How do I set up an NPS survey after a workshop visit?

Trigger an SMS 7 days after the visit with the question 'On 1-10, how likely are you to recommend us?'. Categorize automatically (0-6 = Detractor, 7-8 = Passive, 9-10 = Promoter) and trigger different follow-up flows per group. CARRUSLiNK delivers it out of the box.

When should the NPS SMS be sent?

7 days after the visit is the sweet spot. Earlier: customer hasn't judged yet. Later: customer has forgotten details. Test 5 vs 7 vs 10 days on your own base, variation is typically 5-10 percentage points.

What response rate can I expect?

30-50% is normal for a simple one-question SMS survey. Email surveys sit at 5-10%. If you add free-text questions or a link to a longer survey, response rate drops.

What do I do with Detractors?

Send SMS to the service manager with the customer's number and a call prompt within 24 hours. It's the most important part of the flow, 40-60% of Detractors are resolved and stay loyal. Ignored, they typically write a bad Google review within 7 days.

Should I invite all Promoters to Google review?

Yes, it's the easiest way to get more reviews. Send a link to the Google business page with 'thanks for the score, would you share the experience?'. 15-30% of Promoters write a review.

What's a good NPS for car dealerships?

Industry average is 20-35 for workshop. Top dealers hit 50-70. If you start under 30, you can typically lift 15-25 points in 6 months with systematic Detractor follow-up and process improvement.

Guide · NPS after service

NPS survey after workshop visit, complete flow with follow-up

If you don't ask, you don't know. Here's how to set up an NPS flow that measures every workshop visit, catches unhappy customers before they leave bad Google reviews, and gives you real-time signal on service quality.

Last updated: 2026-06-01

Short answer (TL;DR)

An NPS flow sends a simple SMS 7 days after the workshop visit: 'On 1-10, how likely are you to recommend us?'. Response rate 30-50%. Low scores (0-6) trigger automatic follow-up from the service manager. High scores (9-10) trigger a Google review invitation. Dealers report NPS lift of 15-25 points in 6 months.

Why most dealers don't know their NPS

Manual paper surveys are filled out by 3-5%
Email surveys are opened by 15-25%, replied to by 5-10%
Unhappy customers write bad Google reviews instead of complaining to you
Happy customers don't recommend proactively, because you haven't asked
Service manager only hears about problems when they've escalated
No data on which mechanics/services have high/low scores

How to set up the NPS flow

1. Trigger 7 days after visit

CARRUSLiNK auto-sends SMS 7 days after the workshop marks the car 'ready'. Sweet spot: customer has had time to judge but hasn't forgotten.

2. Write a simple SMS

'Hi Maria, hope all went well with the Polo. On 1-10, how likely are you to recommend us? Reply with a number. Best, Anders'. One question, one answer, no link.

3. Categorize automatically

0-6 = Detractors (alarm). 7-8 = Passives (neutral). 9-10 = Promoters (fans). System tags the customer card and triggers different follow-ups per group.

4. Follow up per group

Detractors: SMS to service manager to call within 24 hours. Passives: follow-up question 'what could we do better?'. Promoters: thanks + Google review invitation.

5. Report and iterate

Live dashboard: NPS per mechanic, per service type, per week. Spot patterns, e.g. 'mechanic X scores 30 points lower' or 'summer tire changes score high'.

What the NPS flow moves

30-50% response rate

SMS clearly beats email. One question, no link, fast to reply. Response rate 30-50% vs 5-10% for email surveys.

Catch unhappy customers before Google

Detractors handled by service manager within 24 hours. 40-60% are resolved, preventing bad Google reviews.

More Google reviews

Promoters get automatic Google review invitations. Dealers report 5-10x more reviews per quarter.

NPS lift 15-25 points in 6 months

Systematically catching and resolving issues lifts NPS measurably. Top dealers hit 50-70 NPS, industry average sits at 20-35.

Data on mechanics and services

Identify which mechanics score high/low, and which service types trigger most complaints. Used for training and process improvement.

Loyalty rises

Customers who feel heard (regardless of score) become more loyal. Detractors who get called typically resolve the issue and stay as customers.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

See the NPS flow in 30 minutes

We'll show how CARRUSLiNK sends NPS SMS automatically, categorizes replies and triggers per-group follow-up, on real customers.