What is Net Promoter Score (NPS)?
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a simple metric that measures how likely people are to recommend your organisation, service or survey to others. It’s calculated from a single 0–10 question and expressed as a score between −100 and +100.
NPS asks respondents to rate, on a scale from 0 (not at all likely) to 10 (extremely likely), how likely they are to recommend your organisation, service or product. Respondents are grouped as Promoters (9–10), Passives (7–8) and Detractors (0–6). NPS is the percentage of Promoters minus the percentage of Detractors. The result is a high-level indicator of loyalty and word-of-mouth potential — higher scores suggest more enthusiastic supporters, lower scores indicate issues to address. NPS is easy to include in short surveys and is often paired with an open-text follow-up asking why the respondent chose that score.
Usage example
You include this question in a school parent survey: “On a scale of 0–10, how likely are you to recommend our school to other families?” If 40% are Promoters, 40% Passives and 20% Detractors, NPS = 40% − 20% = +20. Follow up with an open text question — translated automatically for multilingual respondents — to learn what drives the score.
Practical application
NPS matters because it gives a quick, trackable signal of community sentiment you can compare over time, between groups, and across services. For organisations working with multilingual communities, segmenting NPS by language helps reveal whether certain groups feel less supported or engaged. Paired with translated open responses, NPS helps prioritise improvements, spot emerging problems, and demonstrate changes in public confidence after interventions.
FAQ
What is a “good” NPS?
There’s no universal threshold — what counts as good depends on sector and context — but scores above 0 are generally positive, +30 is strong, and +50 or higher is excellent. Compare scores to your own past results and peer organisations for the best insight.
Can I use NPS in multilingual surveys?
Yes. Ask the standard 0–10 question translated for each language so respondents can answer comfortably. Use the same scoring bands across languages and review translated open-text feedback to understand reasons behind the numbers.
Should I include an open-text follow-up?
Yes. A short follow-up like “Why did you give that score?” captures the reasons behind the rating and provides actionable detail. With multilingual responses, use translation tools so administrators can read answers in their preferred language.
How many responses do I need for a reliable NPS?
Larger samples reduce uncertainty. For small community surveys, treat NPS as an indicative signal rather than definitive proof; track trends over time and combine NPS with qualitative feedback to guide decisions.