3 reasons why open feedback deserves more attention than the NPS score

You see it everywhere: the NPS score. A number that either excites teams or makes them nervous. Understandably so. It’s a handy benchmark to track and compare customer loyalty. But, if we’re honest, the number is often just the tip of the iceberg. The real treasure lies beneath, in that one open-ended question: Why did you give this score? That’s why we advocate for giving open feedback the attention it deserves. Here are three reasons which really tell one story: numbers inform, but words move you.

Written by Alex Bertens

Published on 25/11/2025

Open feedback gives customers a voice

Many surveys are “inside-out.” We create the questions. We choose the scales. We define the response options.

Open feedback flips that around. It lets people speak for themselves, without a menu of choices, in their own words.

And those words are valuable. People don’t speak in numbers they speak in images, experiences, and emotions.

That’s why we often say: ask fewer questions, listen better.

Open feedback reveals the real reasons

The NPS score tells you what happened. Open feedback tells you why it happened.

Often, it’s not about a broken button or a long wait. It’s about what lies beneath: recognition, trust, feeling seen, being taken seriously.

There’s the emotion. Sometimes even strong, defining words. And that’s not a problem, it gives direction.

Addressing that emotion shifts your perspective from “inside-out” to “outside-in.” You’re not just improving processes, you’re creating meaning.

Open feedback pushes you from measurement to action

Here’s the most compelling truth: measuring isn’t the goal.

Too often, the focus is on the ritual of the score. One point up means celebration. One point down means panic. But little actually changes.

Open feedback doesn’t lend itself to a “score chase.” And that’s exactly what makes it powerful. It demands action. Learning. Sharing. Continuous improvement.

As we like to say: winning outside starts with action inside.

Making open feedback practical

Want to start using it tomorrow? Here’s how:

Read 20 responses out loud

Don’t summarize; first, feel what’s there.

Highlight recurring words

For example “frustrating,” “unclear,” “I didn’t feel heard.”

Pick one improvement per team

Focus on one thing you will truly change this month.

Close the loop

Show people how their words influenced action. Make them feel involved.

In conclusion

Don’t focus solely on the numbers. Focus on the emotion behind them. The human behind the score.

A number can be tracked. But a story can transform.

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