RPOs – like other B2B service firms – rely heavily on client satisfaction and service quality to retain accounts and differentiate from the competition. As such, NPS can be a leading indicator of revenue retention, growth, and brand differentiation in a crowded marketplace.
What is NPS?
Net Promoter® Score (NPS) is a client satisfaction and service quality metric based on a single survey question that asks business clients of RPOs how likely they are to recommend your firm to a friend or colleague. Clients respond using a numeric scale of 0-10, ten being extremely likely and zero being not likely at all.
NPS is calculated by subtracting the % of detractors (those who respond with 6 or lower) from the % of promoters (those who respond with a 9 or 10). Click here for a more detailed look at the NPS methodology.
NPS is unique because it offers standardized measurement and reporting on client satisfaction and service quality that can be applied across the RPO industry as a whole, at the company-level, and even by client category.
NPS for RPOs in 2022
NPS for RPOs is a target topic for ClearlyRated’s annual industry benchmark study, and in 2022 clients of RPOs reported an NPS of 53% based on overall satisfaction with the services provided (our sample focused on corporate clients in the U.S.).
The 2022 RPO industry NPS rose by 9 five points from 2021. As the above chart indicates, the % of Detractors of RPO firms remained mostly unchanged. The largest YOY difference came from RPOs converting formerly Passive clients into Promoters. Continued focus on client experience as the Covid-19 pandemic continued throughout 2021 was a likely driver of this increase in Promoters. RPOs were able to better hone in on their clients’ needs in an ever-changing business landscape, and this dedication translated to a large increase in NPS.
For reference, global NPS standards classify 50% NPS as excellent and 70% NPS as world-class. And recognizable service leaders like Nordstrom have an NPS of 75% compared to Comcast, a notorious service laggard, whose clients give them a -1% NPS. Click here to learn more about the NPS methodology.
Even at 53% this year, the industry service benchmark for RPOs is below the threshold for what a client might consider satisfactory service quality. RPOs have a unique opportunity to stand apart from the competition by investing in client satisfaction and service quality and creating credible proof of their commitments.
How does your service stack up?
If you’re not already leveraging NPS at your company, we hope you consider this article a call-to-action. Not only do client satisfaction and service quality represent opportunities to differentiate in an increasingly commodified service industry, they are fuel for company growth.
And if “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” – then you certainly won’t be able to improve it either.
Next steps
- Ready to get started with NPS? Contact the ClearlyRated team for insights, best practices, and a tour of our survey platform (designed specifically to support professional services firms).
