You should value NPS comments over NPS scores. Why? Because not everyone runs their NPS surveys the same way. (Not sure what NPS scores are all about? Check out our article here!)

When it comes to member surveys that gauge satisfaction, there isn’t a standard way to phrase questions across every credit union. Each credit union and branch WILL have a unique way of phrasing their questions. Each has its unique demographic. There are numerous other variables that lead to the same conclusion: NPS scores just aren’t a reliable way to compare credit unions.

In a perfect world, everyone would ask the same questions. Every member would have the same values. And every credit union would be rated on the same scale. The best man credit union would win the members. But your goals and values are different than the next credit union’s.

 

NPS Comments Are a Better Way to Gauge Your Member Satisfaction

NPS scores are valuable. And it’s important to your reputation to have a good one. Scores can be used to show your progress as an institution over time. If your questions and sample group stay consistent, you’ll have a pretty accurate measure of your own growth.

But the really good info about your member satisfaction will be in the follow-up comments. Both are important.

Scores will help you determine where you are in your growth.

Comments will help you identify what aspects of your members’ experience they are rating you on. There are a few steps to making sure your NPS comments help get you closer to those 9s and 10s.

 

How NPS Comments Can Be Turned into Useful Data

So, why do we suggest paying more attention to comments on NPS surveys instead of just the number?

1.     Consistently categorize all your comments

Unless you’re paying big bucks for a fully managed survey platform, categorizing your comments will be a time-consuming manual endeavor; though one that’s worth it. Many credit unions use simple spreadsheets to sort out positive, neutral and negative comments. Some use more sophisticated tools.

Here at Livesurvey we offer a platform that accomplishes member outreach, survey collection and customizable data organization: all in one place.

From there, comments can be further categorized by subject. Taking the time to sort through comments this way will help you with the next step:

2.     Look for themes over time

Let’s say a member writes about a dissatisfactory exchange with an employee. That comment pins down an obvious problem that can be addressed. They write about a problem with an ATM and you can look into how to fix it.

Now, you have a category for comments regarding in branch customer experiences. Someone says passively that the lobby was too hot. Another person says that the lines for the tellers were confusing. Another says the interior is outdated. There’s an emerging theme.

Your customers are saying that your lobby could use an upgrade. You realize if you change the layout a little, waiting lines can be more obvious to follow.  You could invest in a better AC unit. You could update your waiting area to be more inviting.

This could apply to all types of things, like ways to improve drive through interactions or weeding out confusing parts of loan applications.

3.     Know the value of positive and negative feedback

Negative comments afford you info about what you’re doing wrong. You won’t know unless you ask, and knowledge is power. Specifically, the power to overcome your flaws.

  • Addressing negative feedback is the best way to show your members you care about their experience. Send your member a message- through email, text, the app or whichever method they prefer
  • Specifically mention the problem they brought to your attention. If you have a game plan to deal with it, let them know. Even if you don’t, a simple “We hear you. We’re working on it” could do the trick.

Positive comments let you know what you should focus on maintaining. Uphold the integrity of your members’ favorite traits about you. It’s important to allow them to have a critical voice that inspires change.

It’s just as important not to let them down by forgetting what they love about you.

 

The Takeaway

NPS scores are valuable, but follow up comments are where the golden nuggets lie. Review comments. Keep them organized. Work to understand your members better. Let your NPS score take the backseat, but keep them in mind.

If you want to know more about how NPS scores really work, check out our article: “What are the Pros and Cons of a Net Promoter Score?”

If you need to know what you can do to fix a bad NPS score, check out “How Can a Credit Union Fix a Bad NPS Score?”

Want to see how LiveSurvey makes credit union surveys easy? Book a quick demo now.