NPS Survey Templates: 10 Tested Question Formulations

"How likely are you to recommend us?" Seems simple enough. Among the companies we work with, the pattern is clear. Specifically, those who tailor the NPS question to the specific context get dramatically better data than those using one generic question everywhere.

Moreover, the difference isn't subtle. A post-support NPS that references the support interaction gets 15-20% higher response rates and far more specific open-text feedback than a generic brand health question. In addition, the follow-up question matters even more. Asking a Detractor "why did you give that score?" wastes the chance to ask "what is the single biggest thing we should fix?"

Ten templates below, each tested across our client base. Pick the ones that match your touchpoints. If you are new to NPS, start with our Getting Started with NPS guide. For the fundamentals, see What is NPS?.

1. Relationship NPS (Overall Brand Health)

The relationship NPS is the classic formulation. It measures overall loyalty independent of any specific transaction and is typically sent on a quarterly or biannual schedule.

Copy-paste question:

On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend [Company Name] to a friend or colleague?

Follow-up questions by segment:

• Promoters (9-10): "We're glad to hear that! What do you value most about working with us?"
• Passives (7-8): "Thank you for your feedback. What would we need to do to earn a higher score from you?"
• Detractors (0-6): "We're sorry to hear that. What is the single biggest thing we could improve?"

When to use: Quarterly or biannual check-ins with your full customer base. Best for tracking brand health trends over time and benchmarking against industry averages.

A/B test tip: Test "friend or colleague" against "someone in your network" to see which framing resonates better. B2B audiences often respond better to "colleague," while B2C audiences connect more with "friend."

2. Transactional NPS (Post-Purchase)

This template captures sentiment immediately after a purchase, while the experience is still fresh. As a result, the specificity of referencing "your recent purchase" increases both relevance and response rates.

Copy-paste question:

Based on your recent purchase, how likely are you to recommend [Company Name] to a friend or colleague? (0-10)

Follow-up questions by segment:

• Promoters (9-10): "Wonderful! What made your purchase experience stand out?"
• Passives (7-8): "Thanks for your response. Was there anything about the purchase process that could have been smoother?"
• Detractors (0-6): "We appreciate your honesty. What part of the purchase experience fell short of your expectations?"

When to use: 24 to 48 hours after a completed purchase or order delivery. Ideal for e-commerce, retail, and any business with a clear transaction moment.

A/B test tip: Experiment with timing. Send the survey 24 hours post-purchase to one group and 72 hours to another. Products that require setup or first use often get more thoughtful responses with a longer delay.

3. Post-Support NPS

Support interactions are critical moments of truth. This template ties the NPS question directly to the support experience, giving your team actionable data on service quality.

Copy-paste question:

Following your recent support experience, how likely are you to recommend [Company Name] to a friend or colleague? (0-10)

Follow-up questions by segment:

• Promoters (9-10): "Great to hear! What did our support team do particularly well?"
• Passives (7-8): "Thank you. What could our support team have done differently to make your experience even better?"
• Detractors (0-6): "We're sorry your experience wasn't up to standard. What was the main issue with the support you received?"

When to use: Within 1 to 2 hours of a support ticket being marked as resolved. The closer to resolution, the more accurate the feedback. Avoid sending if the ticket was auto-closed without genuine resolution.

A/B test tip: Test whether including the support agent's name in the question ("Following your recent interaction with [Agent Name]...") increases response rates. Typically, personalization lifts responses by 5-8%, but some customers may feel uncomfortable rating an individual.

4. Post-Onboarding NPS

The onboarding phase sets the tone for the entire customer relationship. This template captures first impressions and identifies friction points before they become ingrained dissatisfaction.

Copy-paste question:

Now that you have completed onboarding, how likely are you to recommend [Company Name] to a friend or colleague? (0-10)

Follow-up questions by segment:

• Promoters (9-10): "Fantastic! What part of the onboarding process was most helpful for getting you started?"
• Passives (7-8): "Thanks for the feedback. What would have made your onboarding experience smoother or more complete?"
• Detractors (0-6): "We want to make this right. What was the biggest challenge you faced during onboarding?"

When to use: 1 to 3 days after the customer completes the last step of your defined onboarding flow. For SaaS products, this could be after the first key action is completed. For services, it could be after the kick-off meeting and initial setup.

A/B test tip: Compare "Now that you have completed onboarding" with "After your first week with [Product Name]" to test whether time-based or milestone-based framing yields higher quality responses.

5. Post-Event NPS

Events, whether webinars, conferences, workshops, or training sessions, represent concentrated experiences. This template captures attendee sentiment while the event is still top of mind.

