Knowing what your clients think (and more importantly SAY) about you is a powerful indicator of your business’s health and profitability. Our industry is driven by customer satisfaction and loyalty, so it’s crucial to have some sort of barometer of client sentiment. Here’s a guide on how to not only measure that sentiment but how to get it and how to use it too.
I thought I knew all the acronyms we use in travel. And then people started talking about their NPS. Is this some new love child of the GDS and NDC? Sadly, no, an NPS is a Net Promoter Score and serves as a crucial metric in gauging customer loyalty and advocacy. It provides invaluable insights into your business’s performance, with direct implications for revenue, repeat business, and referrals.
A high NPS reflects satisfied clients who are not only likely to book with you again but also eager to recommend your services to friends, family, and colleagues. Whereas a low NPS signals areas for improvement and potential churn risk, highlighting the need for strategic intervention to safeguard your business’s reputation and bottom line.
How do you find out your NPS?
Ask. Hit your clients up with a simple survey. One of the questions in your survey should be,
“On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our service to a friend or colleague?”
But there is an art to sending surveys. It’s important to consider the following:
Timing
Select opportune moments to solicit feedback from your clients. This could be shortly after booking, during the trip, or immediately upon their return. Timing is key, as you want to capture their sentiments while their experience is fresh in their minds.
Simplicity
Craft concise and straightforward surveys to minimise respondent fatigue and increase completion rates. Focus on key aspects of the travel experience, such as accommodation, transportation, activities, and overall satisfaction. Utilise rating scales or NPS-specific questions to gather actionable insights.
Channels
Diversify your survey distribution channels to reach a broader audience. Incorporate email surveys, SMS/text messages, website pop-ups, and social media polls to engage clients across different touchpoints. Experiment with various formats to determine which yield the highest response rates.
Incentives
Encourage participation by offering incentives or rewards for completing the survey. Whether it’s a discount on future bookings, entry into a prize draw, or exclusive access to special offers, incentives can motivate clients to provide valuable feedback and enhance your response rates.
Personalisation
If you have the time and resources, tailor your survey content to reflect each client’s unique journey and preferences. Address them by name, reference specific trip details, and include personalised questions based on their interactions with your services. Personalisation demonstrates your attentiveness and fosters a deeper connection with your clients.
Follow up
Don’t overlook clients who haven’t responded to your initial survey. Implement a follow-up strategy to gently remind them and encourage their participation. A friendly reminder email or personalised outreach can prompt clients to share their feedback and ensure comprehensive data collection.
How to calculate your NPS
When you get your responses back, it’s time to see how you scored.
NPS is measured on a scale of 0 to 10, where respondents are categorised into three groups:
- Promoters (give scores of 9-10): Customers who are highly satisfied and likely to promote your product or service.
- Passives (give scores of 7-8): Customers who are satisfied but not enthusiastic or loyal.
- Detractors (give scores 0-6): Customers who are dissatisfied and may spread negative word-of-mouth.
First, work out your percentage of Promoters and Detractors:
- Percentage of Promoters (P) = (Number of Promoters / Total Respondents) x 100
- Percentage of Detractors (D) = (Number of Detractors / Total Respondents) x 100
To calulate your NPS, simply subtract the percentage of Detractors (D) from the percentage of Promoters (P): NPS = P – D
Your NPS can range from -100 to +100. A positive score indicates more promoters than detractors, while a negative score suggests the opposite.
What to do with your NPS?
Take Action
Demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement by promptly acting on the feedback received. Analyse survey responses, identify trends and patterns, and prioritise areas for enhancement. Communicate your efforts to address client feedback, reinforcing your dedication to delivering exceptional experiences.
Monitor Trends
Track your NPS scores over time to assess your performance trajectory and identify areas of improvement. Keep an eye out for recurring themes, monitor fluctuations, and measure the impact of your initiatives on client satisfaction.
Incorporate NPS into KPIs
Integrate NPS into your performance metrics to align your team’s efforts with client satisfaction goals. Set targets, establish benchmarks, and incentivise achievements tied to NPS improvement. By making NPS a cornerstone of your business strategy, you reinforce its importance and drive organizational alignment.
Testify
With your client’s approvals, use any praise as testimonies and publish these across your channels. Good word of mouth is money in the bank.
