What Is Net Promoter Score?
Net Promoter Score, or NPS, is a customer loyalty metric built around a single survey question: on a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this business to a friend or colleague? Respondents who score 9 or 10 are promoters, those who score 7 or 8 are passives, and anyone scoring 0 to 6 is a detractor.
The score itself is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters, producing a number between -100 and +100. A positive score means you have more promoters than detractors. Scores above 50 are generally considered excellent, while anything above 70 is world class in most industries.
For South African service businesses, NPS provides an early warning system. A falling score often predicts churn months before it shows up in revenue, giving you time to fix the underlying experience issues.
How to Use NPS in Your Business
The real value of NPS lies in the follow-up question: why did you give that score? Detractor feedback highlights friction points worth fixing first, while promoter feedback tells you which strengths to emphasise in your marketing and on your website.
Survey timing matters. Measuring NPS immediately after onboarding, after support interactions, and at regular relationship intervals gives you a fuller picture than a single annual survey. Pair NPS trends with review velocity on your Google Business Profile to track reputation in the channels that influence buying decisions.
FAQ
What is a good NPS score in South Africa?
An NPS above 0 means you have more promoters than detractors. Scores between 30 and 50 are good for most South African industries, above 50 is excellent, and above 70 is world class. Benchmarks vary by sector, so compare against your industry rather than a global average.
How is Net Promoter Score calculated?
NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors (scores 0 to 6) from the percentage of promoters (scores 9 and 10). Passives (scores 7 and 8) are excluded from the calculation. The result is a score between -100 and +100.
How often should a business measure NPS?
Most businesses benefit from measuring NPS quarterly for relationship surveys, plus transactional surveys after key moments such as onboarding or support interactions. Continuous measurement reveals trends that a single annual survey would miss.