Net Promoter Score (NPS) has earned its place as a go-to metric for gauging client loyalty and forecasting broad behavioral trends. It offers a clear, scalable way to measure the overall sentiment of a client base. However, while NPS excels at revealing population-level insights, it often falls short when applied to the individual client experience.
In this blog post, we’ll examine why NPS remains a valuable tool for assessing collective behavior—yet fails to capture the nuances of individual sentiment—and why a more balanced, multi-dimensional approach is essential for accurately understanding and improving the client experience.
The Limitations of NPS in Predicting Individual Client Sentiment
Understanding client sentiment through NPS responses can be challenging. NPS is designed to predict behaviors at the population level. For example, promoters—those who give a score of 9 or 10—tend to have predictable behaviors, such as being more likely to refer your business to others. Similarly, passives and detractors exhibit their own predictable patterns when viewed as groups.
However, when it comes to individual clients, NPS falls short. We have seen this firsthand through a research project conducted with a national engineering firm. The data revealed that if even one non-promoter existed within a client organization, the revenue capture rate was 31% lower than if the organization was composed entirely of promoters. While this finding is significant at the population level, it does not mean that any single non-promoter will necessarily spend 31% less. The variability in individual behavior is too substantial for NPS to be a reliable predictor on a case-by-case basis.
The Danger of Focusing Too Much on Scores
One of the key lessons we’ve learned over the years is the importance of treating NPS scores as meaningful indicators rather than definitive outcomes. We strongly advise against discussing NPS scores directly with clients for two main reasons:
- Shifting Focus: When you discuss scores with clients, you risk shifting the focus from their needs to your metrics. This can detract from meaningful conversations about how to improve their experience.
- Influencing Scores: Clients may be influenced to give scores that don’t accurately reflect their true sentiment, especially if they sense that their feedback is being judged primarily by a numerical value.
Instead, focus on understanding the underlying experiences and perceptions that led to the given score.
For instance, if a client provides an NPS score of 8 (considered "Passive"), but their category scores indicate that their expectations were met or exceeded, it is essential to engage them in a conversation about what could elevate their experience to the next level. Ask open-ended questions like, “What would an ideal engineering firm do that no one does for you now?” This approach not only helps you uncover opportunities for improvement but also builds a deeper understanding of the client’s true sentiment.
Balancing NPS with a 1-7 Scale for Better Insights
At Client Savvy, we use our patented 1-7 scale, Client Experience Indicator (CXI)®, centered around “Met Expectations” to better predict individual sentiment and behavior. This scale is designed to capture more nuanced feedback from clients, offering a clearer picture of their individual experiences. While it may be less predictive of mass behavior at the population level, it excels at providing insights into how specific clients feel about your services.
By balancing the use of both NPS and the CXI scale, we can achieve a more comprehensive understanding of client sentiment. NPS helps us gauge overall client loyalty and predict collective behaviors, while the Client Experience Indicator scale offers deeper insights into individual experiences.
Conclusion: Focus on Client Perceptions, Not Just Scores
In summary, while NPS is a valuable tool for understanding group behaviors, it should not be relied upon to predict individual client sentiment. Instead, we recommend de-emphasizing NPS at the individual level and focusing on the broader context of client feedback. When both NPS and category feedback scores indicate a service gap, prioritize service recovery and addressing the client’s concerns—not the scores themselves. By maintaining a focus on client perceptions and experiences, rather than just metrics, you can drive more meaningful improvements in client satisfaction and loyalty.
For firms seeking to refine their client experience strategies, adopting a balanced approach that incorporates both NPS and a nuanced feedback scale can provide the insights necessary to truly understand and meet clients’ needs.
Want to know more about how the Client Experience Indicator’s (CXI) self-centering measurement system transforms feedback into a meaningful, expectation-driven metric? Let’s chat! answers@clientsavvy.com | 866.433.7322
