Choosing the Best NPS Survey Tool for Your Business

A suitable NPS (Net Promoter Score) survey tool is a must-have investment in understanding your customers, making better product decisions, and driving sustainable growth.  But with so many options available, where do you even start? This comprehensive guide is your roadmap, written especially for product managers, marketers, and project managers. We’ll break down everything you need to know about NPS – from the basics to choosing your ideal NPS survey software and turning those insights gained into a customer-winning strategy.

What is NPS and Why Is It Important for Your Business?

Net Promoter Score, or NPS, is a powerful metric directly linked to your business’s growth potential.

At its core, NPS answers the question, “How likely are you to recommend our company to a friend or colleague?” Customers respond on a scale from 0 (very unlikely) to 10 (extremely likely). Based on their answers, customers fall into three categories:

• Promoters (9-10): These loyal enthusiasts fuel growth through positive word-of-mouth and referrals. They’re a testament to your product’s value.
• Passives (7-8): While generally content, this group lacks strong loyalty and is vulnerable to competitor promotions. There’s an opportunity to transform them into Promoters.
• Detractors (0-6): Unhappy customers pose a risk to your reputation. Proactively understanding their frustrations is essential for damage control and identifying improvement areas.
  

NPS is also a key performance indicator with tangible benefits for those building great products: 

• Product managers use NPS scores to validate their decisions and iterate confidently. If a new feature is introduced, NPS feedback tells them if customers find it valuable, guiding the future of the product roadmap. They can also track NPS changes after product updates, seeing which changes resonate with customers and which ones might demand further refinement.
• Project managers use NPS survey tools and NPS scores to justify investment in significant projects by showcasing the boost in customer satisfaction they bring. It also helps them prioritize effectively, identifying which projects will significantly improve customer happiness.

Product marketing managers find NPS scores invaluable for gathering authentic marketing fuel. Positive reviews and testimonials gained directly from happy customers provide powerful social proof.  Understanding the reasons behind those high scores also helps them craft compelling messages highlighting what customers love about the product, attracting potential users.

Here’s why NPS should be on your radar:

• Product Managers. Get direct feedback on how product changes resonate with customers, fueling the roadmap.
• Project Managers. Calculate the true customer impact, validating their team’s investment.
• Product Marketing Managers. Make the most of satisfied customer reviews and success stories.

Beyond the apparent benefits, a high NPS often leads to revenue increase, lower customer churn and higher employee morale.

What Are The NPS Categories, And How Are They Measured?

While the classic “How likely are you to recommend us?” question is the foundation of NPS, there’s more to consider.  Understanding the different types of NPS surveys will help you choose the right timing and focus to make the most of customer insights. Let’s break them down:

Transactional NPS.

Transactional NPS zeroes in on the customer’s feelings immediately following a specific interaction with your company. Typical examples include:

• Post-purchase: Did the customer have a smooth checkout experience?
• Support interaction: Were they satisfied with a call or live chat resolution?
• New feature launch: Did the feature meet expectations or cause confusion?
  

Transactional NPS pinpoints precise “hotspots” of delight or frustration in the customer journey. It gives you immediate, actionable feedback to fix pain points before they escalate and cause churn.

Relationship NPS.

Think of relationship NPS as your customer satisfaction checkup. It assesses how customers feel about your company, not just a single touchpoint, and is typically sent out quarterly or annually.

Relationship NPS gives you a sense of your overall brand health.  A gradual decline might indicate problems brewing, even if individual interactions are okay. This signals that you should step back and look for larger trends impacting the customer experience.

Using a combination of transactional and relationship indicators, NPS provides a multidimensional view of customer sentiment. This level of insight is vital in making proactive, data-driven decisions that fuel lasting customer loyalty.

Enhancing Customer Experience With NPS.

True customer-centricity and better customer experiences (CX) come from the strategic way you analyze feedback and translate it into meaningful action.

How to Use Net Promoter Score Data.

