Net promoter score is a metric popular for gauging customer satisfaction and loyalty in the simplest way possible. It simply puts your customers into three categories and lets you know where you stand among your competitors based on NPS scores.
However, as technology has evolved, the way that Net Promoter Score was done has also changed. Back in 2003, when this metric was introduced, there might not have been many ways to send these surveys. But today, there are many, and all these ways have their significance. In this blog, we will discuss some of the Popular NPS Survey Channels and how these channels are important for brands.
What Are NPS Survey Channels?
First, let's understand what these channels are. A Net Promoter Score survey channel is simply a way to connect you with your customer feedback, which carries their preferences, needs, and pain points.
Some popular channels used today are emails, SMS, phone calls, pop-ups for websites, and in-app notifications. Choosing the right channel is important and requires considering some factors. It's important because choosing the wrong channel for your survey may lead to a lower response rate or other issues.
For example, if a customer has purchased something from your website and you want to know about their experience with your website. Then, the website pop-up is the best way to get their feedback, not an SMS. Simply put, before you choose a channel, it's crucial to know how the customer prefers to conduct a survey, what channels are accessible to your customers, and how engaging the channel is.
Five Types of Net Promoter Score Survey Channels
1. Email Surveys
The first channel is an old-gen channel, but still relevant to NPS survey distribution. It is a very simple way to send NPS surveys, as it has been around for a long time and allows for easy customization with plugins.
Advantages
- It is a cost-effective solution for sending NPS surveys, and it requires a very small investment to reach a wide audience.
- Talking about wide reach, yes, reaching a wider audience is possible because you don't need to know much, only email.
- Also, it can easily be automated to reach thousands of people at once.
Disadvantages
- The response rate of email surveys is low, which you can estimate with the email open rates in the industry, which is only 19.2%.
- It also lacks personalization, a current trend affecting customers a lot.
2. SMS Surveys
Around 90% of people read text messages within the first three minutes of receiving them, so this high open rate also increases the chances of getting a response for your NPS submission. That’s why it’s a good channel for Net promoter score surveys.
Advantages
- SMS has a higher response rate than emails.
- It quickly reaches the user as it doesn't require an internet connection. That's why you also get quicker response times, and fast processing of feedback becomes possible.
- With over 7 billion people using smartphones, SMS is a channel that is accessible to almost any customer.
Disadvantages
- You can't customize an SMS to look like it's you, as it can only have text input.
- Mobile numbers are among the information that people hesitate to share with strangers and companies, which may make them concerned about their privacy.
3. In-app/On-page Surveys
Now, how do you target the people who use your app or website to do business with you? Here come the in-app and on-page surveys. These surveys are sent through notifications or pop-ups.
Advantages
- You can get contextual feedback, meaning feedback for specific interactions like the usability of your app or website.
- Moreover, the response rate of these channels is also high due to their simplicity.
- Since these surveys are sent on your own website or app, they allow for next-level customization, which also reflects your brand text in time.
Disadvantages
- Pop-ups on websites are known for frustrating the user.
- You can only reach those who are on your app or website.
4. Kiosk Surveys
Kiosk is an offline method for NPS surveys. These are set up in public places to get offline responses. However, the digitalization of kiosks has also been done, so you no longer need paper and a pen.
Advantages
- It allows you to get responses offline, which is best for places where the internet is not available promptly.
- The surveys have a relation with the place where they are placed, like in a bank, to get feedback on the bank, making it a non-intrusive way of surveying.
Disadvantages
- Data processing and insight generation takes time.
- It can be more expensive to place a tablet or kiosk machine in multiple places.
5. Phone Surveys
Now, when there's a need to build trust and a deeper relationship with customers, phone call surveys play an important role. For organizations like banks, phone call surveying is both beneficial and easy, as they already have accurate customer phone numbers.
Advantages
- Phone calls add a personal touch to your survey with personalized greetings.
- It has a high engagement rate.
- You can get detailed responses with the motivation behind choosing the rating.
Disadvantages
- It can be intrusive sometimes, as sometimes a customer may not want to survey.
- It is also time-consuming as both taking feedback and processing it require time.
Key Takeaways
- NPS is one of the best metrics to gauge customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- There are many channels to send surveys to customers, such as emails, SMS, phone calls, etc.
- It is important to choose a channel for your survey wisely, based on factors like accessibility, engagement rate, and customer preferences.
Simply put, all these channels are best for different needs. So, you must know when to use which channel. To seamlessly use different NPS survey channels, use SurveyCXM, the best tool for NPS and other CX surveys. From the house of QDegrees, it is one tool for all your survey needs with the support of multiple channels.