Do you think that simply asking, “Did you like the product?” is enough to understand your customers’ experience? The truth is, a yes/no answer does not reveal the full picture, it may miss important details about customer satisfaction, preferences, and even future expectations. This is where the Likert Scale comes in, giving you the ability to measure your customers and employees with precise degrees, enabling you to make strategic decisions based on a true understanding of their behavior and needs, rather than relying on assumptions or superficial impressions.

In this article, we will explore Likert scales, their types, and the best ways to use them to obtain accurate and reliable data that help improve customer experience.

What is a Likert Scale?

The Likert Scale is a tool created by American sociologist Rensis Likert and is one of the most widely used methods in surveys and research for measuring attitudes, opinions, and feelings toward a specific subject. Participants are asked to select their level of agreement or disagreement with a statement from a series of graded options, such as:

   •            Strongly Agree

   •            Agree

   •            Neutral

   •            Disagree

   •            Strongly Disagree

This approach allows participants’ opinions to be converted into quantitative data that can be statistically analyzed.

Key Advantages and Disadvantages of the Likert Scale:

Advantages:

• Measurable: Likert scales turn complex opinions and attitudes into numbers that can be statistically analyzed and tested.

• Detailed and precise: Multiple levels, instead of simple yes/no choices, allow a deeper understanding of participants’ perceptions and behaviors.

• Easy to use: Likert scales are closed-ended, so respondents do not need to explain their answers, making it quick to complete and easy to analyze large samples.

• Provide response flexibility: Instead of forcing respondents to choose between only two options, Likert scales offer multiple options reflecting varying degrees of opinion.

Disadvantages:

• Neutral responses and answer bias: Some participants select middle points or avoid extremes to appear “balanced” or socially acceptable. To reduce this effect, clarify that the survey is anonymous and carefully phrase the questions.

• Fatigue and inattention: In long surveys, respondents may feel bored and answer without real consideration, leading to inaccurate data. To mitigate this, keep surveys concise, use breaks, and vary question phrasing to maintain attention.

• Different interpretations of items: Terms like “somewhat” or “acceptable” may be understood differently by participants.

• Limited options: Because the questions are closed-ended, respondents may have to choose the closest answer even if it doesn’t perfectly reflect their opinion.

• Does not show the reason: Likert scales indicate participants’ opinions (e.g., customer satisfaction) but do not explain why. This can be addressed by following up with open-ended or multiple-choice questions.

• Responses influenced by previous questions: Long surveys or poorly phrased questions can lead respondents to answer habitually without deep thought.

4 Types of Likert Scales and How to Use Them:

Likert scales are flexible and can be adapted according to the survey’s nature and objective. They can be categorized by:

1.  Type of question:

Likert questions are highly versatile and can be used in various areas such as customer satisfaction surveys, employee engagement surveys, and market research. Prominent types include:

• Probability questions: Measure how likely a participant is to take a specific action, helping gauge behavioral intent rather than mere opinion.

  Example: How likely are you to purchase this product in the next month?

• Satisfaction questions: Focus on how satisfied customers are with a product, service, or experience. This is one of the most common types.

  Example: How satisfied are you with the quality of the product you purchased?

• Importance questions: Measure the significance of a product, service, or aspect for the customer or participant.

  Example: How important is the speed of customer service response to you?

2. Number of options:

• 4-point Likert scale (no neutral option):

  
  

Forces respondents to choose a side, reducing neutral responses.

Example: How satisfied are you with the delivery speed of the product?

   •            Very dissatisfied

   •            Dissatisfied

   •            Satisfied

   •            Very satisfied

•   5-point Likert scale:

  
  

The most common, allowing precise gradation between agreement and disagreement, including a neutral midpoint.

Example: How easy or difficult is it to register in our app?

   •            Very difficult

   •            Somewhat difficult

   •            Neither difficult nor easy

   •            Somewhat easy

   •            Very easy

• 7-point Likert scale:

  
  

Offers more detail, distinguishing between levels of satisfaction or agreement.

Example: To what extent do you agree that this app makes your daily life easier?

   •            Strongly disagree

   •            Disagree

   •            Slightly disagree

   •            Neither agree nor disagree

   •            Slightly agree

   •            Agree

   •            Strongly agree

• 10-point Likert scale:

  
  

Provides 10 options, often used for highly precise evaluations.

Example: On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this app to a friend or colleague?

   •            0 = Not at all likely

   •            1

   •            2

   •            3

   •            4

   •            5 = Neutral

   •            6

   •            7

   •            8

   •            9

   •            10 = Very likely

3.  Presentation format:

• Horizontal scale: Options are displayed left to right. There may be a “left-side bias,” where some respondents favor left-side options, especially if positive choices are on the left. To reduce bias, place negative options on the left and positive options on the right.

  
  

• Vertical scale: Options are displayed top to bottom. Bias can occur as respondents tend to ignore lower options and select upper ones more. To minimize bias and increase accuracy, place negative options at the top and positive ones at the bottom.

4. Polarity of choices (Unipolar vs. Bipolar):

• Unipolar scale: Measures only one dimension, from zero to a maximum, with optional intermediate levels like “somewhat useful.”

  
  

Example: How useful is this article?

   •            1 = Not useful at all

   •            2 = Slightly useful

   •            3 = Somewhat useful

   •            4 = Useful

   •            5 = Most useful

• Bipolar scale: Used when respondents are asked to indicate extreme positive or negative opinions. Sometimes the scale has an even number of points, so there is no neutral option (forced-choice method).

  
  

Example: To what extent do you agree or disagree that the delivery service was fast and efficient?

   •            1 = Strongly disagree

   •            2 = Disagree

   •            3 = Neither agree nor disagree

   •            4 = Agree

   •            5 = Strongly agree

7 Tips for Creating an Effective Likert Scale Survey:

1.  Determine the scale size:

Lower-point scales are easier for respondents but provide less detail. Higher-point scales give more granular data but may fatigue respondents and increase subjective interpretation.

A balanced choice is recommended, enough points for accurate data but not too many to cause fatigue. Five- or seven-point scales are usually optimal.

2.  Choose odd or even number of points:

Decide whether to include a midpoint (odd points) or force a position (even points). If you want respondents to give definitive opinions without relying on a neutral choice, use an even-numbered scale.

3. Write precise questions:

Clearly define what you are measuring. Precision leads to more useful and objective answers.

Example: Instead of asking generally about restaurant satisfaction, use: “How satisfied are you with the quality of our food?”

4.  Ensure consistency:

Respondents should fully understand the scale. Endpoints should be consistent. For instance, if one end is “Strongly Agree,” the other should be “Strongly Disagree.”

5.  Use questions instead of statements:

Questions encourage thought and produce less biased results, as people tend to automatically agree with positive or familiar statements (acquiescence bias).

6.  Vary the order of scale points:

Reverse the order in some questions to prevent automatic responses and encourage focus. For example, make 1 = “Strongly Disagree” and 5 = “Strongly Agree” in one question and reverse in another.

7.  Use smart skip logic:

To save respondents’ time, design the survey based on their experience. For example, if measuring restaurant satisfaction, only detailed improvement questions are shown to dissatisfied customers; satisfied customers skip these questions automatically.

Read more about implementing skip logic in BSure.

Conclusion:

Using BSure and Likert scales, you can accurately understand your customers’ opinions and turn them into actionable steps that enhance your business and improve decision-making effectiveness. Make every evaluation a starting point for improving customer experience and boosting organizational performance.

Start now with BSure, and turn every customer opinion into actionable steps that make a real difference for your business.