When the majority of your business comes from referrals and word of mouth, what better way to measure your customers’ loyalty and experience with your lawn or landscape company than with your Net Promoter Score?
For instance, Woodlawns Landscape Company’s average NPS year to year is 90. They started collecting their Net Promoter Score in 2023 after joining the Mariani Premier Group.
“Our CEO, Bryan Christensen, was a big proponent of the use of NPS and its value, and I agree that the information we have gained has been invaluable,” says Melissa Dorsey, vice president of sales for the Mundelein, Illinois-based company.
How It Works
Your Net Promotor Score is measured by asking a single survey question: “How likely is it that you would recommend [YOUR COMPANY NAME] to a friend or colleague?”
Respondents can answer on a scale of zero to 10. Those who answer zero to six are considered detractors who are unlikely to work with you in the future and may even discourage others from buying your services. Passives rate your company a seven or eight. They are satisfied, but not enough to be considered promoters.
Your promoters are those who rank you a nine or a 10. These are loyal clients who are enthusiastic about your brand and let others know about your business as well.
Once you have the responses, simply subtract the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. For example, if 80 percent of your respondents are promoters, 5 percent are passives, and 15% are detractors, your NPS would be 65.
Dorsey says Woodlawns likes the question as it is easy to answer, can be tracked across departments and paints a clear picture of how loyal and satisfied their customers are, as well as how that can directly impact growth.
Woodlawns sends out their NPS survey once a year, but Dorsey says they may increase the frequency for specific services. Currently, they send the survey out to the point of contact for all of their landscape maintenance clients.
Dorsey says they ask their account managers to inform their clients that they can expect NPS survey emails, as well as what the information will be used for. She says they also explain what the rating scale stands for, so the clients have a clear understanding.
“This last time we also asked our clients for additional feedback on what was most important for them and ranking those items for us so that we could gain knowledge and feedback,” Dorsey says.
Earning a High Net Promoter Score
Woodlawns’ strong NPS score stems from not having a single detractor.
“This is a truly humbling statistic,” Dorsey says. “Although I am sure there are clients who aren’t always 100% satisfied, what I think rings true is that our clients understand that we want to be their long-term partner in finding solutions for their landscaping needs and care about not only quality service but developing short- and long-term goals for their property. At the end of the day, we want our clients to shine and enjoy their landscapes, not be overwhelmed or annoyed by it.”
Dorsey credits their well-trained employees for having such a strong score. These individuals can handle issues faster and more effectively. They can also communicate clearly and are empathetic to their clients’ needs. She says representing the brand with confidence and consistency prevents clients from getting frustrated and becoming detractors.
For their passive respondents, they will ask what they could have done to earn a nine or 10.
“This way they feel heard and gives us actionable feedback on ways in which we can improve,” Dorsey says.
Benefits of NPS Surveys
Dorsey says they use their NPS as an internal metric for the team. It allows them to understand the passives before they become detractors. If the timing is right, they can often catch issues before they lead to a negative review or a lost referral.
“This way we can prevent a high-profile client from ever getting upset,” Dorsey says. “No news isn’t always good news. No news could be a passive person not willing to share how awesome we are with their associates. Ultimately, we are only as good as our customers perceive us to be.”
By asking for feedback, you can identify areas where you are falling short in service, such as crews leaving jobsites dirty, not showing up in a timely manner, or the office staff being non-responsive.
“It allows you to pivot and improve and ask for referrals,” Dorsey says. “Even your smallest client could refer you that big fish!”
They are also able to share the positive feedback with their team because ultimately, it is everyone involved who helped them achieve their high Net Promoter Score.
Dorsey says not only is it a useful metric, but it also shows clients that you care about their landscape experience and that their opinion about your service, team, and quality of goods matters.
She recommends other landscape companies conduct NPS surveys consistently in the mid-season so if you identify a weakness, you have the time to fix it.
“More than anything, it also reminds your clients that you are doing a great job and would love to be referred!” Dorsey says. “As you grow, your score may fluctuate, but it also gives you a measurable score by which you can create a better marketing plan, determine sales goals, and identify those promoters so that they continue to promote your company.”
