“You will not believe how high my Net Promoter® score is,” said a dear friend and credit union executive to me over lunch. “But my organic growth rate is nil and I can’t get a handle on my members’ commitment.”

His members were formally saying one thing and, practically, doing another.

“Maybe asking The Ultimate Question should not be your final question,” I jovially replied and reached for the bill, figuring that lunch was now my treat for this month.

And it occurred to me that gauging commitment is very different from gaining and keeping commitment.

Lately, I enjoy completing customer surveys via paper, e-mail or telephone. Normally, I run from them. They’re long, cumbersome, and I wonder if my answers are lost in some thrice- cross-tabulated marketing report.

So why, now, do I fill in circles, click through extra screens, and stay on the line to answer a few quality control questions? Because, with near perfect accuracy, I know the final question will be a form of: “Would you recommend us to a friend?” — The Ultimate Question. My answer helps a company determine its Net Promoter® score.

I fancy The Ultimate Question and the Net Promoter® score. It is a brilliant gauge of potential member loyalty and advocacy. One can read about it in Fred Reichheld’s book, The Ultimate Question, and get an even better handle on its origins and research in The Loyalty Effect and Loyalty Rules, both by Reichheld.

At its nucleus, the NPS measures: 1) A customer’s inner economist and willingness to buy from you again; and, 2) His motivation to stick his reputation on the line by referring you to someone close to him. It makes perfect sense and is backed up with ample statistics and correlations.

But, it strikes me again — gauging commitment is very different from gaining and keeping commitment. Just because someone says they will buy from you again and refer you to someone doesn’t mean they will.

For example:

AT&T asked me The Ultimate Question. I answered, “Yes.” They offered me $100 for every friend I referred who, within a certain time period, became a new customer. But, thoughts of my neighbors hiding behind their front doors as I shilled, kept me from furthering the gospel of wireless telephone service from AT&T.

Delta Air Lines asked me The Ultimate Question. They offered 2,500 SkyMiles® if I met referral-turned-traveler success. But convincing a fellow elite traveler is not that trouble-free. There’s more to frequent business travel than hoping for an aisle seat and a suitable cup of coffee. We don’t switch travel partners on a whim or at the whiff of a better deal.

I even asked the delightful woman who cuts my hair if compensating for referred business is good for growth. “People are super sensitive about their hair and it takes a lot to convince someone to switch stylists. $10 off of the next highlighting session doesn’t lead to new clients at the recommendation of satisfied clients,” said Tracy.

My NPS scores are high, but my real world action is low. I will enthusiastically recommend AT&T, Delta Air Lines, and Tracy to those interested — if they ask my opinion and express interest in my recommendations. I’ll do it because I believe in these products and services. I’ll do it because these businesses are committed to me. I’ll do it when I hear questions from those I know are seeking a new solution.

But, The Ultimate Question is not the final question. We need to ask more questions. Now, what does one do?

First, measure your NPS. Be as complex or simple in your measurement tools as you need to be.

Find out who will buy again and who will spread the good word about your business. You’ll discern more about their promise for loyalty and commitment. Then, depending on your job, ask more questions. After all, we’re all responsible for growing commitment from our members. More important, we’re in charge of showing commitment to our members.

For the front-line leader: Think a step beyond the transaction at hand and propose a solution that shows you are a promoter for your member. Rather than only completing the transaction, study the member information you have (on the screen or in your mind) and present a way that your institution can make life just a bit better. Perhaps the savings account can become a certificate of deposit. Or the new car loan can include breakdown insurance. Or the check you just made payable to Fidelity Investments can remain under your institution’s management.

For the business development officer: Look closely at your member’s business elsewhere and determine if you can offer a better deal at your institution. Can you offer a better rate or price? Does offering a bundled package make sense? Do you offer relationship-based pricing? Will you sacrifice some profit in the near term for a consistent stream of long-term revenue? Finding a way to add an extra product or service goes a long way in increasing commitment. These additional products or services weren’t sold out of thin air — they almost certainly existed at another institution.

For the marketing officer: Distinguish why your current cadre of most loyal members chooses you. This involves segmenting those with high NPS scores or high use of products. The key is not asking your entire member base why they choose you. If you do this, you’ll get 80 percent of your answers from those who give you 20 percent of your revenue. You want answers from the 20 percent who give you 80 percent of revenue.

For the executive: Don’t waste time holding meetings, tabling for next time, or forming ad hoc groups. Get your entire institution involved — now. Contrary to popular belief (and consultant billing statements), it doesn’t take 24-36 months to rebuild, rebrand, or re-you-fill-in-the-blank. Your members simply will not, and should not, wait.

What’s needed is an enterprise-wide understanding that: 1) Most members won’t bring in new business until you ask; and, 2) Most members won’t send your institution referrals until you ask

— and the odds are still low. However, when your members believe your true interest is in earning their commitment, they will watch for ways to bring you more of their business and they will mention your institution as they hear of needs from their friends. These members believe in your institution.

We all want members, but regular members can be fickle and lured away. We all want promoters, but promoters may not promote you as often as you want.

What we need are believers — believers who do not consider another option when it’s time to buyagain and who recommend you to another when the occasion arises.

Jeff Rendel, CSP, is president of Rising Above Enterprises, Corona, Calif. www.jeffrendel.com