Copy-paste question:

How likely are you to recommend [Event Name] to a friend or colleague? (0-10)

Follow-up questions by segment:

• Promoters (9-10): "Glad you enjoyed it! Which session or aspect of the event was most valuable to you?"
• Passives (7-8): "Thanks for attending! What would make you more likely to recommend this event next time?"
• Detractors (0-6): "We appreciate your candid feedback. What was the main disappointment or area for improvement?"

When to use: Within 24 hours of the event ending. For multi-day events, consider sending at the end of each day to capture granular feedback, but only send the NPS question once (typically after the final day).

A/B test tip: Test recommending "the event" versus recommending "attending [Event Name] next year." The second framing focuses on repeat attendance and can surface different drivers of satisfaction.

6. Renewal NPS

The renewal moment is a natural point to gauge loyalty. Consequently, customers who are about to renew or have just renewed are actively evaluating their relationship with you, making their feedback especially meaningful.

Copy-paste question:

As you approach your renewal, how likely are you to recommend [Company Name] to a friend or colleague? (0-10)

Follow-up questions by segment:

• Promoters (9-10): "That's great to hear! What has delivered the most value for you over the past contract period?"
• Passives (7-8): "Thank you. What would increase the value you get from [Company Name] in the next period?"
• Detractors (0-6): "We want to understand your concerns. What has been the biggest gap between your expectations and your experience?"

When to use: 30 to 60 days before the contract renewal date. This gives your team enough time to act on Detractor feedback before the renewal decision is finalized. Avoid sending after the renewal is confirmed, as this can feel like an afterthought.

A/B test tip: Test sending at 60 days versus 30 days before renewal. Earlier sends give more time to act but may catch customers before they have formed a clear opinion about renewing.

7. B2B Account-Level NPS

B2B relationships involve multiple stakeholders with different perspectives. This template is designed for enterprise and mid-market accounts where the "recommend" concept applies to the business relationship as a whole.

Copy-paste question:

Considering your organization's overall experience, how likely are you to recommend [Company Name] to a peer in your industry? (0-10)

Follow-up questions by segment:

• Promoters (9-10): "Thank you! What aspect of our partnership has delivered the most impact for your organization?"
• Passives (7-8): "We appreciate your input. What would strengthen our partnership from your perspective?"
• Detractors (0-6): "Your feedback is important to us. What is the primary area where we are falling short of your organization's needs?"

When to use: Quarterly for strategic accounts, biannually for the broader B2B customer base. Send to multiple contacts within each account (executive sponsor, day-to-day user, technical lead) to get a multi-perspective view. Aggregate scores at the account level for a holistic picture.

A/B test tip: Test "a peer in your industry" versus "another business leader." Decision-makers often respond better to peer-oriented language, while operational users prefer more general phrasing.

8. Product-Specific NPS

When you offer multiple products or services, a single NPS question cannot capture the nuance. Therefore, this template isolates feedback for a specific product, making it clear what the customer is evaluating.

Copy-paste question:

How likely are you to recommend [Product Name] to a friend or colleague? (0-10)

Follow-up questions by segment:

• Promoters (9-10): "Awesome! What feature or aspect of [Product Name] do you find most valuable?"
• Passives (7-8): "Thanks for your feedback. What feature or improvement would make [Product Name] a must-have for you?"
• Detractors (0-6): "We want to improve. What is the biggest limitation or frustration you experience with [Product Name]?"

When to use: After a meaningful usage period (e.g., 30 days of active use) or following a major product update. Ideal for companies with a product portfolio where overall brand NPS does not provide enough granularity for product teams to act on.

A/B test tip: Test naming the product versus describing it functionally ("our analytics dashboard" versus "[Product Name]"). Functional descriptions can resonate better when customers do not strongly associate with product brand names.

9. Employee Referral NPS (eNPS)

Employee NPS applies the same methodology internally. In particular, it measures how likely employees are to recommend your company as a place to work, serving as a powerful indicator of engagement and culture.

Copy-paste question:

How likely are you to recommend [Company Name] as a great place to work to a friend or former colleague? (0-10)

Follow-up questions by segment:

• Promoters (9-10): "That's wonderful! What do you value most about working here?"
• Passives (7-8): "Thanks for your honest response. What one change would make your work experience significantly better?"
• Detractors (0-6): "We take this seriously. What is the primary reason you would hesitate to recommend us as an employer?"

When to use: Quarterly or monthly pulse surveys. Ensure complete anonymity to get honest responses. Avoid sending during high-stress periods (e.g., end of fiscal year, major restructuring) unless you want to measure sentiment during those specific moments.

A/B test tip: Test "a great place to work" versus simply "as a workplace." The more neutral phrasing may yield more honest responses, as the "great place to work" language can feel leading.

