You're correct, the number by itself, doesn't provide a ton of value beyond a measurable KPI. For some companies however, that KPI is one of their core metrics. Some companies even base compensation around the score.
That said, the NPS methodology is much more than the overall score. The real value is in the individual scores, verbatim feedback and its proven ability to tie those results into both growth and churn. All combined (and when done correctly)it can help drive funding, determine PMF, guide your product roadmap, forecast revenue and drive measurable growth (just to name a few benefits).
Breaking it down to just a score is looking at NPS far to simplistically.
atrributing verbatim feedback to NPS is misleading though. getting feedback is just talking to customers, surveys and methods that have existed for years. saying its part of the NPS methodology is giving it credit for something it did not invent.
You're right, feedback isn't exclusive to NPS, but you're missing the point. It's the type of feedback that is the critical difference here.
Yes, you can ask any customer any question and get a response, but does that question/response elicit the same intelligent and predictive value of the NPS questions? Will randomly surveying your customers generate the same response rate as an NPS survey?
NPS is a proven methodology with predictive intelligence and high response rate, what you're suggesting is not. The choice is yours though.
That said, the NPS methodology is much more than the overall score. The real value is in the individual scores, verbatim feedback and its proven ability to tie those results into both growth and churn. All combined (and when done correctly)it can help drive funding, determine PMF, guide your product roadmap, forecast revenue and drive measurable growth (just to name a few benefits).
Breaking it down to just a score is looking at NPS far to simplistically.