• Dive Deeper. Pay close attention to your customers’ open-ended feedback– especially the Detractors. This is where you’ll uncover valuable insights.
• Look for Patterns. Analyze feedback for recurring patterns. Are customers consistently struggling with a specific part of your onboarding? Is pricing a major point of dissatisfaction? These themes highlight priority areas for improvement.
• Segment Your Data. Breakdowns by factors like customer tenure (new vs. long-time), product usage patterns, or demographics can uncover unique needs or pain points within specific customer groups.
• Close the Loop. Don’t underestimate the power of a personal follow-up. Reach out directly to Detractors, showing that you take their concerns seriously. This demonstrates genuine care and opens an opportunity for deeper understanding, potentially transforming an unhappy customer into an advocate.

How NPS Helps Identify Customer Pain Points.

• A Decline in NPS Scores. Use NPS as an early warning system. If scores suddenly dip after a product update, launch, or policy change, this signals the need for immediate investigation.
• Common Complaints. Comments like “too confusing,” “website crashes,” or “missing a crucial feature” are direct pointers to the obstacles in your customer’s journey, demanding your attention.
• The Competitive Lens. Passives are particularly vulnerable to switching to your competitors. If they bring up competitors in their feedback, consider it a call to action to improve aspects where you might be lagging in order to retain these customers.

Examples of Successfully Enhanced CX Using NPS.

Let’s look at hypothetical examples inspired by real-life situations where companies successfully leveraged NPS data to enhance their CX, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty.

• Company A: Noticed a pattern of Detractors citing confusion during onboarding. After pinpointing a specific step in their process, they streamlined it, resulting in a significant boost in NPS scores for new customers.
• Company B:  Consistently low NPS scores tied to a specific feature triggered a closer look.  Customer feedback highlighted its complexity, leading the company to a complete redesign. This resulted in a surge in NPS for that feature and increased usage and adoption.
• Company C:  Segmenting their NPS data based on customer support interactions, they uncovered inconsistencies in the quality of their support team’s responses. Targeted training focused on the areas flagged by feedback led to a noticeable improvement in support-related NPS, contributing to an overall positive shift.

NPS is your organization’s direct connection to the hearts and minds of your customers. By diligently analyzing both the scores themselves and the rich qualitative insights, you’ll gain clarity on how to make targeted CX improvements.  This commitment fosters an authentic customer-first culture, leading to increased satisfaction, loyalty, and a thriving business.

Selecting the Right NPS Survey Tool.

Choosing the right NPS score tool can be nerve-wracking. Finding a platform that not only collects customer feedback but also enables you to uncover insights is a must. Below are some key considerations that will guide you toward the perfect fit.

Ease of Use.

As a busy team, you require a tool with an intuitive interface. Can you quickly design and launch NPS surveys without relying on dedicated developers? This factor directly impacts how often you measure NPS.

Beamer NPS tool, no code required installation.

Integrations.

A well-integrated NPS score tool is a powerful asset. Look for smooth connections with your existing systems:

• CRM: Enriches NPS data with customer information, allowing segmentation and personalized follow-up actions.
• Analytics: Combining NPS with broader business metrics (revenue, usage patterns) reveals deeper insights.
• Marketing Automation: Allows you to trigger actions based on NPS scores (e.g., targeted emails to Promoters or win-back campaigns for Detractors).

Customization.

Consider the degree of flexibility you require:

• Question Wording: Can you customize the core NPS question and follow-up questions to suit your specific needs?
• Design & Branding: Does the tool offer control over the look and feel to align with your brand identity?
• Advanced Logic: Can you implement branching survey options to ask different questions based on NPS scores?
• Segmentation: Can you send your survey to segmented audiences?

Beamer NPS customization options.

Reporting & Analysis.

Your needs depend on the maturity of your NPS program:

• Simple Dashboards: Are these sufficient for a quick overview, or…
• Robust Analytics: Do you need granular filtering, cohort analysis, and the ability to cross-reference NPS with other data points?

Beamer NPS detailed analytics dashboard.

The “Feels”.

While seemingly small, the tone of the survey impacts response rates. Some tools are purely functional; others allow for a more playful and engaging experience. Does this align with your brand voice?

