The Net Promoter Score® (NPS) survey is deceptively simple in that it contains just one question. But behind this single question is a long history, plenty of research and much more information that you should know in order to use it effectively.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about NPS survey questions, including 50+ examples and tips for getting started.

The NPS is a widely used metric that measures customer loyalty. It helps businesses assess overall customer sentiment and predict future growth.

The NPS is a vital tool for customer relationship management, providing:

The NPS survey structure consists of the basic NPS question: “How likely is it that you would recommend a company, product or service to a friend or colleague?”, with an answer scale of 0 to 10. Some surveys also include an open-ended follow-up question to gather qualitative feedback about the rating.

Get started with our easy-to-use NPS Survey Template, used by SurveyMonkey customers 147,000+ times. 

Get started: Measure and improve user satisfaction with our Software and App Customer Feedback NPS Survey Template. 

Get started: Uncover purchase satisfaction with our easy-to-use Post-Purchase Satisfaction Survey Template.

Get started: Discover how to improve the patient experience with our Patient Satisfaction Survey Template. 

Related: Explore employee feedback survey templates designed to increase worker happiness and productivity across your organisation. 

Related: Learn more about leveraging eNPS to improve employee engagement or launch an eNPS survey in minutes with our eNPS Survey Template.

NPS surveys are a powerful way to gauge loyalty and satisfaction, but not all NPS surveys serve the same purpose. There are three primary types of NPS surveys, with each designed to measure customer or employee sentiment in different contexts.

Transactional NPS surveys are triggered after a specific interaction or event, such as:

tNPS surveys help businesses identify strengths and weaknesses at key customer touchpoints. Since tNPS surveys capture feedback in real time, they are useful for making quick improvements to customer interactions.

Transactional NPS example

If customers report a confusing checkout process, the company can quickly simplify it by reducing form fields or adding a progress indicator. By tailoring NPS survey questions to specific stages and interactions in the customer journey, businesses can gather targeted insights that will reveal how to enhance customer satisfaction, loyalty and overall experience.

Relational NPS surveys assess overall customer loyalty and perception of a brand over time. Rather than focusing on a single transaction, rNPS surveys ask customers how likely it is that they would recommend a company based on their entire experience. Businesses typically send rNPS surveys at regular intervals, such as quarterly or annually, to track trends in customer loyalty.

Relational NPS example

A subscription-based software company might send an rNPS survey every six months to gauge customer satisfaction with the platform, customer support and overall value. If scores start to decline, the company can investigate whether issues such as product usability, pricing or support response times are affecting customer loyalty.

Related: Learn the difference between relational and transactional NPS and when to use each. 

eNPS measures how likely it is that employees would recommend their company as a great place to work. A strong eNPS indicates high employee satisfaction and engagement, while a low score may signal issues with company culture, leadership or workplace conditions. 

Employee NPS example

If employees in a company’s annual eNPS survey give low scores due to a poor work-life balance, leadership can take action by adjusting workloads, offering flexible work arrangements or improving internal communication.

Related: Discover the 20 best eNPS survey questions to ask your workforce and how woom achieved a 46 global eNPS.

The wording of the Net Promoter Score question plays a crucial role in ensuring the validity and reliability of responses. A well-crafted question helps to eliminate bias, maintains consistency and captures genuine customer sentiment. Below are five best practices for formulating effective NPS questions.

The NPS question should be straightforward, avoiding unnecessary complexity or ambiguity. Clarity ensures that all respondents interpret the question in the same way, leading to more reliable results.

Best practice:

What to avoid:

Pro-tip: Leverage customisable survey templates, such as our Net Promoter Score survey templates, to enhance the quality of the insights you gather from different customer segments. 

Leading questions subtly push respondents towards a particular answer, compromising the integrity of the results. Keeping the wording neutral prevents respondents from feeling obligated to answer in a certain way.

What to avoid:

The word ‘recommend’ is a crucial aspect of the NPS question as it specifically measures customer loyalty. When you ask about recommending a product, you’re asking whether a customer would actively endorse your product or service to others, which is a key indicator of satisfaction and brand loyalty. Other verbs, such as ‘share’ or ‘suggest’, can soften the commitment and lead to weaker customer sentiment.

Phrasing that includes emotional or overly enthusiastic language can bias respondents’ answers. Words such as ‘amazing’, ‘love’ or ‘incredible’ might make customers feel pressured to rate more highly, even if their experience wasn’t truly exceptional.

