In the writing world,
writers know
a 3 out of 5 star rating
at booksellers
is negative
for selling books.
It means
the book isn’t good
but it isn’t terrible.
And very few readers
are interested
in that type of book.
Some readers, however,
believe a 3 star rating
is good.
They happily tell us
they liked the book
and gave it 3 stars.
They think
their 3 star rating
will encourage us
to write more books.
It does the opposite.
If you’re sending your customers
a survey
asking them to rate your service,
be VERY CLEAR
about what each rating level means.
For example,
say
a 5 out of 5 star
means the customer would hire
your company again.
A 4 out of 5 star
means the customer would consider hiring
your company again.
A 3 out of 5 star
means the customer will hire
your company again
if the price is right.
Etc.
Be very clear
about what your ratings mean
on surveys.