On a scale of 1-10…

Recently in class we have been talking about using the phrase, “On a scale of 1-10…” and it has been intriguing me, because I have seen this tactic come up many times before. Most of the time this tactic is used to gauge a prospects level of interest, satisfaction, or readiness to buy something. I’ve had a salesperson ask me “On a scale of 1-10, how well do you think our solution fits your needs?” when my dad and I were trying to find a drain plug that would stop hair from clogging the shower. Unlike how we learned in class, the salesperson did not respond with “why didn’t you pick a lower number”, he just nodded and continued on asking other questions. If he would have asked, we would have been able to give him reasons as to why it wouldn’t work and why it would. When I took lean launchpad, we had to do multiple rounds of interviews to see whether the product or service we were offering met a need. This was one of the questions I would frequently ask, because it allowed me to see how much I needed to improve it. But also, unlike the other salesperson, I hadn’t asked why they didn’t pick a lower number, and I think that could’ve helped me a lot more. Frequently I’ve been getting emails from my doctor’s office asking, “On a scale of 1-10, how well was our customer service, or how well did you enjoy your appointment?”, but that’s where the question ends. I think if they could add on the extra “why didn’t you pick a lower number”, their statistics could be improved a lot more. I think this question can be very useful in getting information or feedback from customers, but it is important to not overuse it. I plan on keeping this in my back pocket for future interviews or sales conversations.