# Revamp the rating system



## Frank (Jul 12, 2014)

The system is too a watery. It s not constructive and can be demeaning. As I driver, I am tempted and often just rate clients with a (5). It not laziness, just that I want to move on...and face it, it just doesn't matter. I am usually rated the same way by the client. But there is no constructive reasoning behind the rating. Ratings are so arbitrary. A low rating can be given for being an unfavored race or sexual preference... Etc. There should be a reason behind a rating. A client or driver could feel a low rating is on account of DISCRIMINATION.


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## grams777 (Jun 13, 2014)

Frank said:


> The system is too a watery. It s not constructive and can be demeaning. As I driver, I am tempted and often just rate clients with a (5). It not laziness, just that I want to move on...and face it, it just doesn't matter. I am usually rated the same way by the client. But there is no constructive reasoning behind the rating. Ratings are so arbitrary. A low rating can be given for being an unfavored race or sexual preference... Etc. There should be a reason behind a rating. A client or driver could feel a low rating is on account of DISCRIMINATION.


Some of the regulators argue the same thing. There's no way to tell if prohibited forms of discrimination are taking place in the current rating system. The rating system I feel is basically a cost cutting mechanism to avoid the manpower of objectively evaluating people.


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

I wish Uber would do the ratings more like Lyft.
If you give anything below 5 a question would pop up:

What needs improving?
- Safety
- Navigation
- Friendliness
- Cleanliness

Give the customer 24 hours to rate.
If they didn't do so after 24 hours, you should get an automatic 5


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

I quit giving customers 5 stars if they don't tip.

I get approx 10% non 5 star ratings... Fair? Not in my opinion. Did customers get rating training? Do they KNOW 4 stars means fire this driver?

What if we gave all customers 1 star, always. On every ride. Would uber notice?? Care??


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## Frank (Jul 12, 2014)

I feel a firing from app use due to so low rating would have to have some documented reasons. Otherwise.... It could be firing without evidence or discrimination for some undocumented reason ..


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## dominant7th (Jun 24, 2014)

Well, you can't get fired if you're not an employee. I try to forget the low ratings and just move on. I switched to early mornings/daytimes and I like it. Less chance of low ratings due to surge/drunkeness. As far as discrimination goes, it'll be impossible to prove, so just do the best you can and see what areas you need to improve on. Don't let bad experiences ruin the trip for the current passenger. Check your attitude before the client gets in the car. This is the service industry and people who do well are people who have a background in Hotels, Restaurants, etc. Kill them with kindness even if you're right. Approx 3% of my trips were bad experiences, but the other 97% have been pretty cool to me, so don't forget about those.


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## Frank (Jul 12, 2014)

You are correct on all counts. I really have never had a bad experience. I just feel that the rating system as stands is too arbitrary.


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## mp775 (Jun 26, 2014)

You're not "fired." Your access to the app is limited.


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## JJuber (Jun 16, 2014)

i wish on the uber app there a note box where we can put note when we give rating to rider so uber can see why or the reason we give rider low rating


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## dominant7th (Jun 24, 2014)

Frank you're gonna be alright, don't worry about shit you cannot control


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## Frank (Jul 12, 2014)

Thanks. I really enjoy the work. It's that ratings are really the only way we can tell what what kind of job we are doing. If I do something wrong, it would be nice to know what caused a problem in the rider's eyes.


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## dominant7th (Jun 24, 2014)

Maybe see if you can Uber as a civillian and take a ride with a higher rating driver to find out what they're doing differently. I don't know anything about the area you're working, so I don't know what you're experiencing.


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## troubleinrivercity (Jul 27, 2014)

We have volume in this city, and I know I do a good job. So I don't give a **** about my ratings. If it gets too close to 4.7 I am more careful about who I pickup, and more attentive to making sure I don't make a wrong turn.

