8 December 2022 1135 words, 5 min. read Latest update : 13 December 2022

Likert scale: 3 marketing advantages and 6 concrete examples

By Pierre-Nicolas Schwab PhD in marketing, director of IntoTheMinds
The Likert scale is a methodology proposed by psychologist Rensis Likert. It consists of surveying a group of respondents according to a unidimensional system. In other words, we are trying to find out the opinion of a marketing target according […]

The Likert scale is a methodology proposed by psychologist Rensis Likert. It consists of surveying a group of respondents according to a unidimensional system. In other words, we are trying to find out the opinion of a marketing target according to its degree of satisfaction, for example. This tool is essential to better question consumers since it covers all customer experience segments. When should it be used? What are its main advantages? Various examples of Likert scale use accompany all the answers to these questions.

Contact us to understand your customers’ behavior better


Summary


What is the Likert scale?

The Likert scale is an indispensable tool for creating a market research questionnaire. It allows an easy collection of respondents’ opinions about a particular offering. Academics even use this unidimensional scale to conduct notoriety research.

The American psychologist Rensis Likert developed this method in 1932. He wanted to offer new response options to people taking part in surveys and questionnaires.


The Likert scale requires more concrete feedback to get out of the classic “yes or no” model.


Therefore, the respondent faces propositions such as:

  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree

This scale is special because it can be adapted to the research needs. There are three main types of Likert scales: those with 4, 5, or 7 points. Although the 5-response model is the most common, it is possible to qualify the statement by adding the following:

  • Agree Somewhat
  • Disagree Somewhat

Choosing this approach to answer a question allows for a more refined analysis. It is the same as detecting favorable or unfavorable inclinations among respondents with more neutral opinions.
Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that the 4-point Likert scale is problematic. In addition, it “forces” respondents to choose sides since the “neutral” and “no opinion” options are not available.

Likert scale definition


When should it be used?

It is one of a set of marketing tools that are essential to understand consumer needs better. In short, it helps companies to see what motivates consumers before, during, and after the purchase act. Here are 3 contexts where you can use the Likert scale. We have also compiled 6 concrete examples of questions built with this scale.


Testing consumer reactions

Every company would like to know in advance the reactions of their potential customers to their new offer. So, don’t hesitate to build a questionnaire for a product/service launch! Ask your target market directly what they think of your value proposition. In this case, keep in mind that you need to learn about the perceived usefulness of your offer, its good understanding, or the importance of its price.

Here are two examples of questions following the Likert scale model to test consumer reactions:

  • How would you rate the usefulness of this product?
    • Very useful
    • Useful
    • A little useful
    • No opinion
    • Not very useful
    • Useless
    • Very useless
  • How important is the price to you for this given service?
    • Very important
    • Important
    • Neutral
    • Not important
    • Not at all important

The Likert scale assesses the customer experience

In addition, this scale is also useful for assessing the customer experience. For example, you can use Likert-type questions to understand the perceived quality of your customer service. It is also possible to assess the importance that consumers give to the sales outlet organization. Concretely, affirmations are a good practice to mix the Likert scale and customer experience analysis. This method is essential to confirm or deny the image you have of your brand.

customer experience Likert scale

Carrying out surveys and conducting research is essential to put yourself in the consumer’s shoes. (source: Shutterstock)

Here are two examples of questions following the Likert scale model for assessing customer experience:

  • Do you agree with the statement, “This new feature has completely changed the way I use [such and such an application]?”
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Neutral
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree
  • Do you agree with the following statement, “The customer service at [such-and-such a brand] is impeccable.”
    • Strongly agree
    • Agree
    • Somewhat agree
    • Neutral
    • Somewhat disagree
    • Disagree
    • Strongly disagree

Measuring customer satisfaction

There are many ways to assess customer satisfaction. There are scores such as NPS or indicators such as the re-purchase rate. In this context, the Likert scale is a simple way to get a global view of customer satisfaction.

Thus, the Likert scale is extremely useful when launching a new product or service in the industry. In addition, its ability to assess all kinds of emotions (positive and negative) makes the questionnaires very customizable. Moreover, this question is relevant for the retailer, marketing, and company life. This is why we frequently find satisfaction questionnaires in circulation among the employees of a structure.

customer satisfaction Likert scale

The Likert scale allows you to obtain quantifiable and easily exploitable results. It is a goldmine to get a clear picture of customer satisfaction. (source: Shutterstock)

Here are two examples of questions following the Likert scale model to measure customer satisfaction:

  • How would you rate your level of satisfaction with your structure?
    • Very satisfied
    • Satisfied
    • Neutral
    • Dissatisfied
    • Very dissatisfied
  • How satisfied are you with the delivery times for [such product]?
    • Very satisfied
    • Satisfied
    • Somewhat satisfied
    • Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
    • Somewhat dissatisfied
    • Dissatisfied
    • Very dissatisfied

Three advantages of the Likert scale

This scale is applicable in many areas, and its benefits are abundant. We conclude this article by presenting the 3 most clear advantages of the Likert scale. Its ease of planning, the simplicity of its answers, and the range of its results are detailed below.


It is easy to implement

As you can see from our sample questions, the Likert scale is easy to program. It is the easiest way to cover all possible answers to various topics. Moreover, because you can apply it quickly, it is very affordable to implement!


Respondents appreciate the Likert scale

The inherent simplicity of the Likert scale has another advantage. It avoids the traditional trap of questionnaires: questions that need to be clearer and better understood. Some respondents are even tempted to choose the “Neutral” option or skip the question. For this reason, the response rate induced by this scale is very high. Therefore, the quality of the data obtained with Likert is optimal!


Ideal to see the amplitude of public opinion

The last significant advantage of the Likert scale is that it proposes a very broad overview. Indeed, by covering all possible aspects of public opinion, this scale makes it easy to classify the respondents’ thoughts. In addition, the anonymous nature of the Likert questions frees the respondents from any social pressure.

 



Posted in Marketing.

Post your opinion

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *