What is Net Promoter Score?

Converge Converge Team
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A metric measuring customer loyalty based on likelihood to recommend

What is Net Promoter Score?

Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures customer loyalty by asking a single question: "On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" Respondents are grouped into three categories: Promoters (9-10), Passives (7-8), and Detractors (0-6). NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters, yielding a score from -100 to +100.

Unlike CSAT (which measures satisfaction with a single interaction), NPS captures the customer's overall sentiment about your brand. It's typically surveyed quarterly or annually, not after every support interaction. However, support quality is one of the strongest drivers of NPS—a bad support experience can turn a Promoter into a Detractor overnight.

Why Net Promoter Score Matters

Bain & Company research (the creators of NPS) found that companies with the highest NPS in their industry grow 2x faster than competitors. Promoters have 6-14x the lifetime value of Detractors. The average B2B SaaS NPS is +41, with scores above +50 considered excellent.

For support teams, tracking NPS by customer segment reveals which groups you're serving well and which need attention. If enterprise customers are Promoters but small business customers are Detractors, that's a clear signal about where to invest in support quality improvements.

Net Promoter Score in Practice

A B2B SaaS company ran an NPS survey and scored +28. When they segmented by support interaction frequency, customers who had contacted support in the last 90 days scored +42, while those who hadn't scored +18. The data showed that good support experiences were creating Promoters, but customers who never engaged with support felt disconnected. They launched proactive check-in messages for inactive accounts, bringing the overall NPS to +38 within two quarters.

Related Terms

NPSCSATcustomer loyalty

Related Reading

→ CSAT Improvement Guide → Customer Retention Guide → Free NPS Calculator → Omnichannel Support Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Above 0 is positive (more Promoters than Detractors). Above +30 is good. Above +50 is excellent. Above +70 is world-class. B2B SaaS averages around +41. Compare within your industry rather than across all industries, as expectations vary significantly.
Quarterly is the most common cadence. Surveying more often leads to survey fatigue and unreliable data. Some companies survey annually but add triggered NPS surveys after major milestones (onboarding completion, renewal, major support interaction).
Yes, significantly. Support interactions are high-emotion touchpoints that shape overall brand perception. A single outstanding support experience can convert a Passive to a Promoter. Focus on resolution quality, empathy, and proactive communication to maximize the support team's NPS impact.

More Metrics Terms

First Response Time →Average Handle Time →Resolution Time →First Contact Resolution →Customer Satisfaction Score →Customer Effort Score →