Ever worked with the Net Promoter Score?

NPS – What is it?

The net promoter score refers to the experience of customers and students. The focus is on the question, whether one would recommend a company, a product, etc. to friends or acquaintances. Universities also use the NPS as a key figure for the contentment of their students. Answers are possible on a scale from 1 to 10.

Based on the assigned score, the respondents are classified in promotors, passive and detractors.

• 0-6 – detractors: They are unsatisfied und have the potential to harm the brand/institution through negative word-of-mouth.
• 7-8 – passive: They are satisfied but would possibly not recommend the brand/institution.
• 9-10 – promotors: They are loyal costumers or in our case students, who recommend the brand/institution.

The NPS is calculated from the difference between the groups of detractors and promoters in percentage points. Respondents with a scale-answer of 7 or 8 are not getting considered in the calculation.

Simply insert NPS in evasys

If a university uses evasys, then the NPS-calculation is an already included function in the software.

In the questionnaire-design, the NPS-question can be integrated in wider course or modul evaluation with a scale from 1 to 10 points. Good experience of costumers were made with its item: „I would recommend this module to other students.“.

In combination with the NPS-scale in evasys, the satisfaction values of the students can consistently collected.

The NPS is also shown in the feedback-reports of evasys, so that instructors, the dean’s office, program director or department staff have immediate access to the value.

How can the NPS be included in a survey?

It is advisable to accompany a quantitative NPS question with a free-text follow-up question in order to inquire about the students’ individual evaluation backgrounds. In evasys, the display of the free texts can be controlled, for example, if the recommendation rate on the NPS scale is indicated as less than “7”.

The qualitative data can be processed using the evasys categorization function or sentiment analysis in evasys+ to identify trends and address common issues that impact contentment.

Is the NPS a good measure of quality management in teaching and learning?

Of course there already are a variety of national, regional, institutional departmental surveys in higher education, nevertheless, the NPS offers a fast and frictionless feedback from students. They don’t necessarily have to include it as part of a larger survey. It can be output independently to get a very quick overview of the module, course or anything else you want to evaluate.

The additional free-text follow-up question provides you with valuable data justifying the students’ evaluation. Useful information can be drawn from these answers in order to take measures to improve studies and teaching and thus contribute to the further development of teaching formats. The NPS as a key performance indicator thus supports quality assurance and development.

You can also use the NPS to make sustainable improvements to studying and teaching at your university.