The Only Question That Matters.

Abstract

The article reports that Intuit Inc. and General Electric Co. (GE) are using a radical new research technique to keep customers happy and revenue growing. This year 12.5 million people used Intuit's TurboTax software to prepare their tax returns. Intuit asks customers one simple question: Would you recommend this product to friends and family? In 2004 such feedback revealed that TurboTax's onerous rebate process and electronic filing glitches left a bad taste in some consumers' mouths. GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt encourages his executives to use net promoter scores in all of GE's divisions. To boost circulation at the Wall Street Journal, a project is under way to harness the enthusiasm of loyal readers by offering discounted subscriptions that can be given away as gifts to younger subordinates. The idea of net promoters is easier to grasp because customer satisfaction is a quality everyone appreciates. Some strategy and marketing experts caution that while the net promoter technique may work for basic consumer purchases, it could be less meaningful when applied to products for which a more complex variety of factors influences purchasing decisions.