Published by Eric Gregg - 02/7/22

2022 NPS® Benchmarks for B2B Service Industries

All 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 clients of B2B service providers 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 B2B services industry as a whole, across different provider types and practice areas at the company-level, and even by client category.

NPS for B2B Service Providers in 2022

NPS for B2B service providers is the key focus of ClearlyRated’s annual industry benchmark study, and in 2022 clients across B2B service firms reported the following NPS scores based on overall satisfaction with the services provided (our sample focused on clients working with firms in the U.S. and Canada):

B2B NPS Benchmark chart

As you can see, NPS across industries has a wide variance, from as low as 23% for commercial printing to 60% for clients of design services. Our overall YOY data showed a relatively steady NPS in 2022 after a remarkable jump in NPS in 2021, and general satisfaction with B2B service remains stronger than in the past. This can likely be attributed to the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how appreciative clients were for the support they received throughout an unprecedented, challenging time.

It’s important to note that despite this year’s pandemic-elevated scores, only three industries represented by our sample meet the minimum global standard for ‘excellent’ service – which is classified as 50% NPS (meanwhile, 70% is considered ‘world-class’). These industry benchmarks demonstrate that the quality of service provided by B2B firms is still below the threshold for what clients might consider satisfactory, much less excellent.

Given the growing expectations of clients, and the continued prioritization of transparency and service – B2B service providers have a unique opportunity to follow the example of credible service leaders like Nordstrom (a company that boasts 75% NPS) when it comes to investing in client satisfaction and creating credible proof of their commitments. And when you compare the customer experience at a store like Nordstrom to that of Comcast (a notorious service laggard with reported NPS of -1%) you can begin to see that this type of investment won’t be optional for long. Click here to learn more about NPS.

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 also 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).

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