Understanding Drivers & Themes
Understanding Drivers: Why Your NPS Is What It Is
Scores tell you that you're bleeding. Drivers tell you where the wound is. Learn how to interpret and act on the key drivers FeedPulse extracts from your feedback.
The Problem: "Your NPS is 40. So What?"
Most analytics tools stop at the score. They tell you that customers are unhappy, but not why. Without drivers, you're left guessing:
- • Is it the product? The pricing? The support?
- • Which issues are edge cases vs. systemic problems?
- • What's actually driving your promoters to recommend you?
What Are Drivers?
Drivers are the recurring themes that correlate with specific score ranges. FeedPulse uses semantic AI to identify what topics are mentioned by:
Negative Drivers
Topics that appear frequently in Detractor (0-6 NPS) responses.
Positive Drivers
Topics that appear frequently in Promoter (9-10 NPS) responses.
How to Read the Drivers Panel
1Go to the Overview or Scores Tab
After analysis completes, navigate to your project's Overview or Scores tab.
2Locate the "Key Drivers" Section
Below each score (NPS, CSAT, CES), you'll see a panel showing the top positive and negative drivers.
3Understand the Impact Score
The Impact number shows how much each driver contributes to the overall score. Higher absolute values = more important.
4Click to Drill Down
Click any driver to filter the Responses table and see the exact comments that mention that theme.
Strengths vs. Weaknesses (Project Level)
While drivers are tied to specific score questions, Strengths & Weaknesses aggregate themes across your entire project.
Top Strengths
- Product Reliability
- Helpful Documentation
- Fast Onboarding
Key Weaknesses
- Pricing Confusion
- Mobile App Performance
- Limited Integrations
Taking Action: From Drivers to Roadmap
1. Prioritize by Impact: Focus on drivers with the highest absolute impact scores first.
2. Read the Quotes: Click into a driver and read the actual customer language to understand nuance.
3. Use Recommendations: Check the AI-generated recommendations panel for data-backed next steps.
4. Track Over Time: Upload new data monthly to see if your efforts are moving the needle.
🚀 Pro Tips
- Don't ignore positives: Double down on what's working—it's cheaper than fixing what's broken.
- Share with stakeholders: Export a PPT with drivers to align product, support, and leadership.
- Combine with urgency: A high-impact driver with high urgency = requires immediate attention.