And what your NPS could really give you if you ask and act on the right questions?
“How likely is it that you would recommend us to a friend or colleague?”
One simple question. So simple that she looks brilliant. Enter: the NPS. The Net Promoter Score.
Since its introduction, the go-to metric for customer satisfaction, loyalty and — in theory — growth.
Every self-respecting organization has one today. Usually neatly included in a monthly report, quarterly overview or strategic review.
It looks good. A score. A comparison with last quarter. A few open answers. And then? Then it disappears into a folder. Till the next round.
“A high NPS means nothing... if you don't do anything with it.”
From glossy report to missed opportunity
We see it too often: companies invest in an NPS measurement, do it 'right', get feedback... And then exactly nothing happens.
- Nice visualizations.
- Segmentation by team or product line.
- Maybe even a top 10 positive quotes.
But beyond that?
No action. No reflection. No dialogue. The report ends up on the intranet. The insights are checked off by management. The score will be added to next quarter's KPI list. And in the meantime... nothing changes.
The real question isn't, “What is your NPS?”
The real question is: “What do you do with your NPS?”
Because an NPS score is not an end result. It is a signal. An entrance gate. An invitation to deepen.
And at the same time: A huge missed opportunity if you don't take advantage of it.
NPS as a turn signal, not an end station
If you use NPS properly, you'll get a wealth of information. But then you have to dare to ask the right questions:
- Who are your promoters? What do they really appreciate? Which touchpoints make the difference? And above all: how can you activate them — as ambassadors, references, cocreators?
- Where do detractors drop out? What doesn't work? What conflicts with your brand promise? What causes frustration, resentment or dropping out?
- What do your passives say? Because they seem happy, but leave without much drama. They don't say anything negative. But nothing positive either. And that's what makes them dangerous.
“Passives are the silent leak in your customer relationship.”
Why passives are the biggest blind spot. Many companies focus on promoters and detractors — logical, because they count in the score. But passives (score 7—8) disappear from the picture too often.
And that is dangerous. Because:
- They don't give an alarm, so you miss them.
- They're not complaining, so you think it's okay.
- But they are not loyal.
- And they will never recommend you.
They are often your largest segment. And at the same time: your least engaged customers.
A high NPS with lots of passives? That is a stagnant brand in the making.
What makes NPS strategically relevant — or completely useless?
The difference is not in the tool. Not in how you ask the question. But in what you do with it.
1. You interpret in context
A score of 30? Beautiful. Or just not. Depends on your sector, target group and competition. Without reference points, each digit is hollow.
2. You look beyond the number
The open answers are often more valuable than the score itself. What customers write, say and mean — that's where the gold lies. Even (or just) when it chafes.
3. You link it back to your entire organization
NPS is not a customer service party. Sales, operations, administration, billing — they all contribute to the customer experience. If only management knows the results, nothing changes.
4. You use it as a flywheel, not a mirror
NPS is not an annual temperature measurement. It is a flywheel for commercial acuity, cultural shift and customer focus.
- Promoters are not trophies. They are opportunities.
- Detractors are not failures. They are insights.
Why do we measure... but not act?
Because numbers feel safe. Because it's easier to follow up than to confront. And above all: because action requires choices.
- Choices about what to drop.
- About which customer you really want to serve.
- About what you change in your internal workings.
As long as you don't choose, you can keep doing everything the way you did. As long as you only measure, you don't have to change.
But then you miss the essentials: That customer feedback is not a report, but direction.
From score to strategy
At Holmes & Watson, we never use NPS as an end point. We use it as a lever for:
- Positioning: Does your story still match the customer experience?
- Customer Journey Optimization: Where is the noise, delay or mismatch?
- Culture: What does this feedback say about how people feel treated?
- Ambassadorship: Who are your fans — and how do you let them speak for you?
We're digging. We cluster. We'll ask further. We also dare to listen to what customers don't say. Because a 9 or 10 doesn't just say, “Well done.”
It also says, “You make a difference.” And then it's up to you to ask: what exactly? And above all: how can we increase that?
NPS is not a project. It is a cultural choice.
Too many organizations treat NPS as a check-in. Just measure the temperature. Collect numbers. Create Report.
But if you really want to work in a customer-oriented way? Then it is not a project, but a process. A cultural choice. A way of thinking:
- listening
- translating
- Change
- Feedback
- and again.
Because customers immediately feel like you're really taking feedback seriously.
- Whether it has an impact.
- Whether it's alive internally.
- Whether it's a standard question or a real invitation to talk.
Measure your NPS. But don't leave it at that. As long as it's just measuring, nothing changes. But as soon as you see it as a starting point? As a signal? As a mirror and lever? Then something will change.
Then that one question becomes the start of:
- better conversations
- strategic choices
- loyal customers
- sharper positioning
- and a culture where listening is not a department, but a habit.
Ready to get your NPS up and running? We'll help you beyond the report. We'll dive into the answers with you. We'll help you lower the noise level. Expose the patterns. Notice the silent majority. And translate the insights into choices that customers really feel.
Not with standard questionnaires. But with sharp analyses, honest conversations and strategic guts.
Because listening is one thing. Doing something with it, that's where the difference starts.