Pricing & Scalability.

Look carefully at pricing tiers and potential limitations (number of surveys, responses, etc.). Can the NPS score tool accommodate your anticipated growth in terms of both usage and sophistication of your NPS analyses?

30 Best NPS Survey Tools.

Jotform Enterprise.

Best for: B2B companies needing robust security and compliance.

Why: Features like secure storage and HIPAA compliance make it ideal for sensitive industries.

Free trial / Free plan: Yes, a free plan is provided.

SurveySparrow.

Best for: Omnichannel survey delivery and automated feedback workflows.

Why: Allows clients to reach customers anywhere they interact with the client’s business, and instantly act on responses.

Free trial / Free plan: Yes, 14 days. A limited free plan is also available.

Product Fruits.

Best for: User onboarding with integrated NPS surveys.

Why: This NPS score tool combines guidance with feedback collection to streamline product adoption and boost satisfaction.

Free trial / Free plan: Yes, 14 days.

SurveyMonkey.

Best for: A free plan with essential NPS features.

Why: NPS measurement without investment, with the option for advanced features as add-ons.

Free trial / Free plan: Offers a basic free plan.

SatisMeter.

Best for: Multilingual NPS surveys.

Why: Automatic translation functionality ensures you can gather insights from a global audience.

Free trial / Free plan: Yes, limited to 100 responses.

Churn360.

Best for: Customer success teams needing integrated NPS data.

Why: Combines NPS with other vital customer health metrics within a customer success platform.

Free trial / Free plan: No free trial, but they offer a demo.

HubSpot.

Best for: Access to extensive customer experience resources.

Why: Beyond its NPS tool, Hubspot offers a rich library of blogs, videos, and guides on CX best practices.

Free trial / Free plan: Offers a basic free plan.

Hotjar.

Best for: Combining NPS with website behavior analysis.

Why: Provides visual heatmaps and session recordings alongside NPS surveys. Helps you pinpoint areas of your website driving dissatisfaction or causing customer friction.

Free trial / Free plan: Offers a basic free plan.

Vitally.

Best for: Instant feedback analysis.

Why: Real-time dashboards help you spot emerging trends and address issues quickly.

Free trial / Free plan: Offers a basic free plan.

Wootric.

Best for: Closing the customer feedback loop effectively.

Why: Prioritizes actioning feedback, with workflows to empower teams based on NPS insights.

Free trial / Free plan: Offers a basic free plan.

Qualaroo.

Best for: Targeted website surveys and intercepts.

Why: Offers advanced targeting logic to show NPS surveys to specific visitor segments at key moments.

Free trial / Free plan: Offers a basic free plan.

Remember, there’s no single “best” NPS tool.  It’s about finding the solution that best matches your company’s practical needs, goals, and nature.

NPS Survey Question Formats.

While the classic NPS question is powerful in its simplicity, there are smart variations to consider to get even more valuable insights!

Standard Open-Ended Follow-Up.

“Why did you give that score?” is a good starting point, but encourage specific feedback by rephrasing it to something like, “What’s one thing we could do to make your experience even better?”

Targeted Follow-Ups Based on Score.

• Promoters: “What’s your favorite thing about our [product/service]?” This reinforces positive feelings and can generate testimonial-worthy content.
• Passives: “What one change would make you more likely to recommend us?” This uncovers the nudge needed to tip them into Promoter territory.
• Detractors: “We’re sorry to hear about your experience. What was the biggest issue you faced?” Identifies urgent pain points for resolution.

Additional Questions.

Pairing NPS with other targeted questions for context adds richness. For example

• “How easy was it to use our [feature/product]?” (Star rating) can reveal usability issues.
• “How would you rate our customer support responsiveness?” (Scale of 1-5) helps you benchmark support performance.

Be mindful of survey length – the more questions you ask, the lower your response rate might be.  Select the additional questions that align best with your current improvement goals.

Different Channels to Collect NPS Data for Your Customer Base.

