Net Promoter Score: bibliometric review of theory and practice

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric review of the academic discourse on the Net Promoter Score (NPS), a pivotal metric in customer relationship management, thereby broadening the understanding of its application and impact in academic research and practice. Method: The study examines a corpus of 464 publications indexed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The analysis encapsulates temporal progression, geographical distribution, publication types, top-cited papers, thematic foci, and collaborative dynamics, realized through co-authorship networks, among others. Findings: The findings suggest growing interest in NPS, particularly in the last five years, with the United States leading the discourse. Major themes like 'customer satisfaction,' 'customer loyalty,' and 'customer retention' were identified, among others, and indications of a moderately collaborative environment in the co-authorship networks. Originality: This study offers an encompassing perspective on the academic landscape of NPS, contributing to the limited body of bibliometric reviews on this topic. It holds value for researchers and practitioners interested in customer relationship management and its theoretical support.