I also hope everyone appreciates that apologizing incessantly to difficult passengers will not help your rating. If they disagree with your route choice, do NOT apologize. Tell them why you chose that route, make them yield their dumbass authority to yours. Some of these people will try to push you around. There is nothing you can do to avoid a bad rating with these people except standing your ground, which they will respect.


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## troubleinrivercity (Jul 27, 2014)

Feel free to make up some shit. The less they feel they've got to be involved, the happier they'll be.

Seriously, appeasing bad passengers is being a scab. You're just ****ing the rest of us when we have to deal with them and their absurd expectations. Which are all already completely out of whack. 2x the service at 60% of the price. Okay, whatever shithead. Of course, if it's a surge fare, do everything you can for them since you're actually being paid for the level of service we provide. Which we aren't otherwise.


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## skccvb (Jul 27, 2014)

I agree that more feedback options when a less than 5 star rating is given would be a welcome feature-take note Uber corporate- you DON'T have it all figured out yet. Help your drivers to improve!


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

Well I just learned from a passenger that when you give a low rating
Uber emails them for more information.
I don't know if this is something new but it can't hurt IMO


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## Spanky (Jun 28, 2014)

LisaB said:


> The rating system leaves much to be desired as we all know. The only ones paying for it are the drivers. Through my experience the only way to give myself a best shot at a 5 rating with a toxic rider is to end the trip slightly early and tell them that and that you are saving them some money. Amazing, even the most difficult rider will perk up with cheer and gratitude knowing you're looking out for their pocketbook. It gets me 5 stars. With this, I lose and uber loses money. It's a wash but it's a way for uber to feel the pinch of their rating system. But if I get a tip for it, then the only who loses is uber. That's about as fair to them as their rating system is to drivers, I think.


Ending the trip early also ends the insurance coverage so you are exposing yourself to a shitstorm to appease a pain the ass rider who's probably going to ding you anyways.


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## Elmoooy (Sep 3, 2014)

ElectroFuzz said:


> Well I just learned from a passenger that when you give a low rating
> Uber emails them for more information.
> I don't know if this is something new but it can't hurt IMO


You have sources?


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

ElectroFuzz said:


> Well I just learned from a passenger that when you give a low rating
> Uber emails them for more information.
> I don't know if this is something new but it can't hurt IMO


Wow! They are trying to verify a low rating?

Is that followed up by a reversal if it was for something that the driver was not in control of?

Like: Bad p/up due to pin location
Surge prices
Delays
Driver stuck to road rules
Are just a few things I've been rated badly for


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## osii (Aug 21, 2014)

I'd like a little sign that says this:

If at anytime you feel this is not a 5 star experience, Please inform the driver immediately to terminate this ride.


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

Elmoooy said:


> You have sources?


This is from a passenger, we were talking about ratings.
She told me she always rates 5 but she had a really rude driver
so she rated him a 1 star.
Uber sent her an e-mail asking why.


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## TaninLa (Aug 4, 2014)

ElectroFuzz said:


> This is from a passenger, we were talking about ratings.
> She told me she always rates 5 but she had a really rude driver
> so she rated him a 1 star.
> Uber sent her an e-mail asking why.


I received an email from customer service when I recently had to give a driver less than 5. I'm talking SERIOUSLY dangerous driving complete with a four point u turn at a blind spot on a hill where we were almost hit. And, well, acting like he didn't know the beach was to the west (huh? It's called the WEST coast) so he went east for ten blocks because we were too busy talking to notice.

All that to say I got an email asking why I rated the driver so low. And I told them that since they lowered the fares the quality of driven has gone way down (it really has.) I used to be able to be confident that I could use Uber to go across town to work meetings (loved being able to prep / read in the backseat instead of deal with traffic) but now, I never know what kind of driver I'll get and I have to keep an eye on his route, etc.

I would SO pay more for a Uber to go back to what it used to be.


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## Andy Fielder (Sep 6, 2014)

It may be a little early, but I'm tripping out about my rating after my first day. I'm at a very mediocre 3.0. How much time will Uber give me to improve before I'm in jeopardy? I did four rides and had a few glitches, that's for sure.

