what is transactional NPS?
While traditional NPS asks about the overall experience with a brand, transactional NPS (tNPS) assesses customer satisfaction immediately after a specific interaction or touchpoint with a company, for instance:
- after a purchase
- after a conversation with customer service
- after visiting the website
measuring with tNPS can be misleading
Measuring transactional NPS (tNPS) at individual touchpoints can be tempting due to the direct and specific feedback it provides. Many companies see it as the next logical step after measuring relational NPS (NPS-R).
But, measuring transactional NPS (tNPS) at specific touchpoints in the customer journey often leads to misleading and counterproductive results.
the drawbacks of tNPS
1. tunnel vision on isolated points
A major issue with tNPS at specific touchpoints is that it provides a limited view of the customer experience. Customer experience is a cumulative effect formed by multiple interactions over time. By focusing on isolated touchpoints, companies miss the broader perspective and fail to understand how these interactions collectively impact overall satisfaction.
2. misleading data
Touchpoint-specific tNPS can lead to incorrect conclusions. For instance, a customer might be pleased with the quick delivery of a product (resulting in a high tNPS for that touchpoint) but be very dissatisfied with customer service or the product itself. These contradictions remain hidden when only focusing on tNPS at the touchpoint level.
3. short-term thinking
Measuring tNPS at specific touchpoints can tempt companies to implement quick fixes that only offer short-term improvements, without addressing the underlying causes. This can result in superficial changes that do not solve the core issues.
4. customer fatigue
Frequently asking for feedback after every interaction can tire customers out. They may become annoyed by constant requests for their opinion, leading to lower response rates and less accurate feedback. This undermines the effectiveness of the tNPS measurement system.
5. lack of context
Specific touchpoint measurements often miss the context needed to fully understand the feedback. Customers may rate their experiences differently based on their expectations, mood, and previous interactions with the brand. Without this context, the tNPS score at a specific touchpoint cannot be fully understood.
our tips for insightful tNPS measurement
Instead of relying solely on transactional NPS at specific touchpoints, companies should opt for a more holistic approach:
- use the customer journey as a foundation
Base your analysis on a customer journey rather than individual touchpoints. Mapping out customer journeys can help companies discover patterns and pain points that affect the overall experience. The customer journey is a visual representation of human experience, so using it as a foundation helps avoid blind spots in your measurements. Better customer understanding leads to more accurate measurements.
- seek explanations in qualitative feedback
Collect, in addition to quantitative NPS scores, also qualitative feedback for deeper insights. Ideally, combine two forms: automated text analysis of open-ended questions with scores, and perhaps call centre conversations. In-depth interviews can also provide context and nuance that numbers alone cannot reveal. This enriches your journey context, helping you better understand the numbers.
- combine different types of metrics
Experience metrics like tNPS are important, but they result from the experience delivered by the company’s operations. By linking the right behavioural and operational data, you learn how your operations influence the customer experience. This allows for quicker improvements.
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