Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)

At Sheppard & Company, we’ve learned to pay very close attention to early signals.  Not the lagging indicators that show up on a financial statement six or twelve months later, but the subtle, human signals that tell you whether a dealership is fundamentally healthy… or quietly under strain. 

One of the clearest signals we see, again and again, is Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS). 

From our work inside dealerships across North America, we’ve discovered this unalienable truth:  
poor eNPS almost always precedes poor results.  

When employees stop recommending your dealership as a place to work, other things are already breaking: leadership habits, operational stability, workload balance, role clarity, and trust. The financial impact just hasn’t shown up yet.  

Conversely, when eNPS is strong and improving, we consistently see better retention, stronger execution, healthier leadership behaviors, better customer relationships, and more resilient performance,  even in volatile markets. 

That’s why we place eNPS at the top of the DOER House. Not as a “nice-to-have” engagement metric, but as a leading indicator of overall dealership health. 

This article is less about chasing a score and more about understanding what eNPS really tells you, how to measure it responsibly, and most importantly, how to act on it in a way that actually improves people stability and performance. 

Because in our experience, when your people wouldn’t recommend working for you… your customers eventually feel it too. 

In this article, we’ll cover: 

• What eNPS is 
• Why it matters — especially in the context of DOER and peoples systems 

• What’s in it for dealers to measure it 

• How to measure eNPS effectively 

• Risks and limitations you should know 

• How to interpret and action the data 

What Is eNPS? 

At its core, Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) is a simple metric that quantifies how likely your employees are to recommend your organization as a place to work. It’s adapted from the classic Net Promoter Score (NPS) used in customer experience research.  

In practice, eNPS is measured through a single core question: 

“On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend working here to a friend or colleague?”  

Based on the responses: 

• Promoters (score 9–10): Enthusiastic advocates likely to stay, engage, and attract others. 

• Passives (score 7–8): Neutral — satisfied but not passionate. 

• Detractors (score 0–6): Unhappy or disengaged, likely to leave or discourage others.  

The eNPS formula is simple: 

eNPS = % Promoters − % Detractors 
(Passives are excluded from the calculation.)  

This results in a score between -100 and +100, where higher is better.  

eNPS in the Context of DOER and Sheppard & Company 

At Sheppard & Company, we see people stability as one of the most critical leading indicators of operational health. It’s not just about retention — it’s about creating an environment where employees want to stay, contribute, and recommend your dealership as a great workplace. 

This aligns directly with the top of the DOER House framework, where metrics like retention and employee sentiment sit as predictive indicators of sustainable performance before lagging indicators such as profitability begin to show problems. 

eNPS does more than measure satisfaction; it gauges employee advocacy, which is a proxy for engagement, morale, and cultural alignment. In dealerships where operational excellence is real and consistent — work is predictable, roles are clear, leaders coach well, and teams feel supported — employees are far more likely to be promoters. 

In contrast, scores that trend toward neutral or negative often reveal stress in underlying systems — lack of clarity, inconsistent leadership behaviors, process friction, or poor communication. In these cases, low eNPS becomes an early symptom of retention risk and operational breakdown. 

What’s In It for Dealers to Measure eNPS? 

There are multiple tangible benefits for dealerships that measure eNPS regularly: 

1. Early Detection of People Issues

Low or declining eNPS often precedes turnover spikes, customer service issues, and declines in productivity. Acting early helps you prevent problems before they escalate. 

 2. A Predictive Pulse on Engagement

Unlike annual engagement surveys that are long and slow, eNPS can be measured more frequently to capture real-time sentiment shifts. Regular pulse checks help leadership understand if changes to operations (new systems, shift patterns, performance expectations) are landing the way you want. 

3. Benchmarking & Target Setting

With benchmarks available — for example, smaller companies often average eNPS around the mid-20s to 30s, while anything above 50 is considered strong to excellent in most contexts — you can set realistic targets and track progress over time.  

 4. Driver of Retention and Attraction

Employees who are promoters are more likely to stay longer, refer others, and contribute to a positive reputation for your dealership — which reduces hiring costs and accelerates recruiting when growth is a priority. 

Collectively, these benefits turn eNPS from just a number into a decision-making tool for dealer principals and leaders. 

How Dealers Can Measure eNPS 

Measuring eNPS doesn’t require a PhD in HR analytics — it requires discipline, clarity, and consistency. 

 1. Ask the Core Question

The heart of eNPS measurement is the standard question: 

“On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend working here to a friend or colleague?”  

Using a consistent question allows for comparison over time and across teams. 

 2. Keep It Anonymous

Anonymity encourages honest feedback — particularly from detractors whose voices are most diagnostic for improvement. Without anonymity, you risk false positives (people too polite to be honest). 

