# Complain to Uber support, rating gets lowered?



## UberWhenICan (Jan 28, 2016)

So, last week I decide to complain to Uber support about a negative comment I received. And although I don't specifically know which ride it was, I am 99.9% sure it was the 6 drunk college kids who complained that I took them 1.1 miles longer than they thought appropriate (even though it was faster AND I verified with them prior to leaving). I went from a 4.78 to a 4.77 - all the other dozen rides were 5.0s.

This morning I look at my rating, and out of 13 trips, 10 rated me 5 stars and one didn't. My rating went from 4.77 to 4.73.

With 176 total rides, I find it hard to believe that one rider can cause that much damage, especially considering that only one driver from last week did the same thing. Even a 1 star can't cause that, can it?

If not, that leads me to believe that the rating system is even more subjective, and Uber has just as much power to rate you as the riders do.

No proof, but sometimes 2 plus 2 equals 4, even without the calculator.

EDIT: I have over 30 rides now with Lyft, and my rating is 4.93.


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## UberLou (May 5, 2015)

Complaining to Uber is like complaining about your food and sending it back. It is going to come back with something extra.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

First: You can never be sure who gave you the bad rating, we used to be able to see daily and weekly ratings so it was sometimes possible to tell when a bad rating "fell off the average" which trip it was, now you can't any longer so don't assume it was the college kids. 
Second: If you are driving X why do you have 6 kids packed in the car. Really bad idea. Refuse overcrowding calls, either make them cancel to get paid or drive around the corner and wait 5 before you cancel on them to get paid. If you take them after refusing people or drinks inside the car, they will kill you on the rating.
Third: Given that they can give you a 1-4 star and you don't have many rides under your belt, a 4 star won't move your average much but a 1 star will take it down a few notches. 
Forth: Who cares? As long as you are over 4.6 in most areas you are good to go. And if they deactivate you, they are doing you a favor since it is unlikely you are making any money on X.


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## UberWhenICan (Jan 28, 2016)

> Second: If you are driving X why do you have 6 kids packed in the car. Really bad idea. Refuse overcrowding calls, either make them cancel to get paid or drive around the corner and wait 5 before you cancel on them to get paid. If you take them after refusing people or drinks inside the car, they will kill you on the rating.


I was driving XL since I was using our minivan.



> Third: Given that they can give you a 1-4 star and you don't have many rides under your belt, a 4 star won't move your average much but a 1 star will take it down a few notches.


If a 1 star can make that much difference, it goes to my point of just how subjective the rating system is. I have never given anyone a ride where it deserved a 1 star - college kids or not.



> Forth: Who cares? As long as you are over 4.6 in most areas you are good to go. And if they deactivate you, they are doing you a favor since it is unlikely you are making any money on X.


You're right.... I could stop driving Uber at any time. But when I do it, I want to do the best job I can as a driver. I don't hand out water or anything, but I am polite, respectful, and try to show appreciation to the rider. They get a clean car (or minivan), an efficient ride, and if they want to talk a pleasant conversation.

My attitude or personality doesn't change whether the customer is Uber or Lyft. I don't expect tips, therefore I don't get upset when I don't get them. I rate based on the expectations of the service we both signed up for..... be on time, don't stink, don't disrespect me or what I do in the car, and if you want to go a particular route just say so.

My issue isn't me. My post was about the rating system. I'm good even if Uber deactivates me.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

UberWhenICan said:


> I was driving XL since I was using our minivan.
> 
> If a 1 star can make that much difference, it goes to my point of just how subjective the rating system is. I have never given anyone a ride where it deserved a 1 star - college kids or not.
> 
> ...


There are a lot of posts about ratings here. Some bring up the points you mention, some just whine, bottom line, it sounds like you are doing it right but the fact of the matter is that the rating system is arbitrary, capricious and not designed to make drivers better, mearly to make it easy for Uber to do rudimentary quality control.

My experience is that surge pax, drunk pax, and older pax will on average rate a little lower. Surge and drunks because they are mad at the world, older folks because in their world a 4 is very good, a 5 would have to mean something exceptional happened. Some drivers bring ratings up, others like me just accept and go on to the next one. As you get to 500 rides (rating is calculated on last 500 rides) your average will start bouncing around less. Smile, don't take it personally and on to the next one.


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## Teksaz (Mar 16, 2015)

UberWhenICan Check out this video if or when you have time. This guy explains the rating system pretty thoroughly.