For example:

Consistency is key when it comes to NPS surveys. You should use the standard 0–10 scale to maintain consistency in terms of how data is collected, analysed and compared. Deviating from the standard scale can introduce discrepancies in responses and make it harder to interpret data across different surveys. Stick to the 0–10 scale for comparability and easier data analysis.

How long should NPS surveys be? Wendy Smith, senior manager, research science at SurveyMonkey, says:

At the heart of every NPS survey is the core question:

This question serves as the foundation for calculating your NPS and gauging customer loyalty. It is the one question that matters most and should always be included in the survey.

While the NPS question provides a strong indication of customer loyalty, follow-up questions help clarify why respondents rated you the way they did. Limiting follow-up questions to one to two ensures that you’ll gain valuable insights without overwhelming the respondent. For example:

Consider adding a few demographic questions to add further context to your NPS results. These questions can help you to segment responses and uncover insights according to customer profile.

Common demographic questions include:

Analysing NPS survey responses helps businesses understand customer sentiment and take action to improve loyalty. By interpreting the scores and feedback, companies can identify strengths, address weaknesses and enhance the overall customer experience.

The NPS is calculated using the formula: 

The key to effective analysis is segmenting responses into:

Let’s dive into how to analyse promoter, passive and detractor responses.

Analyse promoters to identify what drives their loyalty: service, product quality or brand values. Look for recurring themes in their feedback and track engagement trends to maximise advocacy. Understanding their referral behaviour and repeat purchases can help to reinforce their satisfaction.

Passives provide insight into areas where expectations are met but not exceeded. Compare their feedback with promoters to pinpoint opportunities for improvement. Track sentiment changes over time to assess whether small enhancements, such as better communication or added features, could increase their loyalty.

Detractors highlight weaknesses in the customer experience. Look for recurring issues such as pricing, usability or service complaints to prioritise improvements. Segment their feedback to identify patterns and track whether intervention efforts, such as targeted outreach or service recovery, successfully improve their perception.

Related: Discover tips for following up with NPS promoters, passives and detractors to boost customer satisfaction. 

Once responses have been segmented, you should analyse open-ended feedback to uncover any recurring themes. Consider grouping feedback into categories such as product quality, customer service, pricing or usability. Using sentiment analysis tools or manual review, identify trends that highlight what drives loyalty and what requires improvement.

Now let’s dive into how to take action regarding NPS survey data.

Collecting NPS survey data is just the first step; it’s what you do with the feedback that truly drives impact. Here are some key ways to analyse and act on NPS responses to improve customer and employee experience.

Break down NPS responses according to demographic data (e.g. age, persona, income), customer lifecycle stage or other key factors to understand trends across different groups. This will help you pinpoint where improvements are needed most.

Pro tip: When implementing NPS strategies, it’s crucial to consider the diversity and size of your customer base to ensure that survey responses are representative of the overall customer population. Learn more about collecting demographic data in surveys.

Open-ended feedback provides valuable context. Analysing recurring themes in customer comments can highlight common pain points or positive experiences that influence overall satisfaction.

Detractors (scores of 0–6) indicate dissatisfaction. Contact these customers to understand their concerns, resolve their issues and prevent churn. Learn tactics to turn NPS detractors into promoters.

Promoters (scores of 9–10) are your brand advocates. Encourage them to leave reviews, share testimonials or participate in referral programmes to amplify positive word of mouth.

Passives (scores of 7–8) are neutral but can be influenced. Understanding what would push them towards becoming promoters can help to increase loyalty, whether it’s better pricing, improved features or enhanced service.

Use NPS feedback to drive specific changes, such as streamlining a frustrating onboarding process or enhancing customer support responsiveness. Small, targeted improvements can significantly boost satisfaction.

Regularly track NPS scores and qualitative feedback to identify shifts in customer sentiment and measure the impact of changes that you’ve made. 

NPS insights should inform broader business decisions, from product development to customer service training, ensuring that improvements align with customer expectations and drive long-term success.

Tracking and improving customer satisfaction is essential for any business looking to build loyalty and drive growth.

Ready to improve customer satisfaction? Get started with our Net Promoter Score Survey Template, or learn how to launch a successful NPS programme with SurveyMonkey.

Net Promoter, Net Promoter Score and NPS are trademarks of Satmetrix Systems, Inc., Bain & Company, Inc. and Fred Reichheld.