NPS Detractors: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Win Them Back 

Article Summary:

This article explains what NPS Detractors are—customers who score a business between 0 and 6 on a Net Promoter Score survey—and why they pose a serious risk to customer loyalty, churn, and overall NPS. Detractors often highlight breakdowns in the customer experience, such as poor communication, unmet expectations, or service issues, making their feedback especially valuable.

The article outlines best practices for winning Detractors back, including responding quickly, asking follow-up questions, addressing root causes, and closing the feedback loop. By acting on insights and improving internal processes, businesses can reduce churn, strengthen customer relationships, and in some cases convert dissatisfied customers into loyal advocates.

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NPS Detractors: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Win Them Back 

An NPS Detractor is a customer who gives you a score between 0 and 6 on a Net Promoter Score survey. No sugar-coating it: they’re not happy, and they won’t recommend you. 

You’ve probably had this happen. A customer signs up, and everything seems just fine. Then one day, they leave a bad review or cancel their service. To be honest, you didn’t see it coming. But it turns out they were frustrated. 

These kinds of situations are what make tracking your Detractors so important. Their scores and comments are like warning signs. If you hear them and follow up, you can repair what’s broken before they say goodbye to your business for good. 

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly what an NPS Detractor score is, how to understand their feedback, how they affect your business, and how to win them back. Let’s get going. 

What Is an NPS Detractor? 

A Net Promoter Score (NPS) Detractor is a customer who scores your business between 0 and 6 on an NPS survey. That means they’re not likely to recommend you. 

They might even spread the word about how bad they thought your service was. 

Let’s break it down. 

The 0–6 Scoring Range Explained 

Detractors from NPS scores come from one question: 

“How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?” 

Customers answer on a scale from 0 to 10. Here’s what a score between 0 and 6 usually means: 

• 0 to 2: They’re frustrated. They had a poor experience or lost trust. 

• 3 to 4: They’re disappointed. Something didn’t meet their expectations. 

• 5 to 6: They’re uncertain. They might stay around a little longer, but they’re not happy. 

These scores signal risk. Most Detractors are already thinking about jumping ship and taking their business elsewhere. 

How Detractors Differ From Passives and Promoters 

Promoter vs. Detractor: what are the big differences? 

Detractors score lower. They behave differently. They feel differently. And they impact your business in ways that others don’t. 

Here’s how the three NPS Promoters, Detractors, and Passives compare: 

NPS Group	Score	How They Feel	What They Do
Detractors	0–6	Frustrated or upset	Complain, cancel, leave poor reviews
Passives	7–8	Fine, but not loyal	Switch if a better option comes along
Promoters	9–10	Happy, loyal	Recommend you, choose you again

Common Traits and Feedback Patterns of Detractors 

You’ve likely heard from a Detractor before. It might have come through a strongly worded email or a cold one-star review. 

Detractors tend to give specific feedback (a blessing in disguise). They mention issues like slow service, poor communication, confusing pricing, or support that didn’t actually solve their problem. Their tone is usually blunt because they feel ignored or let down. 

What they say isn’t always kind, but it’s clear as day. 

These patterns point to bigger problems in your customer experience (CX). If the same issues are mentioned by multiple Detractors, they’re likely costing you revenue. Poor onboarding and broken promises make it easy for your competitors to win them over. 

Why Detractors Matter in the NPS Framework 

The NPS framework is a way to measure customer loyalty. 

Every time a customer answers the survey question, their score falls into one of three groups: Promoter, Passive, or Detractor. That score shows how your business is doing, big picture, and where it’s at risk. 

Detractors pull your score down the fastest. They also give the most direct feedback. 

How Detractors Impact Your Net Promoter Score 

Your NPS is a number between -100 and 100. It shows how customers feel about you overall. 

Here’s how it’s calculated: 

1. Find the percentage of Promoters (those who score 9 to 10). 

2. Find the percentage of Detractors (those who score 0 to 6). 

3. Subtract the Detractor % from the Promoter %. 

For example: 

• 60% Promoters 

• 20% Detractors 

• NPS = 60 − 20 = 40 

Even a small group of Detractors can cause your score to plummet. If more people go into the 0 to 6 range, your NPS tanks. 