3. Use Technology Tools

There are many practical tools dealers can use to collect eNPS data efficiently: 

• SurveyMonkey — easy survey creation, automated scoring, and benchmark reports.  
• CultureAmp — integrated employee listening platform with eNPS modules.  
• Leapsome — combines eNPS with deeper people analytics and follow-up planning.  
• Pulse survey tools like TinyPulse or Officevibe that include eNPS capability. 

Whatever tool you choose, the priority is ease of use (for both employees and leaders) and reliable reporting. 

Recommended Survey Questions (Beyond the Core) 

Many dealers make eNPS more actionable by pairing it with one or two qualitative follow-up questions such as: 

“What’s the #1 reason for the score you gave?” 

“What is one thing we could do in the next 90 days to improve this dealership?” 

“What’s one thing you’re most proud of at this workplace?” 

These questions transform a number into narrative, making it far easier to interpret and act on the data.  

Downsides and Risks of Measuring eNPS 

In its simplicity lies both the power and the limitation of eNPS. Here are key risks dealers should manage: 

1. Limited Insight by Itself

eNPS tells you what employees feel — not why. Without follow-ups or deeper qualitative data, it’s a broad indicator rather than a diagnostic tool.  

 2. Over-Focus on a Number

Turning eNPS into a scoreboard rather than a listening system can backfire. Scores can become targets divorced from real engagement — e.g., leaders encouraging people to “give us a good score” rather than actually improving the experience. 

 3. Context Matters

External factors (personal stress, market conditions, seasonality) can influence scores. Without understanding context, you may misinterpret fluctuations. 

 4. Survey Fatigue

Frequent surveying without visible action can lead to disengagement — employees notice when data goes into a void. It’s essential that surveys are paired with visible responses from leadership. 

Managing these risks is largely about how you use eNPS — not whether you measure it. 

How to Interpret eNPS Data 

Interpreting eNPS isn’t just looking at the final score — it’s about trend, segmentation, and narrative. 

1.  Score Ranges

While every dealership and market is different, most benchmarks suggest: 

• Below 0 — Net detractors; urgent action needed. 
• 0–10 — Some advocates but room for serious improvement. 
• 10–30 — Healthy engagement range. 
• Above 30–50+ — Strong employee advocacy.  

Remember: improvement over time is more important than absolute numbers — especially when comparing small, close-knit teams vs larger groups. 

2. Department and Tenure Breakdowns

Look beyond the overall score: 

• Do service teams score differently than sales? 
• Are new hires more positive than longer-tenured employees? 
• Do certain managers’ teams have consistently higher eNPS? 

Segmented data helps pinpoint where systems and leadership practices are working — and where they are not. 

 3. Qualitative Themes

Analyze the follow-up responses to identify recurring themes — leadership communication, workload, recognition, growth opportunities, etc. These themes become your action levers. 

How to Action eNPS Results 

An eNPS score is only as valuable as what you do with it. High-performing dealerships use eNPS as a listening system, not a scoreboard. 

 1.  Share Results Transparently

Communicate the findings broadly — not just to managers, but to teams. Transparency builds trust and shows that feedback isn’t ignored.  

2. IdentifyPriority Themes 

Use the qualitative data to identify 2–3 themes that recur most often. These become your quarterly priorities — e.g., coaching cadence, role clarity, recognition systems, or process friction. 

3. Build action plans with leaders 

Turn themes into SMART action plans owned by specific leaders. For example: 

• If “lack of coaching” shows up repeatedly, assign a coaching program improvement plan to the service manager. 
• If “unclear career paths” is a theme, launch a career roadmap initiative. 

 4. Close the Feedback Loop

Follow up with employees on what actions were taken and why. This closes the loop and increases engagement in the next eNPS cycle. 

 5. Track Progress Over Time

Measure eNPS on a regular cadence — quarterly is common — and track trends. Celebrate improvement and diagnose declines quickly. 

Employee Net Promoter Score is more than a number — it’s a signal. In the context of DOER and people systems, eNPS can be an early warning light for retention risk, engagement shifts, and cultural health. When measured thoughtfully, interpreted with context, and paired with decisive action, eNPS becomes a leading indicator of stability that helps dealerships keep their best people, build stronger teams, and drive performance from the inside out. 

For dealers serious about retention and operational excellence, eNPS isn’t optional — it’s a foundational component of a people-centric performance system. 

About the Author

Luke Sheppard is Principal of Sheppard & Company, a strategic consultancy located in Ottawa, Canada, which focuses on management consulting and business advisory services for the heavy equipment industry. Luke’s unique ability to focus on what’s most important by filtering through the noise, solving business problems using engineering methods and driving results with practical tools and solutions differentiates him as a leader in the industry. His work reflects the premise that diverse and engaged teams drive exceptional results and helps entrepreneurs and managers build and lead high-performing teams.