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Factors influencing successful net promoter score adoption by a nonprofit organization: a case study of the Boy Scouts of America

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Abstract

To better manage a far-flung, volunteer-dominated workforce, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) incorporated a customer feedback metric, the Net Promoter Score (NPS), into its performance management measures in 2012. The customer feedback program collected, analyzed and disseminated NPS scores, loyalty driver question scores and text comments from seven constituency segments throughout the organization. The data and feedback, along with the ability to identify relationships between drivers and constituency NPS ratings, changed the focus of BSA executives and positively influenced organizational practices. However, many of the potential benefits of an NPS program were not realized. This case study identifies factors that facilitated and impeded the BSA’s achieving the full benefits of an NPS program and provides recommendations for nonprofits considering adopting a customer feedback performance metric.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA

    Thomas A. Burnham & Jeffrey A. Wong

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  1. Thomas A. Burnham
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  2. Jeffrey A. Wong
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Correspondence to Thomas A. Burnham.

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Burnham, T.A., Wong, J.A. Factors influencing successful net promoter score adoption by a nonprofit organization: a case study of the Boy Scouts of America. Int Rev Public Nonprofit Mark 15, 475–495 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-018-0210-x

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