Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a metric that measures client satisfaction and loyalty by asking a single question: "On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend our agency to a friend or colleague?" Clients are categorized as Promoters (9-10, likely to recommend), Passives (7-8, satisfied but not enthusiastic), or Detractors (0-6, unlikely to recommend). NPS is calculated as the percentage of Promoters minus the percentage of Detractors, resulting in a score from -100 to +100. NPS provides a simple, standardized way to measure client sentiment that's easy to understand and track over time. High NPS scores (typically 50+ is considered excellent) indicate strong client relationships, satisfaction, and likelihood of referrals and retention. Low or negative NPS scores signal problems that need attention. The metric is widely used because it correlates with business outcomes like growth, retention, and profitability. The NPS survey process typically involves sending the core question to clients periodically (after project completion, quarterly, or annually), categorizing responses, calculating the score, and following up with clients, especially Detractors, to understand concerns and improve. Many agencies also ask follow-up questions about why clients gave their score, providing qualitative insights alongside the quantitative metric. NPS helps agencies in several ways. It provides a simple metric to track client satisfaction over time, identifies clients who are at risk (Detractors need attention), highlights strengths (Promoters indicate what's working), and creates opportunities for improvement (feedback from all categories). It also helps prioritize client relationships—Detractors need immediate attention, while Promoters might be sources of referrals or testimonials. Improving NPS requires understanding what drives scores. Common factors include service quality, communication, value delivery, relationship management, and problem resolution. By identifying what creates Promoters versus Detractors, you can focus improvement efforts. The key is not just measuring NPS but acting on the insights it provides. Common mistakes include measuring NPS but not acting on results (missing improvement opportunities), not following up with Detractors (failing to address concerns), surveying too infrequently (not catching issues early), and not segmenting NPS by client type or project (missing patterns). The most successful agencies use NPS as part of a broader client feedback program, measuring regularly, following up on results, and using insights to drive improvements.