The Link Between Detractors and Customer Churn 

Customer churn is the number of people who stop doing business with you over a set period. 

The formula is: 

Churn rate = (Lost customers ÷ Total customers at start) × 100 

According to Investopedia: “The churn rate of a company is particularly meaningful in industries where customers can easily switch from one provider to another…” 

This includes businesses like gyms and subscription-based services. 

Here’s how it connects to Detractors: 

• Detractors are already unhappy. 

• Unhappy customers are more likely to leave. 

• When they leave, they become part of your churn. 

• If churn goes up, revenue goes down. 

What Detractor Feedback Reveals About Experience Gaps 

An experience gap is the space between what you promise and what the customer actually gets. Detractor feedback shines a light on where that gap exists. 

Many Detractors point to something broken or confusing. It could be poor support or a deliverable that doesn’t meet their expectations. Their words tell you what it’s like to be on the other side of your service. 

RELATED ARTICLE — Measuring Customer Satisfaction: How NPS Drives Enhanced Customer Engagement 

How to Follow Up With NPS Detractors 

Getting feedback is only the first step. What you do next sets you apart. 

The Essential Follow-Up Question (“What can we improve?”) 

Once a customer scores you between 0 and 6, take action. Ask them a question: 

“What can we improve?” 

This question does two things: 

1. It shows that you’re listening. 

2. It helps you get to the real issue behind the low score. 

You’ll also need a way to collect and track the answers you get. If you don’t, nothing changes. Use a shared spreadsheet or an NPS feedback tool. 

Response Templates for Email, Phone, and Text 

You don’t have to write a response from scratch every time. Instead, give these NPS Detractor follow-up templates a go. 

Respond via email: 

Subject: Thank you for your feedback, [Name] 

Hi [Name], 

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m sorry we let you down. I’d like to know more so we can make things better. 

What can we improve? 

You can reply to this email. 

Thank you again, 

[Your Name] 

Respond on the phone: 

Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] from [Company]. 

I saw your recent feedback, and I wanted to say thank you. I’m sorry your experience wasn’t what it should have been. 

Do you mind sharing what we could have done better? 

Respond via text message: 

Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] from [Company]. Thanks for your feedback. We’re sorry we missed the mark. What’s one thing we could do better next time? 

When and How Quickly You Should Respond 

The speed of your response matters as much as the message itself. Follow these best practices: 

• Respond within 24 hours. 

• Use the same channel they used. If they answered by email, reply by email. 

• Use their name. Let them know a real person is listening. 

• Track the outcome and make sure the issue is logged and followed up on. 

Strategies to Reduce NPS Detractors 

Fewer Detractors means fewer bad reviews and cancellations and more loyal customers and referrals. 

Here are three ways to lower your NPS Detractor count. 

1. Improving Onboarding, Support, and Experience Friction Points 

Your first impression matters. If customers feel confused or ignored from the first touchpoint, it’s hard to ever earn their trust. 

Problems might have to do with: 

• Onboarding (how someone gets started with your business) 

• Support (how they get help from you or your team) 

• Experience (how effortless the process feels from start to finish) 

Friction might look like: 

• Long wait times 

• Hard-to-use tools or apps 

• Poor handoffs between teams 

• No clear next steps 

Here’s how to fix it: 

• Use a short welcome checklist after sign-up. 

• Establish timelines so customers know what to expect. 

• Train support teams to answer faster and with relevant information. 

2. Fixing Root Causes: Product, Service, and Communication Issues 

Most Detractors move along because something didn’t work. And then no one fixed it. 

To reduce Detractors, you need to fix the deeper root causes: 

• Product issues like bugs, slow load times, or missing features 

• Service issues like delays or not following through 

• Communication issues, such as no updates and unclear emails 

• Expectations, like when what they got didn’t line up with what you said 

To get started, take these two steps: 

1. Review 10 recent Detractor comments. Look for the root issue, not just the symptom. 

2. Meet with your product or service team once a month. Share what Detractors have to say and brainstorm fixes. 

Don’t wait for trends to “bubble up.” Be proactive and go find them. 

3. Using Detractor Themes to Prioritize CX Improvements 

Companies that focus on customer experience see an 80% increase in revenue. 