10. Competitive Benchmark NPS

This template adds a competitive dimension by asking customers to evaluate you relative to alternatives. Additionally, it surfaces differentiation strengths and competitive vulnerabilities that a standard NPS question might miss.

Copy-paste question:

Compared to other solutions you have used, how likely are you to recommend [Company Name] to a friend or colleague? (0-10)

Follow-up questions by segment:

• Promoters (9-10): "Great! What sets [Company Name] apart from other options you have considered or used?"
• Passives (7-8): "Thank you. In which areas do you feel competing solutions outperform us?"
• Detractors (0-6): "We appreciate your honesty. What does a competitor do better that you wish we would match or exceed?"

When to use: Annually as part of a broader competitive intelligence effort, or when you suspect competitive pressure is increasing. Particularly valuable in crowded markets where differentiation is a constant challenge.

A/B test tip: Test including "Compared to other solutions you have used" versus the standard question without the comparative framing. Compare the score distributions and especially the open-text responses to see which version generates more strategically useful feedback.

A/B Testing Your NPS Questions: A Practical Framework

Choosing the right template is only the beginning. Furthermore, continuous optimization through A/B testing ensures your NPS program improves over time. Here is a framework you can apply to any template in this guide.

What to Test

• Question framing: Change the introductory context (e.g., "Based on your recent experience" vs. "Thinking about the past 3 months")
• Recommendation target: "Friend or colleague" vs. "someone in your network" vs. "a peer"
• Follow-up wording: Open-ended ("Why did you give that score?") vs. directed ("What is the single biggest thing we could improve?")
• Survey timing: Hours vs. days after the trigger event
• Personalization level: Generic vs. including customer name, product name, or agent name

How to Run a Valid Test

1. Randomize: Split your audience randomly, not by segment or geography
2. Equal groups: Ensure both variants reach a statistically comparable audience
3. Sufficient volume: Aim for at least 100 responses per variant before drawing conclusions
4. Single variable: Change only one element at a time
5. Full cycle: Run the test for at least one complete survey cycle to account for timing effects

What to Measure

• Response rate: Did more people complete the survey?
• Score distribution: Did the mean or distribution shift significantly?
• Open-text quality: Did you receive more specific, actionable feedback?
• Completion rate: Did fewer people abandon the survey midway?

For more strategies on boosting participation, see our guide on how to improve survey response rates.

Template Comparison Table

How to Choose the Right Template

Selecting the right template comes down to three questions:

1. What is the goal? If you want to track overall loyalty, use the Relationship NPS (#1). If you want to optimize a specific touchpoint, use the corresponding transactional template (#2-6).

2. Who is the audience? B2B accounts with multiple stakeholders need the Account-Level template (#7). Employees need the eNPS template (#9). End consumers respond best to simpler, transaction-linked questions.

3. What will you do with the data? If product teams need to act on the feedback, use the Product-Specific template (#8). If you need competitive intelligence, the Benchmark template (#10) surfaces that directly.

Most mature NPS programs use 2 to 4 templates simultaneously: one relationship NPS for overall tracking, plus 1 to 3 transactional variants for key touchpoints.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Using the same generic question everywhere. A customer who just had a support interaction and receives a generic "How likely are you to recommend us?" question does not know what they are evaluating. Specificity drives quality.

Mistake 2: Asking too many follow-up questions. The NPS survey should take under 60 seconds. One score, one follow-up. Anything more and your completion rates will suffer. If you need more data, use a separate, longer survey for a subset of respondents.

Mistake 3: Ignoring the follow-up question design. The open-text follow-up is where the real insight lives. A generic "Why?" is less effective than a segment-tailored question that guides the respondent toward actionable feedback.

Mistake 4: Never testing your question wording. The first version you deploy is almost never the best. Commit to testing at least one element per quarter.

Mistake 5: Forgetting to close the loop. No template in the world matters if you do not act on the feedback. Every Detractor response should trigger a follow-up workflow. Learn more about building a complete NPS program in our Getting Started with NPS guide.

Next Steps

You now have 10 proven NPS question templates ready to deploy. Here is how to move forward:

1. Pick your starting template. If you do not have an NPS program yet, start with the Relationship NPS (#1) and one transactional variant that matches your most important customer touchpoint.

2. Set up your survey tool. Configure the question, follow-up logic, and distribution triggers.

3. Plan your A/B test. Choose one element to test in your first cycle.

4. Build your close-the-loop workflow. Define who follows up with Detractors, within what timeframe, and with what authority to resolve issues.

5. Review and iterate. After your first full cycle, review response rates, score distribution, and feedback quality. Adjust your template choice and wording based on what you learn.

Ready to launch your NPS program with these templates? Explore our pricing plans or get in touch with our team to discuss which setup fits your organization best.