Net Promoter Score is one of the most widely used metrics in SaaS — and one of the most widely misused. Teams set up an NPS survey, collect responses, look at the number, and then do nothing with it. The number goes into a spreadsheet and the signal dies there.
NPS is only valuable if it drives action. Here's how to set it up so it does.
The NPS question (and the one follow-up that matters)
The standard NPS question is: "How likely are you to recommend [Product] to a friend or colleague?" Scored 0–10.
Always include one open-ended follow-up: "What's the main reason for your score?" This is where the actionable signal lives. Without the follow-up, a 6 tells you nothing. With it, you learn exactly what drove the dissatisfaction.
When to send NPS surveys
Timing is the most important variable in NPS collection. Asking too early gets you meaningless scores — the user hasn't experienced your product. Asking too late gets you nothing — they've forgotten the experience.
- Relationship NPS: Send quarterly to your full active user base. This is your benchmark metric — track it over time.
- Transactional NPS: Trigger after a key event — completion of onboarding, first successful use of a core feature, renewal, or a support ticket close. These tell you about specific moments in the journey.
- Wait at least 7 days after signup before sending the first NPS. New users haven't had time to form a real opinion.
The three segments and what to do with each
Ask for a testimonial or review. These users are willing to help — make it easy with a one-click link to your testimonial form.
Survey them about what would make the product a 10. This segment is underused — they're close to promotion, and often have the most actionable feedback.
Reach out personally within 24 hours. Ask what went wrong. Most detractors who get a personal response become at least passives. Some become promoters.
Setting up NPS in ShipPulse
In ShipPulse, go to Project → NPS → Create Survey. Configure:
- Survey question (default NPS question pre-filled)
- Follow-up question for each segment (different prompt for promoters vs detractors)
- Trigger: time-based (quarterly email) or event-based (via API)
- Minimum days between surveys per user (prevents survey fatigue)
For in-app NPS, use the API to trigger a survey after a specific event:
// After user completes onboarding
await fetch('https://shippulse.dev/api/v1/nps/trigger', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Authorization': 'Bearer sp_your_api_key',
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
},
body: JSON.stringify({
survey_id: 'nps_your_id',
respondent_email: user.email,
respondent_name: user.name,
}),
});ShipPulse handles deduplication — if a user was surveyed recently, the trigger is silently skipped.
What a good NPS score looks like for SaaS
Industry benchmarks vary widely, but a rough guide for B2B SaaS:
- Below 0 — critical signal, something is seriously wrong
- 0–20 — room for significant improvement
- 20–50 — healthy for most SaaS products
- 50–70 — strong; you have genuine advocates
- 70+ — exceptional; rare at scale
The absolute number matters less than the trend. A score of 35 that's been rising for three quarters is better than a score of 50 that's declining.
How to use NPS to drive testimonials
Promoters are your warmest possible testimonial source. When someone gives you a 9 or 10, trigger a testimonial request immediately — the sentiment is there.
In ShipPulse, you can configure an automatic follow-up to promoters: a thank-you email with a link to your testimonial collection form. The timing is ideal — the user just told you they love the product.