What Is a Good NPS Score
NPS benchmarks vary significantly by industry, but general rules hold across most sectors:
- Above 0 — more promoters than detractors, a healthy baseline
- 30 and above — great, customers genuinely like you
- 50 and above — excellent, strong word-of-mouth engine
- 70 and above — world-class, reserved for brands like Apple and Tesla
B2B SaaS averages hover around 30-40. Retail and consumer apps often see 40-60 at top performers. Healthcare and insurance tend to score lower due to structural friction. Always compare your NPS against direct industry benchmarks rather than the global average — a +20 in health insurance is exceptional, a +20 in consumer apps is mediocre.
When and How to Send an NPS Survey
There are two NPS models and choosing the right one matters.
Relationship NPS is sent on a fixed cadence — quarterly or biannually — to your entire customer base. It measures overall brand sentiment over time. Best for SaaS, subscription businesses, and any brand tracking loyalty trends.
Transactional NPS is triggered by a specific event: after a purchase, after support resolves a ticket, after onboarding completes. It measures satisfaction at a particular touchpoint. More actionable, but can cause survey fatigue if overused.
Timing rules that improve response rates:
- Email NPS: send Tuesday-Thursday, mid-morning. Subject line plain text, not promotional.
- In-app NPS: trigger after a success moment (first project created, second login, feature adopted) — not on first visit.
- Wait at least 30 days after a negative interaction before surveying.
- Do not survey the same customer more than once every 90 days.
Channels: email delivers higher response volume; in-app delivers higher response rate. Use both. SMS works for transactional NPS in consumer contexts.
The Follow-Up Question That Makes NPS Useful
The score alone tells you the what, not the why. Always append: "What is the main reason for your score?" as an open-text follow-up.
This single question transforms NPS from a vanity metric into a product roadmap. Detractors will name bugs, missing features, or bad support experiences. Promoters will name the exact value that made them stay. Cluster these responses by theme monthly — you will see your top churn drivers and your strongest retention hooks in plain language from real customers.
Without this question, NPS is just a number that goes up and down without explanation.
How to Act on NPS
Most teams collect NPS and do nothing. That is why NPS has a reputation as a vanity metric in some circles. The teams who see ROI close the loop.
Detractors (0-6): Respond within 24-48 hours. Acknowledge the issue, ask what would make it right, route to senior support or success. Even if you cannot fix their problem, a human response prevents churn and negative reviews. Track resolution rate as a KPI.
Passives (7-8): These are churnable. A targeted email showing new features or a check-in call from success can nudge them to promoter territory. Do not ignore them — they are your largest segment.
Promoters (9-10): This is where the growth multiplier lives. Promoters already love you — they just need a frictionless path to act on that feeling. Ask them for a review, a referral, or a testimonial while sentiment is highest. Most businesses wait too long and the moment passes.
StarHQ automates this last step: when a customer scores 9 or 10, StarHQ instantly sends a personalized follow-up that converts their enthusiasm into a public testimonial — no manual outreach required. Turn promoters into testimonials free →