Net Promoter Score

What it measures

A single-question customer loyalty metric measuring the likelihood a customer would recommend a company to a friend or colleague on a 0–10 scale. The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors (0–6) from promoters (9–10). NPS is the most widely used customer experience metric in industry globally, used by over two-thirds of Fortune 1000 companies.

Response format

1-item likelihood to recommend (0–10 scale) + optional open-ended follow-up; NPS = % Promoters (9–10) minus % Detractors (0–6)

Scale items

• How likely is it that you would recommend [company/brand] to a friend or colleague? (0 = Not at all likely, 10 = Extremely likely) — Scoring: Promoters = 9–10; Passives = 7–8; Detractors = 0–6; NPS = % Promoters - % Detractors
• What is the primary reason for your score? (open-ended follow-up — optional but recommended for diagnostic insight)

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

NPS ranges from -100 to +100. Above 0 = more promoters than detractors; above 50 = excellent; above 70 = world-class. NPS is widely criticised academically for poor predictive validity compared to multi-item scales — it is best used as a tracking metric rather than a research instrument. Widely used in industry for benchmarking and CX management. The 'follow-up question' is essential for actionable insights.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Reichheld, F.F. (2003). The one number you need to grow. Harvard Business Review, 81(12), 46–54.

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