A one-size-fits-all approach for NPS distribution won’t maximize your results.  Let’s look at the most common channels and their ideal use cases:

• In-App/In-Product. Embedding surveys directly within your product offers timely feedback after key actions. You can expect high response rates.
• Email. Email is a classic approach, especially for relationship NPS, as it keeps surveys brief and visually appealing.
• Website. Intercept surveys (pop-ups, sidebars) can catch visitors while they’re engaged. Be mindful not to be overly disruptive.
• SMS. SMS is great for quick, transactional NPS. However, ensure you have explicit consent to text customers.
• Support Interactions. Ask for NPS feedback at the end of a live chat or helpdesk ticket resolution.

Reaching a Diverse Customer Base with Omni-Channel Distribution.

Remember that your customer base isn’t consistent in how they interact with technology.  To get the most representative NPS data, employ a multichannel approach:

• In-app is most effective for tech-savvy customers;
• Email or even physical mail surveys might be more suitable for older demographics;
• SMS is ideal for immediate post-interaction NPS when you need time-sensitive feedback.

Managing Multi-Channel Feedback.

As such, a multichannel strategy maximizes your reach but also creates a potential for data silos.  Make sure your NPS solution tool can centralize data — seeing every customer’s feedback journey, regardless of where they left their scores, is crucial for meaningful analysis. Moreover, the tool must identify and segment customers to ensure you’re not bombarding one customer with repetitive surveys.

Real-Time Analytics in NPS Measurement: Insights and Benefits.

Some NPS tools update dashboards in near real-time. This level of instant access to feedback offers unique advantages:

• Spot Emerging Trends. If NPS drops abruptly after a product update rolls out, you know it immediately, allowing for a swift response before major damage occurs.
• Better Team Motivation. Seeing the immediate effect of interactions empowers customer-facing teams to excel. This fosters a culture where providing exemplary service is directly linked to customer satisfaction.
• Customer Centricity. Real-time data instills a sense of urgency. Everyone understands that customer sentiment is dynamic, motivating the company to be responsive and prioritize the customer experience.
• Data-Backed Decision Making. Real-time NPS insights guide product updates, feature prioritization, and overall strategic decisions with customer sentiment as a central metric.

Get Ahead of Customer Sentiment with Real-Time NPS.

• Spot problems instantly, fix them fast
• Make smart decisions based on live feedback
• Motivate internal teams for future success
• Outpace the competition with lightning-fast responses

Budget-friendly NPS Survey Tools and Solutions.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to implement an NPS score tool. Consider starting with freemium options where reputable providers offer basic NPS functionality for free or at a low cost, allowing you to experiment and get familiar with the process. If your immediate need centers around a specific area like in-app surveys, feature-focused NPS score tool can be a cost-effective way to address that requirement.

Open-source solutions provide customization possibilities for the more technically inclined teams, but they’ll likely require some development resources to set up and tailor to your needs.

Maximizing the Value of NPS Survey Software with a Limited Budget.

Even with a limited budget, a smart approach can maximize the value of your NPS survey tools. Start by focusing on the essentials – keep your initial surveys short and targeted for the highest impact.  We suggest prioritizing transactional NPS, as you’ll get the most immediate and actionable feedback from surveys sent right after customer interactions. 

Also, don’t underestimate the power of  “low-tech” solutions like well-crafted emails triggered after key moments in the customer journey.  Before investing in specialized software, this approach can be highly effective while you build your NPS program.

Final thoughts.

Choosing the right NPS survey software or tools is crucial for gaining customer insights that fuel better product decisions and long-term growth. This guide has been your roadmap, designed with product managers and marketers in mind — so what are your next steps?

1. Set clear NPS program goals.
2. Identify feature must-haves.
3. Test and experiment with the tools.
   

Beamer’s NPS survey tool is designed to help you gather real-time customer insights directly within your product. Our in-app surveys:

• Blend naturally with your product for high response rates.
• Match your brand perfectly for a cohesive experience.
• Offer robust analytics, targeted surveys, and easy integrations.
  

Start your free trial today and watch customer feedback transform into business growth!