What They Don't Tell You About Those 'Would-You-Recommend?' Surveys

Here's how marketers abuse the Net Promoters Score

These days it seems every time you check your email or visit a vendor website or call customer service, you will be asked to take a customer satisfaction survey. Veteran marketers understand what’s happening here, but many consumers don’t.

Customer surveys are concerned primarily with the value of the vendor’s brand, not necessarily the actual quality of its product or service. Aren’t those the same thing? Or so strongly related you can’t separate them?

Not at all. The diagram below shows how most people assume the survey process works.

It’s natural to assume the survey will be used to improve quality.

Customers who receive survey forms may assume their responses will trigger improvements in the product or service.