What is rNPS® & relational NPS® (rNPS®) surveys 

One mistake many businesses make is assuming a single positive interaction means a customer is loyal. But that is not the case. That’s why it’s so important to measure the whole customer relationship, not just the moment. And for that, rNPS surveys or relational NPS® surveys are vital. 

So, what are relational NPS® (rNPS®) surveys? How do these surveys differ from transactional NPS® surveys? How to calculate rNPS®? What are standard rNPS® survey questions? To learn more, read this blog. 

What is rNPS® & relational NPS® (rNPS®) surveys 

Relational NPS® (rNPS®) is one of the most widely used customer experience (CX) metrics for calculating overall customer loyalty and long-term satisfaction. Unlike transactional NPS® (tNPS®), which focuses on specific interactions, rNPS® surveys are designed to capture a broader view of the customer’s relationship with the brand over time. 

These surveys are sent periodically—quarterly, bi-annually, or annually—to measure how customers feel about the brand in general and how likely they are to recommend it to others. The primary objective is to measure the strength of the ongoing relationship, not just a single experience. 

In short, rNPS® helps businesses track brand health and loyalty trends over time. Thus, it has become a key strategic tool for customer retention and growth. 

Key characteristics of relational NPS® surveys 

Here are some of the common characteristics of relational NPS® survey questions: 

• Scheduled Intervals: rNPS® surveys are scheduled at regular intervals (e.g., every 3 or 6 months) to measure overall sentiment instead of being tied to a single interaction. 
• Relationship-Centric: They are designed to understand the customer’s holistic view of your brand, service, or product. It goes beyond a single touchpoint to evaluate the long-term emotional connection. 
• Standardized NPS® Format: Usually consists of the classic NPS® question:
  “How likely are you to recommend our brand to a friend or colleague?”
  Followed by an optional open-ended question for qualitative insights (e.g., “What’s the main reason for your score?”). 
• Strategic Customer Insights: Since rNPS® reflects the overall relationship, it provides valuable input for high-level decisions such as brand positioning, customer journey improvements, retention initiatives, and more. 
• Lower Frequency, Higher Context: rNPS® doesn’t overwhelm customers with constant feedback requests. Instead, it checks in occasionally to get meaningful input, making it feel less intrusive but highly relevant. 

How to calculate rNPS® 

In order to calculate an NPS® relational survey, you have to use the same NPS® formula, which goes like this:  

rNPS® score = % of promoters – % of detractors  

This value can range from –100 to +100, where: 

A positive rNPS® indicates more promoters than detractors (a good sign of loyalty). 

A negative rNPS® signals more detractors, which means you need to investigate and take action. 

Example Data: 

• Total Survey Responses: 89 
• Number of promoters (Score 9–10): 33 
• Number of passives (Score 7–8): 29 
• Number of detractors (Score 0–6): 27  

Step 1: Calculate percentages 

Use this formula: (Number of responses in each category / Total responses) × 100 

• Promoters: (33 / 89) × 100 = 37.08% 
• Passives: (29 / 89) × 100 = 32.58%
• Detractors: (27 / 89) × 100 = 30.34% 

Note: Passives are not included in the rNPS® calculation but are still useful for analysis as they count towards the total responses. 

Step 2: Apply the rNPS® formula 

rNPS® = % Promoters – % Detractors 

So, in this case: rNPS® = 37.08 – 30.34 = +6.74 

This gives you a relational NPS® of +6.74, which indicates that slightly more customers are loyal and likely to recommend your brand than those who are not. 

A score in this range is considered neutral to mildly positive.  

When to use rNPS® surveys  

One of the most important things to get right with rNPS® is timing. Since it’s focused on the overall customer-brand relationship and not specific events, you don’t want to ask too soon, or too often. 

Here is a breakdown of ideal use cases for relational NPS® (rNPS®) surveys: 

General standards: 

• Annually or bi-annually: This is the most common frequency. Send rNPS® surveys every 6 or 12 months to track trends and relationship shifts. 
• Quarterly for high-engagement segments: If you have high-touch clients (like enterprise accounts or VIP users), a quarterly rNPS® check-in helps track loyalty trends more closely. 
• Post-onboarding (after a few months): Let the customer experience your product or service first. Then, send an rNPS® survey 3 to 4 months after onboarding to get a more informed and fair response. 

Industry-specific timing examples: 

• Healthcare providers: In healthcare, patient relationships are more immediate and emotionally charged. So, sending an rNPS® survey within 2 to 4 weeks after their visit or interaction can provide timely, relevant feedback on how they perceive your care overall. 
• SaaS & digital platforms: For digital services, give customers time to understand the platform. rNPS® surveys work best when sent 3 to 6 months post-signup and once users have had meaningful interactions. 
• Education institutions: Ideal timing might be the end of a semester or academic year, when students or parents have a full-cycle view of their experience. 
• Retail & e-commerce: Though transactional NPS® is more common, if you want to assess brand loyalty, send rNPS® surveys quarterly to frequent shoppers or after multiple purchase cycles. 
• Hospitality: For loyalty-based hospitality programs, send rNPS® surveys bi-annually to returning guests or members. 

Key points to remember 

• Don’t confuse rNPS® with post-event surveys. rNPS® measures ongoing brand sentiment, not immediate experiences. 
• Don’t send it too frequently. Too many surveys can lead to fatigue and biased results. 
• Segment your audience. Tailor your rNPS® strategy to different customer types, usage patterns, and lifecycle stages. 
• Track over time. rNPS® isn’t a one-time metric, it becomes powerful when viewed as a trend rather than a snapshot. 

Why rNPS® Matters 

Relational NPS® is not only about getting a numerical score. It is about understanding the emotional connection customers have with your brand. Loyal customers tend to spend more, stay longer, and advocate for your brand, making rNPS® a powerful leading indicator of business growth. 

When combined with other metrics (like CSAT or CES) and qualitative feedback, rNPS® can offer a detailed view of brand health. In addition to that, it can help teams align efforts across marketing, product, and support to build stronger, long-lasting relationships. 

tNPS® vs rNPS® surveys: A quick comparison 

Here is a quick comparison between tNPS® and rNPS® surveys: 

Summing up  

Relational NPS® might seem like a simple score on the surface, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a reliable way to measure trust, satisfaction, and emotional connection over time. And when done right, it helps you see how loyal your customers truly are and not just how satisfied they were last week. 

Combine rNPS® surveys with strong follow-up strategies, smart segmentation, and other CX metrics, and you’ve got a powerful formula for customer retention.