It’s indisputable: CX matters. You know this, but you’re not sure where to invest your limited time and resources. Detractor themes give you data that prioritizes. 

Here’s what to do: 

1. First, group Detractor comments by theme: price, support, wait time, product bugs, and so on. 

2. Then, count how often each theme comes up in comments. 

3. Ask yourself: which of these causes the most churn or bad reviews? 

4. Fix the theme with the highest impact first. 

For example, let’s say 12 out of 30 Detractor comments mention “long hold times,” start there. 

RELATED ARTICLE — Harnessing NPS™ for Valuable Customer Insights 

Best Practices for Handling Detractors Effectively 

You can do nothing wrong, and some customers will still have a lousy time with your business. That’s life. 

While you can’t avoid every Detractor, you can manage their feedback in a way that builds trust rather than breaking it. Here’s how. 

Closing the Loop: Steps to Convert Detractors to Promoters 

Some Detractors will walk away. But many just want to be heard. With the right steps, you can win some of them back and even turn them into loyal fans. 

Follow these steps: 

1. Read between the lines of the feedback to uncover the root issue. 

2. Reach out within 24 hours and ask what you can improve. Do not be defensive. 

3. Explain what you’re doing about the issue, and take action to fix it. 

4. Follow up. Let them know what changed. 

This process takes work, but it’s worth it. Some of your best Promoters will start out as Detractors if you take the time to close the loop. 

Tracking Trends and Detractor Segments 

If you only look at each Detractor one at a time, you’ll miss the big picture. Instead, track trends across all of the feedback you get. 

Here’s how to track trends: 

• Use tags or labels when you log feedback (like “long wait time” or “billing confusion”). 

• Keep track of how often each theme comes up. 

• Sort by location, product line, or service team to see where problems cluster. 

To segment Detractors, group them by things like: 

• First-time vs. repeat customers 

• Which product or service they used 

• What channel they contacted you through 

• How long they’ve been with you 

Avoiding Common Mistakes When Responding to Detractors 

Here are five mistakes that can make things worse and how to avoid them: 

1. Waiting too long to respond: Aim for same-day replies whenever possible. 

2. Sending copy-paste answers: Personalize every message with their name and details. 

3. Arguing with the feedback: Listen first. You don’t have to agree, but you do need to understand. 

4. Not tracking the complaint: Log every issue so you can see trends later. 

5. Failing to follow up: Always close the loop, even if the fix takes time. 

How Listen360 Helps You Manage NPS Detractors 

Listen360 gives you the tools to track and learn from every Detractor. It turns feedback into action, so no opportunity to win back trust slips by. 

Automatic Classification of Promoters, Passives, and Detractors 

Forget manually scoring your responses. Listen360 instantly sorts every NPS response into the right group, so you can see who’s loyal, who’s unsure, and who’s at risk. 

Real-Time Alerts and Follow-Up Workflows 

The moment a Detractor (or Passive or Promoter, for that matter) leaves feedback, your team gets an alert. 

You can set follow-up workflows that assign the issue and track it. The platform makes sure someone reaches out quickly too. 

Comment Tagging, Sentiment Insights, and Trend Analysis 

Every piece of feedback is tagged for keywords, tone, and theme. You can identify trends in seconds and sort by store, team, or location. 

Listen360 brings everything into one place: scores, comments, alerts, and trends. It gives you the clarity you need to keep customers happy and prevent Detractors from becoming churn. 

Conclusion & Next Steps 

You don’t have to guess what customers want. Your Detractors are already telling you. 

Take action today. 

NPS Detractor Reduction Checklist 

Use this checklist to reduce your Detractors. 

• Ask every Detractor: “What can we improve?” 

• Respond within 24 hours using their preferred channel. 

• Tag and track feedback themes so nothing gets missed. 

• Fix one high-impact issue each month, starting with what customers mention most. 

• Follow up with customers after changes so they know you acted. 

How to Get Started With Listen360 NPS Tools 

You can request a demo of Listen360 to see how it works with real feedback.  

To get started: 

• Visit the Listen360 website and click “Request a Demo.” 

• Choose your team’s biggest challenge, like tracking or response time. 

• Share two to three recent examples of customer feedback you’d like to act on. 

It’s time to turn your haters into loyal customers ready to shout your praises from the rooftops!