1. My phone slipped below my seat and my passenger had to call it to help me find it.
2. I couldn't get Waze to work for my second fare and had to turn around on Sunset after going the wrong direction.
3. My third fare gave me the wrong address for a hotel and we had to turn around two blocks to get there.
4. The app sent me to pick up the couple on one street when they were actually 3 miles from there.

Now all of the above makes me look like a 3.0 but I hope I'm allowed a little time to get the hang of it. I was really earnest and let people know it was my first day and apologized for any mistakes. Is there a little grace period for me to raise my rating? I get the feeling if I fall below a 4.7 I'm in trouble. I *KNOW* I'll be 100% better next round. I've been practicing using my phone's GPS on my own. I may buy a Garmin from Best Buy because I'm very comfortable with it and stick it on my windshield. I've read here I should stick to daytime driving in the beginning to up my rating.


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## Andy Fielder (Sep 6, 2014)

It just occured to me to answer my own question. There is no learning curve when you are charging people money for your service. I should have done practice rides and figured out my equipment logistics on my nickel, not my customers. I'm still active at the moment and hope to remain so.


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## UberBlackDriverLA (Aug 21, 2014)

dominant7th said:


> Maybe see if you can Uber as a civillian and take a ride with a higher rating driver to find out what they're doing differently. I don't know anything about the area you're working, so I don't know what you're experiencing.


HORRIBLE IDEA!

The last 5 Ubers I have taken have been terrible. I only use Uber Black so all rides were Uber Black. Of the five rides, zero of the drivers were dressed professionally, 2 of the 5 could speak audible English and zero had nice cars. As a matter of fact, 2 of the five cars didn't even qualify for Uber Black. One had a beige interior, one was super old and the other 3 I would just consider beat up.

Now, I know UberX drivers don't need to dress professionally, but Uber Black/SUV should. The quality at Uber (both X and Black) is going down hill quickly and WILL be at taxi level in the next six months or so.

If you want to see professional drivers at work, hire Empire/CLS or ITS for a ride. Automakers are not trying to be the next Yugo and Baseball teams don't get better by watching the Cubs.


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## NightRider (Jul 23, 2014)

Andy Fielder said:


> It may be a little early, but I'm tripping out about my rating after my first day. I'm at a very mediocre 3.0. How much time will Uber give me to improve before I'm in jeopardy? I did four rides and had a few glitches, that's for sure.
> 
> 1. My phone slipped below my seat and my passenger had to call it to help me find it.
> 2. I couldn't get Waze to work for my second fare and had to turn around on Sunset after going the wrong direction.
> ...


There are MANY threads here on the rating system which you should read through. In short, if you're just starting out, I think somewhere around 40 rides is where uber starts to consider your rating so if you've only done a few at this point, you have some time to bring your rating up. It definitely takes atleast a few days of driving to get used to all of the things you have to keep track of, so don't stress too much.


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## Andy Fielder (Sep 6, 2014)

Thank you, KnightRider. I love your avatar as it brings up fond memories of THE LEGO MOVIE where everything was truly awesome. Buying a Garmin might seem like an added expense, but nothing beats the relaxation of letting go of destination anxiety and keeping my hands and eyes on the road. I actually appreciate the Stepford wife robot telling me I have a turn approaching in 50 feet. I know Waze is supposed to be really great at finding shortcuts during traffic, but I tried it today going home from my office and thought Waze was a little wacko. I'll search here on the forum for previous threads. Many have recommended candy trays and Top 40. I'm already doing the water and phone charger so my next priority is improving efficiency at getting from A to B.


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## TaninLa (Aug 4, 2014)

Andy Fielder said:


> It just occured to me to answer my own question. There is no learning curve when you are charging people money for your service. I should have done practice rides and figured out my equipment logistics on my nickel, not my customers. I'm still active at the moment and hope to remain so.


Damn you're being hard on yourself.

