Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a key indicator of customer satisfaction and loyalty, and for training providers, it reveals how well your training is landing with learners.
But while many providers collect NPS data, few use it effectively to drive meaningful improvement. In fact, NPS isn’t just about chasing a higher number, but it’s about understanding why learners score the way they do and acting on that insight. When used strategically, it can transform your approach to course quality, trainer development, and learner engagement.
While Net Promoter Score benchmarks vary across industries, a great NPS for training providers is typically +65 or higher for an average-sized organisation. This target is supported by our analysis of over 250,000 training survey responses.
But how can you move the needle and improve NPS scores on your training courses?
This blog will walk you through proven methods to not only boost your NPS but also leverage it effectively to drive meaningful changes across your products and services.
Understanding NPS Scoring
First things first. Improving Net Promoter Scores (NPS) for your training courses starts with understanding what those numbers actually represent.
As explained in our blog 'What is NPS and why it matters for training providers', NPS measures how likely learners are to recommend your course to a colleague, based on the simple question:
“On a scale of 0–10, how likely are you to recommend this training to a colleague?”
The NPS scale runs from 0 to 10, but it’s not a simple pass–fail measure.
Responses fall into three categories: promoters, passive and detractors.
- Promoters (9–10) : Only 9–10 are true promoters. Enthusiastic advocates who help your reputation grow.
- Passives (7–8) : Satisfied but uncommitted; vulnerable to alternatives.
- Detractors (0–6) : Dissatisfied learners who may share negative feedback.
Your overall NPS is the percentage of Promoters minus the percentage of Detractors.
This scale is deliberately skewed. Achieving promoter status is intentionally challenging, making NPS a tough but valuable performance indicator. It pushes training providers to deliver an experience that truly stands out, rather than one that’s simply satisfactory.
How to improve NPS scores on Your Training Courses
Improving your Net Promoter Score means looking at the entire customer journey, from the relevance of course content and quality of facilitation, through to post-course engagement and demonstrating that learner feedback genuinely drives change.
Below is a structured approach to guide your NPS improvement efforts.
1. Collect and deeply analyse feedback
Don’t rely solely on the NPS question. Pair it with open-ended follow-up survey questions that provide depth and context:
- “What is the main reason for your score?”
- “What did you like most about the training?” (Promoters’ responses reveal what’s working well.)
- “What could be improved?” (Detractors’ and passives’ feedback uncovers pain points.)
Then, analyse root causes and patterns in responses (e.g. “too fast” vs “too slow”) rather than individual comments. Go beyond the numeric scores to identify recurring issues, whether it’s content gaps, teaching effectiveness, logistics, or technology.
To truly understand why scores are low in certain areas and make the most out of your feedback, you must analyse it alongside key variables related to the course delivery.
2. Ask the right questions
Effective evaluation depends on carefully crafted questions. Design questions that generate real quality insights. For instance:
“When do you expect to apply the knowledge and skills you've learned today?”
This question helps you understand whether training will actually translate into on-the-job performance and reveal actionable patterns you can’t get from a single number. Pairing NPS with qualitative comments helps uncover the “root causes” behind satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
For more examples of questions you can act on, download our Ultimate Guide to Training Evaluation.
3. Segment your data
Segment your results to pinpoint performance and improvement opportunities. Break NPS down by:
- Course: For example, which topics generate the strongest or weakest advocacy?
- Trainer: Which instructors consistently inspire Promoters?
- Learning modality (e.g. in-person vs online classroom): How do classroom and virtual sessions compare?
- Class size: Did the course run with 6 people or 60?
- Participant mix: How did the mix of experience levels, job roles, or functional departments impact the experience?
By comparing results across different delivery methods (virtual vs classroom), you can target improvements precisely where they’ll make the biggest impact.
For example, a course might score highly overall but perform poorly in virtual delivery, signalling a need to adjust format or engagement methods. Similarly, a low NPS for a large class might indicate that the facilitator couldn't manage the group or that practical elements were rushed due to lack of time.
How Coursecheck can help
Designed specifically for training companies, with Coursecheck you can:
- Easily filter results and identify exactly what’s working and where improvements are needed.
- Get instant visibility with analysis by course, trainer, cohort and more.
- Simplify feedback collection with on-the-spot feedback and high response rates.
4. Take action and “close the loop”
Collecting feedback is only half the job. The real test of an effective NPS strategy is how you respond and act on that feedback.
- Engage detractors (0–6) quickly: ideally within 48 hours. Acknowledge the overall customer experience, apologise where appropriate, and offer a solution or explanation. Swift follow-up can often turn detractors into loyal advocates.
- Encourage promoters (9–10): by thanking them and inviting them to share testimonials or internal recommendations. Their advocacy can amplify positive word-of-mouth.
Examples of how training providers can act on feedback
To really move the needle, you need a closed-loop feedback system: a structured process for capturing, analysing, acting on, and communicating learner feedback.
- Make structural changes: update content, refresh delivery methods, improve access to technology, adjust course length, provide facilitator coaching or improve booking processes to ensure learners are matched to the right course level.
- Communicate changes: share tangible examples of improvements inspired by learner feedback (e.g. “You told us the sessions felt too long, so we’ve made them modular”). This transparency builds trust and shows that feedback leads to real action.
- Linking NPS to trainer performance. NPS data can also serve as a fair, data-driven tool for trainer development. By analysing results by trainer, L&D teams can identify:
- Which trainers consistently generate Promoters
- Where detractor patterns suggest coaching opportunities
- Who excels at collecting feedback and building rapport
For example, with Coursecheck, you can pair these insights with AI-generated comment summaries, allowing managers to deliver precise, evidence-based coaching and discuss real learner experiences rather than subjective opinions. Trainers see exactly how their performance affects satisfaction and can adopt proven techniques from top performers.
