Choosing the right metric is a critical first step in building your customer experience program. In this article, we’ll explain how AskNicely handles NPS, CSAT, and 5 Star survey types—including how each is scored, when to use them, and our expert recommendation for getting started.
💡 Introduction
AskNicely supports three core survey types: Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Five Star surveys. Each method has different strengths depending on the feedback you want to collect and the customer journey stage you’re targeting.
🧠 Metric Breakdown & Scoring
🌟 NPS (Net Promoter Score)
Known as “The Ultimate Question,” NPS is the gold standard for measuring overall customer loyalty. It asks:
“How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?”
Respondents choose a score from 0 to 10:
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9–10 = Promoters
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7–8 = Passives
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0–6 = Detractors
💡 Recommended use:
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Recurring pulse surveys (e.g. every 90 days)
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Great for company-wide customer loyalty metrics
📊 NPS Formula:
Example:
10 total responses = [10, 10, 9, 9, 9, 8, 7, 4, 2, 1]
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Promoters: 5/10 = 50%
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Detractors: 3/10 = 30%
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NPS: (0.5 − 0.3) × 100 = 20
😊 CSAT (Customer Satisfaction)
CSAT asks a simple, direct question:
“How satisfied are you with your experience?”
Respondents choose a score from 1 (Very Unsatisfied) to 5 (Very Satisfied).
💡 Recommended use:
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Post-onboarding
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Project completion
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Product or service delivery
Promoter Classification:
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5–4 = Satisfied
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3 = Neutral
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2–1 = Unsatisfied
📊 CSAT Formula:
Example:
Scores = [5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1]
Sum = 33 ÷ 10 = 3.3
⭐ 5 Star
These surveys use a familiar 1–5 star scale and are ideal for quick feedback.
💡 Recommended use:
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Event feedback (e.g. after a webinar or support call)
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Retail or hospitality encounters
📊 5 Star Formula:
Example:
Scores = [5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 3, 1, 1]
Sum = 43 ÷ 10 = 4.3
🧭 Our Recommendation
We recommend starting with NPS using this tried-and-true question flow:
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NPS Score: "How likely are you to recommend us?"
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Follow-up: "Why did you give us a {score}?"
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Improvement prompt: "What's one thing we could do better?"
This structure, used in our default templates, is perfect for broad feedback collection. Once you’ve captured enough data, you can segment by customer lifecycle, region, or team and refine your strategy from there.
❓ FAQs & Common Issues
Q: Can I run multiple metrics in AskNicely at once?
A: Yes—just use different survey templates for each metric.
Q: Where do these metrics appear in reporting?
A: All three scores can be viewed and filtered on your Dashboard, Leaderboards, and Statistics.
Q: Can I customize the labels in CSAT or 5 Star surveys?
A: Absolutely! Customize the language in your template to match your brand and tone.
Q: Are NPS scores industry standard?
A: Yes. NPS is widely recognized and is a great metric for benchmarking against competitors.
Q: Are 5 Star and CSAT interchangeable?
A: While similar in format, 5 Star is typically used for quicker, less detailed feedback. CSAT is better for more involved touchpoints.