If you’re running an NPS survey app, nailing the best questions for NPS is everything. The classic 0-10 scale question is just the beginning—especially with AI-powered follow-ups that dig for context.
This guide shows you how to craft winning NPS questions for apps, using dynamic, conversational AI prompts. The right wording and branching logic can transform an ordinary NPS score into game-changing insights and concrete actions.
Crafting the perfect 0-10 NPS question
The heart of every NPS survey is the core question: “How likely are you to recommend this to a friend or colleague?” But a small tweak in wording can make your insights more relevant or actionable for your app. Here are a few sharp variations to consider, depending on your product:
How likely are you to recommend our app to a friend or colleague?
How likely are you to recommend this service to others?
How likely are you to recommend [App Name] as your go-to solution?
Based on your recent experience, how likely are you to share our platform with someone?
These might look similar. But changing “app” to “service” or “platform” makes the question more natural and context-specific—vital for getting answers that truly reflect your users’ experiences.
Here’s how generic versus app-tailored NPS questions compare:
Generic NPS Question | Context-Specific NPS Question |
|---|---|
How likely are you to recommend us to a friend? | How likely are you to recommend our task management app to your team? |
Would you recommend this product? | After using our expense tracking feature, how likely are you to tell others about it? |
Consistency is key: keep your NPS wording standardized over time so your trend data stays valid and actionable. Accurate, familiar wording means your results stay comparable and clear.
It’s worth noting that traditional NPS surveys often struggle with poor engagement—average response rates from email-based surveys hover around 12-15%. With apps and conversational UI, you can do much better. [1]
AI follow-ups that uncover the 'why' behind each score
Great NPS surveys don’t stop at the score. AI-driven follow-up questions—delivered in a conversational format—dynamically adapt to whether someone is a promoter, passive, or detractor. Here’s how you can put this into action for each segment:
For Promoters (9-10): You want to bottle their enthusiasm. The follow-up prompt should draw out what makes your app unforgettable, so you can double down on those strengths.
What are the top reasons you'd recommend our app to others?
For Passives (7-8): Their experience was fine—but not outstanding. Your follow-up should gently ask what held them back from a perfect 10.
What’s one thing we could improve or add to make you more likely to recommend us?
For Detractors (0-6): Now’s the time to listen and learn. Your follow-up should encourage honesty about any frustrations, blockers, or disappointments, and look for ways to recover trust.
Can you tell us what didn’t meet your expectations, or how we could make this experience better for you?
With Specific’s automatic AI follow-up questions, these branching logic flows are handled for you—no scripting or guesswork. You simply define the tone and goal for each segment, and the AI adapts to every response, probing when it senses more could be shared.
This adaptive, human-style follow-up isn’t just a nice-to-have: AI-powered NPS surveys have demonstrated a major boost in completion rates, often hitting 70–80% compared to the mere 12–15% for traditional forms. [2] That increased engagement translates directly into richer, more actionable customer insights.
NPS prompts tailored to your app type
No two apps are the same. Different user goals and business models require different NPS wording and branching logic. Here’s how I tailor follow-up prompts for the most common app categories:
SaaS/B2B apps: Your power users care about features, ROI, and results. Configure the AI to double down on those themes with your follow-ups.
What’s the most valuable feature or workflow you’ve used in the past month, and how has it impacted your work?
Consumer mobile apps: Here, it’s all about daily value and user experience. Set up your follow-ups to focus on moments of delight or sources of friction.
Which part of the app do you enjoy using the most, and is there anything that frustrates you day-to-day?
Marketplace/platform apps: Consider both sides of the equation—buyers and sellers, drivers and riders, hosts and guests. Guide the AI to branch as needed based on the user’s role.
If you could improve just one thing in your experience as a seller, what would you pick?
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel for every new app. With AI survey generator tools, you just describe your use case (e.g., “NPS for B2B project management SaaS”), and the system will propose tailored question flows and follow-ups. Set the tone of voice—playful, professional, concise, or detailed—to match your brand personality. The AI handles the prompt engineering, so your survey sounds like you, not just any chatbot.
When to ask and how to analyze NPS responses
Getting the right answers starts with asking at the right moment. Here’s what I’ve found works best in SaaS and app settings:
Post-onboarding: After a user has had enough time to form an opinion (not seconds after signup)
Milestone events: After completing a project, hitting a usage milestone, or engaging a new feature
Regular intervals: Every 3 or 6 months, but never so often you cause survey fatigue
Good Timing | Poor Timing |
|---|---|
After user completes a workflow | During first login before any usage |
At natural engagement breaks (e.g., project delivery, payment) | In the middle of an active task |
Frequency control matters. You want to maximize freshness of the data but avoid overwhelming users—set global recontact periods so respondents won’t see an NPS prompt again for several months unless you have a compelling reason. This helps keep your data actionable and avoids negative impact on CX.
One huge advantage with chat-based, AI-powered NPS surveys? Higher engagement. A conversational survey format can drive response rates 3–4x higher than old-school forms, often hitting 70–80%. [2][3] That means a lot more usable insights per invite sent.
Once responses start rolling in, you want to spot patterns, pain points, and bright spots quickly. AI-driven response analysis pulls out key themes—instantly, without spreadsheets or manual coding. Dedicated tools like AI survey response analysis features let you chat with your feedback, filtering by score segment, feature, or persona.
Show me the top three recurring suggestions from detractors over the last three months, grouped by feature area.
This way, you can move from raw NPS numbers to concrete improvement projects, segmented by what matters most to your users.
Transform your NPS program with conversational AI
Shake off the constraints of static forms. Conversational NPS apps consistently capture three times more context and narrative than one-shot surveys. With AI follow-ups, every score leads to a roadmap for specific improvement, not just a number.
If you’re ready to dig deeper, create your own survey now—start a real conversation with your customers and discover what truly moves the needle.