WHAT DO PEOPLE SAY ABOUT YOU WHEN YOU’RE NOT IN THE ROOM?

Your business already has a reputation – but is it helping or hurting you? Philip Montague explains how a simple feedback tool, the Net Promoter Score, can help gun trade retailers measure customer satisfaction, track improvements and turn casual visitors into loyal advocates.

Reputation matters. In a trade built on trust, recommendation, and repeat business, the way people talk about you, online and offline, is either helping you grow or quietly holding you back.

But here’s the thing: most shooting businesses don’t have a reliable way of measuring how people feel about their experience. We rely on instinct, gut feel, or the occasional email of praise (or complaint). And while those things matter, they don’t give us the whole picture.

That’s where Net Promoter Score comes in.

WHAT IS NPS?

Net Promoter Score, or NPS, is a simple customer feedback tool that helps you understand how likely your customers are to recommend your business to someone else. Trend over time is a leading indicator of revenue growth, and wouldn’t you like to know if you’re going to make more money in the future?

It’s based on one question:

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

People who score you a 9 or 10 are called Promoters – loyal, enthusiastic supporters who’ll talk about you positively.

Scores of 7 or 8 are Passives– they had a decent experience, but they’re not shouting your name from the rooftops.

And 0 to 6? Those are Detractors – people who had a poor experience, or didn’t feel the value matched the price.

Your Net Promoter Score is the percentage of Promoters minus the percentage of Detractors.

The result is a number between -100 and +100. A good score is anything over +30.

An excellent score is +50 or higher.

WHY DOES NPS MATTER TO THE GUN TRADE?

Because word of mouth is everything in this sector.

Whether you’re running a shooting ground, selling new guns, giving lessons, or taking bookings for a corporate event, most of your new business comes from someone recommending you. Maybe it’s in person. Maybe it’s in a WhatsApp group. Maybe it’s on Google or Facebook. But it’s recommendation just the same.

If your customers are quietly unhappy or lukewarm, they probably won’t say anything to your face. But they also won’t come back. They won’t leave a review. They won’t send their friends. You’ll never know what you’ve missed.

NPS helps bring that hidden feedback into the open, so you can do something about it.

REPUTATION VS REALITY

Sometimes we think we know what our reputation is. But when we actually look at the data, we’re surprised. That’s why NPS works best when combined with a good look at your existing reviews and comments online. Go to your:

• Google Business Profile

• Facebook page

• Trustpilot or Yell if you’re listed

• Shooting forum mentions (like Pigeon Watch)

Now look at what people are saying. Don’t just look at the stars. Read the text.

• Are they praising the team?

• Are they moaning about wait times?

• Are they neutral, brief, or vague?

• What are they not talking about that you think they should?

These reviews are how you show up to new customers. And if what’s written there doesn’t match what you think people are saying about you, it’s time to take a closer look. If you think about some of your local shooting centric businesses you will immediately recognise that they have a reputation, good and bad. Are they doing anything about it? Now understand that people have the same perspective of your business.

TURNING FEEDBACK INTO ACTION

You don’t need to overcomplicate collecting feedback. A simple paper form or email is all it takes to start gathering Net Promoter Score responses. Just ask your customers one key question: “On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend?” You can also include an optional follow-up, such as “Please tell us why you gave that score.” The key is to ask at the right moments, after a lesson, a purchase, an event, or even as part of your website journey or email signature.

Once you’ve got the numbers, the real work begins. If someone gives you a 9 or 10, they’re a promoter, thank them, and where appropriate, ask if they’d consider leaving a public review. Most will be happy to help. If someone gives you a 6 or lower, don’t dismiss it. Reach out directly, not to challenge them, but to understand what went wrong and how you might improve.

Often, the act of following up turns a detractor into someone who feels heard, and that’s a win in itself. If you’re seeing a large number of 7s and 8s, pay attention. These customers had a decent experience, but they’re not thrilled. That’s a clear sign you’re doing okay, but there’s room to do better. It’s small changes, a faster check-in, clearer signage, a follow-up email that actually adds value, that tips someone from “fine” to “fantastic.”

NPS gives you a reason to improve, and a way to measure if those improvements are working. You might spot that complaints about wait times drop after tweaking staff cover, or that satisfaction jumps when you tweak lesson confirmation emails to include a helpful checklist. It’s not guesswork anymore. You’re shaping your business using real insight from real customers. And that’s a powerful shift.

GIVE IT A TRY

You can’t fix what you don’t measure. Net Promoter Score shows you what your customers think – and that can change everything.

It’s not about chasing five stars. It’s about understanding where you’re strong, where you’re slipping, and what really matters to the people who keep your business alive.

Start asking. Start listening. Start tracking. If you want help setting up your first NPS form or making sense of your feedback, I’d be happy to help.

IMAGE: GETTY - OLIVIER LE MOAL