5. Enhance course design and delivery
The best way to improve NPS is to design courses that learners genuinely value.
- Increase relevancy and application: Ensure learning objectives align with real job performance. Use case studies, real-world scenarios, and practical exercises to help learners apply new skills immediately.
- Optimise the learning experience: Pay attention to logistics, such as smooth registration, clear communication, comfortable venues (or reliable online access). These hygiene factors are crucial as small issues and frustrations can lead to detractor scores.
- Prioritise facilitator quality: Invest in coaching and development so trainers deliver content engagingly and manage the learning environment effectively.
- Focus on value, not likeability: A high NPS comes from transformation. Learners should leave feeling they’ve grown, not just enjoyed the day.
How to use NPS to improve course design and delivery
Low NPS scores often highlight deeper structural issues. Evidence-based, high-structure course design can help you fix them. This approach involves:
- Before training: Provide short pre-work or reading to prepare learners.
- During training: Focus on active learning, group work, discussions, and practical tasks. Gamified, bite-sized, and interactive content also boosts engagement. Studies show that personalisation and gamification can increase NPS by up to 6%, especially when aligned with learner preferences.
- After training: Reinforce learning with follow-up quizzes or reflection exercises.
If your immediate (transactional) NPS is high but your delayed (relational) NPS drops after two months, it often highlights a transfer and practicality problem. In short, learners enjoyed the course but struggled to apply it later in real life. Strengthening post-course reinforcement can help close this gap.
6. Secure leadership buy-in and track progress
To ensure a sustainable NPS improvement, it must become an organisational priority. Senior leaders should endorse and champion NPS as a key business metric. Embedding it into your organisational or L&D strategy encourages accountability across teams and creates a culture where learner satisfaction and impact are everyone’s responsibility.
Track NPS trends over time to monitor progress and consider NPS benchmarks against internal goals or wider industry averages. Understanding what “good” looks like in your sector helps maintain perspective and motivation.
7. Building a culture of continuous improvement
Finally, embed NPS into a continuous feedback loop. Keep listening, keep adapting, and keep communicating the changes you make as a result.
Share results internally with team members: monthly dashboards or leaderboards can create healthy accountability. Some organisations even tie NPS improvements to staff bonuses, ensuring everyone is invested in learner satisfaction.
Using NPS effectively: where training providers go wrong
Some of the most frequent mistakes training providers make when measuring learner satisfaction are:
- Relying solely on average ratings instead of more insightful metrics like Net Promoter Score. Looking only at your average NPS hides valuable detail. While averages offer a quick snapshot, they can easily hide underlying issues, making it hard to spot trends and giving a misleading impression of overall customer sentiment.
- Not acting on feedback. Another pitfall is measuring NPS but failing to act on the results. Collecting feedback is the easy part; the hard part is acting on it. Too often, organisations stop at measurement. NPS can highlight where problems may lie, but without digging deeper into the accompanying feedback, it’s impossible to identify the root causes or take meaningful action.
- Focusing only on the score. Lastly, many focus too heavily on the score itself rather than viewing it as a tool for continuous improvement. The real value of NPS lies not in the number, but in using it to resolve pain points, shape training strategy, and deliver measurable enhancements to the learner experience.
Conclusion
With the right questions, your learners can tell you exactly what they need. The question is: are you ready to listen and act?
Improving your Net Promoter Score is about much more than numbers. It’s a continuous loop of listening, learning, and acting. Boosting NPS scores on training courses requires a systematic shift from simply measuring customer satisfaction to a data-driven system of continuous experience management.
Success is achieved not by focusing solely on the aggregate score, but by adopting the Closed-Loop Feedback System (CLFS) supported by specialised technology.
Coursecheck is designed to do exactly this. With Coursecheck, you can act promptly with automated reports delivered straight to your inbox and customise feedback forms for all delivery formats, including multi-language options.
Net Promoter Score FAQ
How to calculate NPS for training?
Calculating the Net Promoter Score for training is the same as calculating the standard NPS, but the question is adapted to the training programme. The NPS is calculated using a simple formula after surveying respondents with the question: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" on a scale of 0 to 10. Based on their score, you categorise each participant into one of three groups: Promoters, Passive and Detractors. Next, calculate the percentage of Promoters and the percentage of Detractors out of the Total Number of Respondents (including Passives). The final NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters.
Can NPS be a score of 1 to 5?
The Net Promoter Score itself is not a score from 1 to 5, but is always calculated as a number between −100 and +100. Although the standard practice uses an 11-point scale (0-10) for the initial survey question, some organisations use a shorter 5-point scale for convenience. When a 5-point scale is used, the responses must be mapped to the traditional categories, for example, a score of 5 is a Promoter, 4 is Passive, and 1, 2, and 3 are Detractors, before you apply the core NPS formula of subtracting the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters. So, yes, you can measure NPS on a 1-5 scale. What matters is that once you pick a scale, you stick to it to ensure consistency.
What is a good NPS score for a training programme?
Based on the analysis of over 250,000 training survey responses, a strong NPS for the training industry is generally considered to be above +65. However, you should know that this benchmark is pulled from companies that are already top-notch and focus heavily on quality, constantly seeking feedback to improve. Because of this, their scores are typically higher than the training industry as a whole. What counts as "good" also changes depending on your business size, type of course and subject.