15 NPS follow-up questions that get real answers

The best NPS follow-up question is one open question that asks why: "What is the main reason for your score?" Ask it right after the 0 to 10 rating, keep it optional, and read every answer.

The score tells you how people feel. The follow-up tells you why. Below are 15 questions to copy, after a few rules.

Before you pick a question

Start with one question. Polling.com recommends one targeted follow-up to begin with, and a second only if you need more detail. ¹ Long surveys reduce completion.

Ask the score first. Put the 0 to 10 question first and the open question straight after it, while the number is fresh.

Show each group its own question. With survey branching, promoters, passives and detractors each see the follow-up that matches their score. Polling.com suggests this. ¹ If your tool cannot branch, ask everyone the same neutral question.

Keep the wording short and neutral. Do not hint at the answer you hope for. Polling.com gives a weak example: "How much did you enjoy our excellent customer support?" It assumes the person enjoyed it.

Acknowledge the score. InMoment suggests that, for passives and detractors, the wording can acknowledge the lower rating before it asks for more. ² A line such as "Thanks for being honest" can help the question feel more natural to answer.

Questions for everyone (3)

Use these when you cannot vary questions by score.

1. What is the main reason for your score? The simplest follow-up. It works for any number.
2. What is the one thing we could change to improve your experience? It asks for one thing, so answers are short and specific.
3. Is there anything else you want us to know? A catch-all for a longer survey. It often surfaces topics you did not think to ask about.

Questions for promoters (4)

Promoters answered 9 or 10. Ask what works and why.

4. What do you value most about us? It points to the strength people notice first.
5. Which part of your experience went better than you expected? Surprise shows where you beat the picture in their head.
6. What would you tell a friend who is thinking about using us? The answer is close to the words the person would use to recommend you.
7. Would you be open to sharing your experience as a short quote? Ask only when you are ready to follow up, and get permission before you use anyone's name or words in public. Polling.com says the same.

Questions for passives (4)

Passives answered 7 or 8. They could leave without a word. These questions look for the gap between "fine" and "great".

8. What would make you more likely to recommend us? It asks for the missing piece, in the person's words.
9. What did you expect that we did not deliver? It finds the gap between what you promised and what they got. Polling.com lists a similar question for passives.
10. Which part of the product or service could work better? It points to a part of the experience to improve.
11. What one change would improve your experience? Like question 2, it asks for a single change, so answers are easy to compare.

Questions for detractors (4)

Detractors answered 0 to 6. They are the most likely to leave. Ask only for what you will act on.

12. What was the biggest problem you ran into? It puts the problem in their words and invites a story.
13. What could we have done differently? It is open and does not blame. Polling.com includes this one for detractors.
14. Was there a specific moment that affected your score? It finds the exact step that went wrong, which is easier to fix than a general feeling.
15. Would you like someone from our team to contact you about this? Use it only if someone will call or write back, and respect a "no". Polling.com suggests handling contact requests carefully.

How to word your own

If none of the 15 fits, write your own with this checklist:

• It asks about one thing.
• It is neutral, with no hint of the answer you want.
• It uses your customers' words, not your team's.
• You know what you will do with the answer.
• A person can answer in a sentence on a phone.

Test it on two or three colleagues first. If they ask "what do you mean?", reword it.

What to do with the comments

1. Read them all. With fewer than a few hundred, read every one.
2. Sort them into themes. Common themes are price, speed, support, ease of use and missing features. Here is a way to sort comments alone.
3. Count each theme. A theme mentioned by ten people matters more than a vivid story from one.
4. Compare by group. Detractors often talk about different things than passives, and the difference shows where to focus.
5. Pick one thing to fix and say so. Telling customers you changed something they raised is the best reason for them to answer next time.

Reply quickly to detractors who asked for contact. Our guide on what a good NPS score looks like explains how to read the number itself.

Common mistakes

• Asking too many questions. Each extra question costs you some answers.
• Making the comment required. You get filler text, or people leave.
• Leading the witness. A question that hints at praise gets praise and teaches you nothing.
• Asking and going quiet. If you never act, people stop answering.
• Asking too often. Our guide on asking for feedback without annoying people shows how to set gaps.

Where Pulseri fits

Pulseri sends NPS surveys to the right people on a schedule or when something happens, and shows the score over time with the comments behind it. Comments are tagged with themes, so you can see what people mention most. You can also set a rule such as "score 6 or lower" and send it to a person on your team, so a detractor hears back the same day. Start with the one question that asks why, and add more only when you need them.