Framework · Measurement
NPS and better-targeted survey metrics
NPS is qualified, not discredited: it predicts growth about as well as other satisfaction measures, but it throws away information, surveys only current customers and is not diagnostic. Pair any attitude score with behavior, such as actual referrals, and use targeted instruments: effort score, SUS, single-ease and worth-your-time questions.
Plain label: satisfaction and effort surveysAlso known as: NPS, CES, SUS, CSAT, worth your time
- NPS correlates with growth in several studies (r about .46-.48), but other satisfaction metrics predict about as well, and net scoring needs larger samples than a mean Evidence grade A. Robust evidence: replicated, peer-reviewed research. (a review of 22 studies).
- Customer Effort Score. Effort predicted loyalty better than satisfaction or NPS in a 75,000-person service study Evidence grade A. Robust evidence: replicated, peer-reviewed research..
- SUS. A mean of 68 is the 50th percentile across about 500 studies; 80+ is roughly the top 10% (benchmark confidence B).
- Worth-your-time micro-surveys after sessions separate valued time from compulsive time.
How it plugs in. On Recall & Trust routes, read NPS next to the referral share it should produce. Stated intent alone is never a success metric.
Sources
Has the Net Promoter Score been discredited in the academic literature? · MeasuringU (Jeff Sauro), 2019
Benchmark confidence A. A primary source for the benchmark.
Book content is paraphrased, never quoted at length. Last verified October 24, 2026.
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