What's a good Net Promoter Score in the Training Industry?

Overall NPS analysis

The average NPS rating across all training providers on Coursecheck over 12 months was +67 but as you can see from the chart, this masks some big variations. The most commonly achieved NPS was between +75 and +85 but over half of all companies were below that level. At the other end of the scale, the numbers fall more sharply with only 19% of companies managing to achieve a score of over 85.

NPS by company size

Here's how we defined company size:

• Small businesses are sole traders
• Medium ones have around 20 staff or freelancers
• Large is anything over 20 people

When we looked at average NPS by company size, we noticed a clear correlation, with smaller companies on average, outperforming their larger counterparts.

Our ideas on why smaller training companies gain higher NPS ratings than bigger ones:

• Smaller companies, often owner-managed, are typically extremely passionate and driven by what they do, which tends to come across more directly to their learners.
• Customer service in smaller companies is generally much more personalised, giving them an advantage over their larger peers.
• Larger training companies tend to have more trainers. Without the right feedback tools, it's difficult to ensure that every trainer is performing well, and understands how to improve their performance.

How the price of training affects your NPS

Looking at NPS based on the typical price of training, we found a correlation.

• Customer satisfaction was higher with lower-value, short training courses
• It was lower with longer, more expensive courses

We suspect two key factors are at work here:

1. Customer satisfaction depends upon how well your customers’ expectations are met.
   
   Someone paying more for a course, rather like flying in first class, has higher expectations than someone flying in economy. Their higher expectations are harder to meet.
   
   
2. Long or difficult courses tend to lower customer satisfaction feedback.
   
   We suspect a link between the length of a course and the intensity or intellectual challenge of the course content.
   
   Difficult courses most likely deliver greater long-term benefit to the learners. However, it seems that experiencing a tougher learning experience is challenging, which lowers the learner’s satisfaction levels.

NPS by training course subject area

Finally, we looked at NPS based on the subject matter being taught. This proved less conclusive, although it feels significant that the subject area getting the highest satisfaction was Health & Welfare. This includes a number of companies offering training in topics such as Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), physical First Aid, Autism and Suicide awareness. Instructors teaching these subjects tend to be extremely passionate about their chosen field, often working on the front line. It's perhaps not surprising that these subject areas scored so highly.

Benchmarking your NPS ratings

The bottom line is that if you're achieving an NPS rating in excess of +67, then that's good by any definition.

This chart gives you a good idea of what to aim for based on your company size or what you typically charge for training. You can benchmark your average NPS compared to similar training companies.

If you're a small training company offering low-cost courses, then the bar is higher at +82; but if you're a large company offering expensive courses, anything above +40 is an achievement, but there are several ways to improve this. The first place to start is deeply understanding your feedback to be able to spot trends and specific areas for improvement.