Detractor
A customer who gives a 0-6 on NPS, indicating dissatisfaction and potential negative word-of-mouth.
Category
Customer Experience
Full Definition
In the Net Promoter Score framework, Detractors are customers who respond with a score of 0-6 to the likelihood-to-recommend question. They are dissatisfied customers who may damage your brand through negative word-of-mouth.
Characteristics of Detractors: - Dissatisfied with your product/service - At high risk of churning - May actively discourage others from buying - More likely to leave negative reviews - Costly to serve (more complaints, returns) - Highly price-sensitive
The Cost of Detractors: - Each detractor can influence 9-15 potential customers - Detractors churn at 2-4x the rate of Promoters - Negative reviews can reduce conversion by 22%
Common Use Cases
Real-World Examples
Scenario
A customer gives NPS of 2 with comment: "Waited 3 weeks for delivery, product arrived damaged, and nobody answers the phone." They're about to post on social media.
Outcome
Company's alert system flags the response. Manager calls within 2 hours, apologizes, ships a replacement overnight, and offers a 50% refund. Customer updates to NPS 8.
Scenario
A hotel discovers that 15% of guests are Detractors, and 60% of their 1-2 star TripAdvisor reviews come from guests who gave NPS 0-4.
Outcome
They implement a "catch them before checkout" system. Any NPS under 7 alerts the GM for immediate intervention. Negative reviews drop 45%.
Scenario
Analysis shows Detractors in a SaaS company have 10x more support tickets than Promoters.
Outcome
Customer Success team focuses on Detractor accounts, providing proactive outreach. 30% of Detractors become Passives or Promoters within 6 months.
Related Terms
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
A metric measuring customer loyalty based on likelihood to recommend your business to others.
Promoter
A customer who gives a 9 or 10 on NPS, indicating high loyalty and likelihood to recommend.
Passive
A customer who gives a 7 or 8 on NPS, indicating satisfaction but low enthusiasm.
Service Recovery
The process of addressing customer complaints and turning negative experiences into positive ones.
At-Risk Customer
A customer showing signs of potential churn who requires proactive intervention.