What is Net Promoter Score (NPS)?
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a loyalty metric built on one question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" Respondents who answer 9 or 10 are promoters, 7 or 8 are passives, and 0 to 6 are detractors. The score is the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors.
Because passives count in the total but not in the subtraction, NPS ranges from −100 (everyone a detractor) to +100 (everyone a promoter). It is written as a plain number — "NPS of 32", not "32%". With 200 responses of which 104 are promoters (52%) and 36 are detractors (18%), the NPS is 52 − 18 = 34.
NPS is a relationship metric, which is what separates it from CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score). CSAT asks about one interaction, such as "How satisfied were you with this chat?", and is sent straight after it. NPS asks how the customer feels about the business overall and is sent on a schedule or after a meaningful milestone, such as a delivered order or 90 days of use. Customer effort score sits beside both and asks how easy it was to get something done.
Key takeaways
- Net Promoter Score (NPS) asks how likely a customer is to recommend you on a 0–10 scale.
- Scores of 9–10 are promoters, 7–8 are passives and 0–6 are detractors.
- NPS = % promoters − % detractors, so it ranges from −100 to +100 and is reported as a whole number, not a percentage.
- NPS measures relationship loyalty; CSAT measures satisfaction with one interaction, so send them at different moments.
- On WhatsApp, an NPS survey sent outside an open service window needs an approved template; Meta decides its category from the content.
Figure 1
Move the sliders and watch the score
The formula
Promoters (scored 9–10)52%minusDetractors (scored 0–6)18%equalsNet Promoter Score34 points
Net Promoter Score
34 points
Updates as you move any slider.
Working
- 52minus18equals34→ 34 points
Promoters and detractors together cannot exceed 100%; whatever is left is passives (7–8).
Net Promoter Score = 34 points.
Why it matters
Why does Net Promoter Score (NPS) matter?
NPS gives leadership one comparable number for loyalty over time, and the follow-up question ("What is the main reason for your score?") tells teams what to fix. WhatsApp is a strong channel for it because a reply is one tap on a button or list row inside a chat the customer already uses, which typically draws more answers than an emailed survey link. The score matters less than the trend and the reasons behind it.
How does Net Promoter Score (NPS) work?
Pick the trigger
Choose relationship NPS (a quarterly or half-yearly pulse) or transactional NPS (after delivery, onboarding or a renewal). Do not send it after every support chat — that is CSAT's job.
Send the question on WhatsApp
Outside an open 24-hour service window, use an approved template. Meta assigns the category from the content, and mixed or unclear content is treated as marketing, so keep the survey plain and check the category it receives. A WhatsApp Flow with a 0–10 scale makes the answer a single tap; a list message cannot, because it holds only 10 rows and the scale has 11 points.
Ask why
When the score arrives, the customer has just messaged you, so a free-form follow-up ("What is the main reason for your score?") goes out inside the newly opened window. In India that follow-up is a service message, charged at ₹0.145 per delivered message since 1 October 2026.
Calculate the score
Count promoters (9–10) and detractors (0–6), divide each by total responses, and subtract. Report the number of responses alongside the score.
Close the loop
Route detractor responses to a person within a day, tag the reasons, and fix the top themes. Thank promoters and, where it fits, invite a review or referral.
Example: A Hyderabad meal-kit brand runs quarterly NPS
A Hyderabad meal-kit subscription sends an approved survey template to 8,000 active subscribers each quarter, opening a WhatsApp Flow with a 0–10 scale and an optional comment box. 2,140 people answer: 1,070 promoters (50%), 620 passives and 450 detractors (21%), so NPS is 29. Detractor comments cluster on late deliveries in two pin codes. The team fixes the courier slot there, and next quarter's NPS rises to 36 on a similar response count.
Common mistakes with Net Promoter Score (NPS)
Surveying too often
Asking after every chat trains customers to ignore the message and can hurt your number's quality signals. Limit NPS to a fixed cadence per customer and use CSAT for interaction feedback.
Reporting a score without the sample
An NPS of 60 from 15 responses is noise. Always show the response count, and compare periods only when samples are large enough.
Building 0–10 into one list message
A WhatsApp list holds at most 10 rows, and 0–10 is 11 options. Use a WhatsApp Flow, two-step buttons, or ask customers to reply with the number.
Ignoring the comment
The score tells you whether loyalty moved; the reason tells you why. Tag every comment and review the themes, especially from detractors.
NPS FAQs
- How do you calculate NPS?
- Subtract the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. Promoters score 9–10, detractors 0–6; passives (7–8) count in the total but are not subtracted, so the result runs from −100 to +100.
- What is a good NPS score?
- Any positive NPS means more promoters than detractors, but benchmarks vary widely by industry and country. Track your own trend and response count rather than chasing a published average.
- What is the difference between NPS and CSAT?
- NPS measures overall loyalty with a 0–10 recommend question; CSAT measures satisfaction with one interaction, usually on a 1–5 scale. Send CSAT after a chat and NPS on a schedule or after a milestone.
- Can I send an NPS survey on WhatsApp?
- Yes. Outside an open 24-hour service window it must go out as an approved template, whose category Meta sets from its content (mixed or unclear content is treated as marketing). The customer's answer opens a new window for your follow-up question.
Best practices for Net Promoter Score (NPS)
- Send NPS a few days after delivery or onboarding, when the experience is complete.
- Benchmark against your own history first; industry averages vary widely.
- Store the raw 0–10 answer, not just the bucket, so you can recompute later.
- Respond personally to detractors — a quick follow-up often recovers the relationship.
* Per-message rates for India, ex-GST: marketing, utility and authentication effective 1 July 2026; service messages ₹0.145 since 1 October 2026 (they were ₹0 until 30 September 2026). Volume commitments earn discounts — final rate is confirmed on your account; applicable GST extra. Rates for other countries differ (see the international rate table on /pricing).