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## wk1102 (Dec 25, 2015)

Yes a 1 star rating can drop you .03 if you only have 170-200 or so rated trips. The more rated trips you have the less each one affects you. It's gonna happen, some will be mistakes, some will be a-holes and some will have some merit. I'm in a fairly new market, I get a lot of 1st or second timers, like half of my trips are first timers. I try to work the ratings into the conversation buy it'd not always possible. Yeah the system I'd flawed but getting upset and emailing Uber really won't do any good. Just try to be friendly to everyone, and you'll be fine.


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## UberWhenICan (Jan 28, 2016)

Teksaz said:


> UberWhenICan Check out this video if or when you have time. This guy explains the rating system pretty thoroughly.


Thanks Teksaz. I knew most of that, but it does help to be reminded.


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## uberparadise (Aug 2, 2015)

UberWhenICan said:


> So, last week I decide to complain to Uber support about a negative comment I received. And although I don't specifically know which ride it was, I am 99.9% sure it was the 6 drunk college kids who complained that I took them 1.1 miles longer than they thought appropriate (even though it was faster AND I verified with them prior to leaving). I went from a 4.78 to a 4.77 - all the other dozen rides were 5.0s.
> 
> This morning I look at my rating, and out of 13 trips, 10 rated me 5 stars and one didn't. My rating went from 4.77 to 4.73.
> 
> ...


Just drive more or as time goes on the ratings you receive will head upwards toward a 4.8. If u get up to a 4.76 riders see u as a 4.8. Don't get caught up in one ride hurting you. Just be smooth and nice and all is well. Uber uses the rating system to mess with our heads and keep us in line. Here is a tip : customer says "hey this route is way longer or why did u get on the freeway?" I say "I was only trying to help you get there faster and avoid all those lights" if they seem upset I will even end the trip early to appease them. That shows that I don't need their stupid $2 or $3 bucks extra. Amazingly they then realize they are the jerks not me!


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## William1964 (Jul 28, 2015)

That's a tough one.

It's like me saying waiting for a schedule after getting an invitation is similar to Pavlov's dog.

The bell rings and I start drooling until the bell rings.

Unfortunately this is not a good thing I'm waiting for.

The bell rings and I start getting worried


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## BobbyDNJ (Mar 22, 2016)

uberparadise said:


> Just drive more or as time goes on the ratings you receive will head upwards toward a 4.8. If u get up to a 4.76 riders see u as a 4.8. Don't get caught up in one ride hurting you. Just be smooth and nice and all is well. Uber uses the rating system to mess with our heads and keep us in line. Here is a tip : customer says "hey this route is way longer or why did u get on the freeway?" I say "I was only trying to help you get there faster and avoid all those lights" if they seem upset I will even end the trip early to appease them. That shows that I don't need their stupid $2 or $3 bucks extra. Amazingly they then realize they are the jerks not me!


Sorry to go off topic, does ending the trip early stop the uber insurance coverage for that trip?


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## Dontmakemepullauonyou (Oct 13, 2015)

BobbyDNJ said:


> Sorry to go off topic, does ending the trip early stop the uber insurance coverage for that trip?


Yes.


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## uberparadise (Aug 2, 2015)

BobbyDNJ said:


> Sorry to go off topic, does ending the trip early stop the uber insurance coverage for that trip?


 don't worry wrecks are very rare/


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## zanememjade (Dec 9, 2015)

UberWhenICan said:


> So, last week I decide to complain to Uber support about a negative comment I received. And although I don't specifically know which ride it was, I am 99.9% sure it was the 6 drunk college kids who complained that I took them 1.1 miles longer than they thought appropriate (even though it was faster AND I verified with them prior to leaving). I went from a 4.78 to a 4.77 - all the other dozen rides were 5.0s.
> 
> This morning I look at my rating, and out of 13 trips, 10 rated me 5 stars and one didn't. My rating went from 4.77 to 4.73.
> 
> ...


1 star will dramatically lower your ratings


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## python134r (Jul 24, 2015)

Stay away from colleges, you make little to no $$$$ and ratings are hurt for ridiculous idiot reasons.


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## madUber74 (Jun 3, 2015)

Don't bother contacting Uber Support about a passenger rating you low on a specific trip. 99% chance they won't do anything other than give you some canned response about a few bad ratings over a 500 trip average not meaning much.

Save your time emailing them for things that may have a direct impact like fare miscalculations, significant app technical issues, or reporting severe rider misconduct, hopefully all rarities.


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## zanememjade (Dec 9, 2015)

madUber74 said:


> Don't bother contacting Uber Support about a passenger rating you low on a specific trip. 99% chance they won't do anything other than give you some canned response about a few bad ratings over a 500 trip average not meaning much.
> 
> Save your time emailing them for things that may have a direct impact like fare miscalculations, significant app technical issues, or reporting severe rider misconduct, hopefully all rarities.


Right. What a waste.!


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