Understanding Net Promoter Scores in L&D
Andy Nicol
If you’ve ever filled out a quick survey after buying something online or calling customer support, chances are you’ve been asked:
“On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?”
That little question is the heart of something called Net Promoter Score, (or "NPS"), a simple but powerful scoring matrix businesses use to measure how happy their customers really are.
At ABSTRACT, we use Net Promoter Scores as part of our comprehensive feedback review at the end of our programmes.
This is just one of many feedback tools that we utilise, but we find NPS to be a really effective way of gauging how the delegates enjoyed the learning experience.
What is a Net Promoter Score?
Here’s how it works - First, we ask delegates a question about the Learning and Development programme they've just experienced.
For example:
"How likely are you to recommend this course to a colleague?"
When respondents answer that question, their response is then sorted into three groups:
- Promoters (Scores of 9–10) are your superfans. They love what you do and will probably tell others about it.
- Passives (Scores of 7–8) are satisfied but not excited. Think of them as neutral customers who could easily drift to a competitor.
- Detractors (Scores of 0–6) are unhappy customers who might warn others away.
Global NPS Matrix
1
2
3
4
5
6
DETRACTORS
7
8
PASSIVES
9
10
PROMOTERS
What makes NPS so popular is how straightforward it is.
Traditional customer satisfaction surveys can drag on forever, and honestly, most people don’t want to spend 10 minutes filling them out.
NPS cuts through the clutter—it’s quick for customers and gives companies a clear snapshot of how they’re doing.
But the real magic happens when businesses go beyond just the score. Most NPS surveys include a follow-up question like;
"What's the main reason for your score?"
That’s where the gold is.
Promoters might mention great customer service or awesome product quality, while detractors might complain about slow shipping, confusing pricing, or a frustrating website. This feedback shows companies exactly where to improve.
What does 'Good' look like?
The actual NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.
- The score can range anywhere from -100 (all detractors) to +100 (all promoters).
- Generally, anything above zero is decent, 50 and up is great, and 70+ means customers are absolutely thrilled.
- Anything around 90 is World Class.
Where NPS really works is that it removes subjectivity; what I perceive is World Class will be differ from the next person based on their previous references and experiences. Net Promoter Scores cut through all of that!
In a recent example for myself and the ABSTRACT team, we received an
Average NPS score of 92 for a training programme delivered to over 140 delegates.
(Excuse the proud boast!)
How ABSTRACT learn from Net Promoter Scores
Celebrating high scores aside, one of the most valuable aspects of NPS feedback is what we can learn about the Learning and Development programmes we deliver - both during and after the programme ends!
Here's a short summary of how we learn from NPS:
We use our scores to…
- Confirm our learning material is resonating and quickly see where it can be made even more effective.
Our clients love that we…
- Proactively request feedback from delegates as they learn, and move nimbly to make changes if required.
How we create programmes that result in high NPS Scores...
- All ABSTRACT programmes must be interesting and have application.
The more interested a person is and the more they can apply the learning into their job, the more likely they are to be promoters.
