Rob Markey is the co-creator of the now-ubiquitous Net Promoter System—borrowing from Churchill, he refers to it as “the worst customer loyalty metric, except for all the others that have been tried.” But because of his accountability to clients and colleagues, Rob has higher expectations than many: Through 30+ years at Bain he’s passionately championed the sometimes-unfulfilled mission behind the system—to put the customer at the center of business decisions and operations, at scale.

In his conversation with Jesse, you'll hear about how Rob found his way to consulting; what he thinks makes him an effective client advisor and leader; how he helps senior executives find their voices and have those voices heard; how he gets leadership teams to make and stick to tough decisions; the structural barriers that keep companies from achieving true customer centricity; and the innovations in technology and operating models that are helping bring down those barriers. Along the way, he tells the “in the room where it happened” origin story of NPS, and presents his hypothesis on why NPS has had such staying power over the past two decades. 

(2:31) Rob’s first impressions of consulting, and the circumstances and realizations that brought him into the field

(6:48) Rob describes his strengths and his approach to helping executives embrace customer centricity

(10:28) How staying focused on a larger mission has guided his long tenure at Bain

(14:15) The barriers to being customer-focused at scale, and how to overcome them 

(20:20) Co-creating NPS, the “acid test of loyalty” 

(23:50) What really makes someone a promoter, passive, or detractor?

(29:24) Why NPS is still at the center of CX efforts today

(35:42) Lightning Round: most memorable marathon and a brand that’s delighted him without fail

Guest Bio

Rob Markey is a Senior Partner at Bain & Company, where he has helped lead dozens of successful customer-centric transformations at large global companies over 30+ years at the firm. Rob leads the NPS Loyalty Forum, a group of approximately 35 senior executives from loyalty-leading companies around the world, such as The Vanguard Group, American Express, JetBlue, Telstra, TD Bank, LEGO, Progressive Insurance, PwC and Intuit. 

Additionally, Rob is the creator of Bain’s approach to customer-centricity, the co-inventor of the Net Promoter System, and co-author of The Ultimate Question 2.0: How Net Promoter Companies Thrive in a Customer-Driven World, a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller.  

Helpful Links

The Ultimate Question 2.0 

Rob’s Net Promoter System Podcast

Rob writes for HBR: Are You Undervaluing Your Customers? 

Qualtrics Blog: Your Ultimate Guide to Net Promoter Score

Rob on LinkedIn and Twitter