Here's how to avoid making the most common mistakes, when sending NPS surveys.

2019-10-02

Here at Examinare, we create Net Promoter Score measurements, also called NPS surveys for customers, who measure customer experience and identify challenges. NPS is a short survey that is normally sent out to all customers. However, NPS surveys are used incorrectly today by sending them out to every customer immediately after every purchase. Sending surveys too quickly every time will give you the wrong data to work on, as well as misinformation.

The most common errors you should avoid when sending out NPS surveys:

• Send out NPS not only for every purchase but also annually to all customers.
• Don't forget to have at least 1 follow-up question for 1-2 score on the five scale and 1-6 score on the 10 scale.
• Keep your NPS question neutral and do not make it positive.
• Always be sure to analyze the background data.
• NPS doesn't need to be done only through E-mail. You can also use Telephone surveys and SMS.
• If you do not have time for the surveys, use a company that has experience in them.

Send out NPS surveys not only for each purchase but also annually to all customers.

We recommend using NPS annually to increase the interest of customers throughout the year, especially the customers, who have not been shopping for the past 6 months. Most companies make mistakes when using NPS surveys within 1-14 days of purchase. The customers usually have not received their goods yet or have not started using them. It is the overall impression that helps you sell more than once. Having repeat customers is part of succeeding in the digital world also known as e-commerce or distance trading.

Don't forget to have at least 1 sequential question for 1-2 score on the 5 scale and 1-6 score on the 10 scale.

The sequential question is the one that gives your survey analyzability along with background data and not just the grading itself. You must always have background data that allows you to read what the customer has bought and how the products/services can be better. Are they dragging down your brand too much, so that maybe you should stop trading them?

Keep your NPS query neutral and not overly positive.

If you have not created an NPS question before, you have to make sure, that you won't make one of the most common mistakes. Do not keep the rating question in other tones than the neutral one. Being too positive means it is perceived too confidently from your side and that you have a preconceived opinion about what your customers will answer. Something like this can hurt your brand more than it seems.

Always be sure to analyze the background data.

If you do not have a system or possibility to analyze the background data, then it is not immediately meaningful to create and send out an NPS survey. The exception is if you have a general service, that works the same way for the entire group you are sending to, such as an Internet service.

NPS doesn't need to be done only through E-mail. You can also use Telephone surveys and SMS.

You do not need to have all e-mail addresses for all the customers. You can always reach them via other channels, such as SMS and telephone. What sets the good company apart from the mediocre one, is that it provides an opportunity for all the customers to answer its NPS survey. If sales are made over the phone and most people have cell phones, then you can send surveys that way, in case the e-mail addresses are not contained in the purchase data, which most people usually state.

If you do not have time for surveys, use a company that has experience in them.

A measurement made correctly takes time. It can take up to a week for an average user to create an NPS survey. By letting an external company with experience, like we at Examinare are, do the whole project, you have to concentrate only on getting the right data through your IT systems. If it is a documented system (such as Prestashop, Magento and more), we can export background data there as well. When you use Examinare, you get a detailed report with very useful information about your customers. It is also possible to have continuous service in the form of the regular NPS measurements.

Contact us at Examinare to get a quote on the NPS survey today.

Contact Examinare