What are Transactional NPS® Questions (Examples & When to Use Them)

NPS® has become the standard CX metric for measuring customer loyalty to the brand. However, a major drawback of NPS® is that it measures customer experience as a whole. So, if a customer faced an issue at some touchpoint but the rest of the journey was smooth, there is no way to know what that issue was. That is why businesses are using transactional NPS® surveys. 

When it comes to NPS® surveys, there are two primary types: relational and transactional NPS® surveys. In this blog, we will explore transactional NPS® questions, where to use them, and more. 

What are Transactional NPS® Surveys  

Transactional NPS® (Net Promoter Score) surveys are short, targeted surveys sent to customers immediately after a specific interaction or transaction with your business. This includes purchase, account signup, support call, product delivery, post-purchase support, and more. 

The main goal of a Transactional NPS® survey is to understand how a customer feels immediately after a particular event or interaction. 

Key Characteristics of Transactional NPS® Surveys 

Here are some of the common characteristics of tNPS® survey questions:  

• Event-Triggered: Sent after a specific event (e.g., post-purchase, post-chat, after using a service). 
• Timely Feedback: Delivered quickly to capture fresh impressions of the specific experience. 
• Single Question Format: Typically asks the NPS® question —
  “How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?” — along with an optional follow-up for qualitative feedback. 
• Focused Insight: Helps identify performance strengths and weaknesses at specific touchpoints, rather than overall brand sentiment. 

Examples of Transactional NPS® Questions and When to Use Them 

Transactional NPS® surveys are most effective when triggered at key touchpoints across the customer journey—moments that shape a customer’s perception of your brand. These touchpoints often involve direct engagement or service fulfillment, making them ideal opportunities to measure satisfaction while the experience is still fresh. 

Below are some common and high-impact touchpoints, along with examples of how to frame your tNPS® survey questions: 

1. After a Signup, Subscription, or Plan Upgrade

This is often the first formal step a customer takes toward engaging with your business. 

Example tNPS® Question: 

How likely are you to recommend us after upgrading your plan or subscription? 

When to send: Right after signup or upgrade confirmation. 

2. After Onboarding or Setup Process

Early impressions during onboarding can set the tone for the entire relationship. 

Example tNPS® Question: 

How likely are you to recommend us based on your onboarding experience so far? 

When to send: After onboarding completion or guided setup. 

3. After Using a New Feature or Update

Customers who explore product features early can give valuable usability feedback. 

Example tNPS® Question: 

Based on your experience with our new feature/update, how likely are you to recommend us to others? 

When to send: A few days after launch or first use. 

4. After a Product Purchase

Whether it’s an online order or in-store transaction, the purchase experience is crucial. 

Example tNPS® Question: 

How likely are you to recommend us based on your recent purchase experience? 

When to send: Post-checkout or order confirmation. 

5. After Product or Service Delivery

The completion of the purchase cycle is a defining moment, especially for e-commerce and logistics. 

Example tNPS® Question: 

Now that your order has been delivered, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague? 

When to send: After confirmed delivery. 

6. After a Chatbot or Self-Service Interaction

Self-help and automation are part of the modern customer journey. If well-executed, they enhance customer satisfaction. 

Example tNPS® Question: 

How likely are you to recommend us based on your recent interaction with our virtual assistant or help center? 

When to send: Immediately after use. 

7. After a Customer Support Interaction

When customers need help, how they’re treated matters immensely. 

Example tNPS® Question: 

Based on your recent interaction with our customer support team, how likely are you to recommend us to others? 

When to send: Once the ticket or chat is closed. 

8. After a Service Visit or Appointment

This applies to industries like healthcare, beauty, automotive, and wellness—where the human experience is central. 

Example tNPS® Question: 

How likely are you to recommend us based on your recent visit/service experience? 

When to send: Post-appointment or completion of service. 

9. After a Return or Refund Request

A well-handled return can still build goodwill, while a poor one can undo loyalty. 

Example tNPS® Question: 

Based on your recent return/refund experience, how likely are you to recommend us to others? 

When to send: After return processing or refund confirmation. 

10. After an Event or Webinar

If your customer journey includes virtual or in-person events, feedback helps improve future experiences. 

Example tNPS® Question: 

How likely are you to recommend us based on your experience attending our recent event/webinar? 

When to send: Within 24 hours post-event.  

Wrapping up  

Sometimes, it’s not the big campaign or the fancy product that determines loyalty, it’s the small moments. A smooth onboarding, a quick refund, a helpful chatbot: these are some of the touchpoints where trust is built (or broken). Transactional NPS® surveys let you capture how customers feel during these micro-moments, so you can keep delighting them, one step at a time. 

By building a robust NPS® survey questionnaire strategy around each interaction, businesses can fix issues faster, reward great service, and continuously improve CX at scale. With piHappiness, you can build, distribute, and analyze transactional NPS® surveys effortlessly across every channel—email, SMS, kiosks, QR codes, and more. Schedule a demo now!