I wish some of you LA drivers would drive in my area more often. I swear, we're not as rough on newbies as some of these entitled asses you guys drive. We're just happy to get a damn ride. Okay, most of us. Lol.


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## pamela2001 (Aug 17, 2014)

NightRider said:


> There are MANY threads here on the rating system which you should read through. In short, if you're just starting out, I think somewhere around 40 rides is where uber starts to consider your rating so if you've only done a few at this point, you have some time to bring your rating up. It definitely takes atleast a few days of driving to get used to all of the things you have to keep track of, so don't stress too much.


Thank you nightrider! Yes, other threads with Ratings issue on these forums. There is a collective conscience building about Ratings on Uber and other web sites that use Ratings.
Check out Forbes, TED and podcast links in this thread:
*Warned or Deactivated for low rating*


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## osii (Aug 21, 2014)

Andy Fielder said:


> It may be a little early, but I'm tripping out about my rating after my first day. I'm at a very mediocre 3.0. How much time will Uber give me to improve before I'm in jeopardy? I did four rides and had a few glitches, that's for sure.
> 
> 1. My phone slipped below my seat and my passenger had to call it to help me find it.
> 2. I couldn't get Waze to work for my second fare and had to turn around on Sunset after going the wrong direction.
> ...


Stop smoking in the car


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

I feel completely confused when I get a bad rating. What was the problem?

Occasionally I take a wrong turn, so I get that someone might downrate for that. I apologize for it and suffer on. But, the wrong turn gets corrected and my mistake may cost the passenger 30 seconds and 2 blocks. THIS MISTAKE IS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND THE DRIVER MUST BE PAINFULLY PUNISHED. That's how I am made to feel.

I am a very careful driver and rarely deviate from traffic laws. Maybe too careful. I think there is a sizable portion of the passengers out there who don't like to driven in a safe and calm manner. I am guessing that sometimes I am downrated for driving cautiously.

My demeanor is generally quiet, but friendly. Cheerful if the rider wants a conversation. If there is conversation, then I try to be thoughtful and respectful. But oftentimes I get the sense that passengers want a party driver with lots a jokes and effervescent personality. I guess I get downrated sometimes for this too.

I could go on:

Professional
Attentive
Courteous

It's genuine actually. I really do enjoy helping people and running my service.

The point is, I just cannot be perfect or please everyone. But I try. 

There is certainly discrimination in the ratings. Also a lot of elitist passengers who look down and enjoy the power they have in rating me.

Most customers like me despite my flaws. But a few (about 5% I suppose) are just not happy with the ride.

I honestly don't know how to make the experience better for them. Frankly, I'm not too concerned.


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## osii (Aug 21, 2014)

the day I'm done with this deal I'm going to gargle with whisley, put an eyepatch on, make a lot of wrong turns, and smoke while the client is in the car. And just see how long it takes to get deactivated.

And bring my hyper 70 pound dog along for the ride.


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## NightRider (Jul 23, 2014)

osii said:


> the day I'm done with this deal I'm going to gargle with whisley, put an eyepatch on, make a lot of wrong turns, and smoke while the client is in the car. And just see how long it takes to get deactivated.
> 
> And bring my hyper 70 pound dog along for the ride.


The imagery in my head as I read that made me LOL... smoke a cigar, even!


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## osii (Aug 21, 2014)

NightRider said:


> The imagery in my head as I read that made me LOL... smoke a cigar, even!


And a Borat thong


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## The Geek (May 29, 2014)

osii said:


> And a Borat thong


Only if you have Man-Boobs and a huge belly!


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## osii (Aug 21, 2014)

The Geek said:


> Only if you have Man-Boobs and a huge belly!


That's me!!!


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## The Geek (May 29, 2014)

osii said:


> That's me!!!


Then oil it all up all loud & proud and go for it! Avoid West Hollywood though... (or your local equivalent)


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

https://uberpeople.net/threads/the-matrix-blue-pill-or-red-pill.3542/


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