# Less than 20 rides, low rating, DISCOURAGED :(



## BizyMom (Sep 1, 2015)

I'm starting to get discouraged, despite honestly enjoying/having fun driving. Uber is nowhere near my 'primary' job. My daughter's dance class is EXPENSIVE, and the time I have to sit about waiting for her to finish is empty time, so whatever I earn with Uber will help pay for costume fees and so on. I also donate plasma twice a week at the plasma center next door to her studio!! haha. That actually pays me more than Uber. 

My discouragement is this: I am a nice person. I'm 40-something and not grossly obese, smelly or homely, though probably very 'matronly'. I drive a very clean hatchback vehicle. I ask the riders about their comfort for temperature as we pull away. I am a very safe driver - I don't speed or do hard corners or hard stops/jackrabbit starts. I chat if the person seems chatty, I am quiet if the person is absorbed in his/her phone. I wish them a nice day or whatever as I drop them off. I open my hatchback for their packages when they've been shopping. Etc., Etc., Etc.

My rating after 16 drives is 4.56. Most of the passengers don't rate me at all, as far as I can tell, because the rating went to a 4.5 with the first person who was unhappy that her stupid pin was in the wrong spot, even though I went to the trouble to find her (won't make that mistake again!). She was only my third pax and I know she had to have given me a 3 because I 'did the math'. It then took around 5 more riders for that number to budge at all.

Sunday, I had 6 riders, and someone gave me a 5, because I went up to 4.8.

Yesterday, I had 4 riders, and today my rating is once again down to 4.56.

WTH?

I didn't even have trouble finding anyone's pin/pickup spot yesterday. One of them was a repeat rider and I remembered where her appartment building was and everything.

Maybe I shouldn't take it so personally, but in my 'real' job I'm a nurse and I am 'rated' at work all the time and my patients, co-workers and supervisors always rate me very, very high. I'm a competitive person and really ENJOY the service industry, so Uber ought to be a great fit for me. I'm not going to be annoyed by the short walmart-to-appartment trips and I'm not stressed out if I don't earn 'enough' money.

However, the low/no ratings really discourages me. :/ Suggestions?


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## ATX 22 (Jun 17, 2015)

Ratings are so subjective and skewed it's hard to get a handle on it.
16 rides is a small sampling, and we all experience a little apprehension in the beginning when the needle first moves off of the mythical ☆☆☆☆☆.
Is your car impeccably clean?
Could it potentially have an overall odor (from having kids in and out) that you're unaware of?
Could there simply be some people who think a ☆☆☆☆ rating is really good?
Since we don't get any real feedback from Uber, it's impossible to know for sure. 
Don't sweat ratings, be yourself, and try to enjoy the interaction with your pax. If you appear confident and relaxed, they usually will be, too.

Just my 2 cents worth.


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## BizyMom (Sep 1, 2015)

Well, my kids tease me that my sense of smell is my 'superpower', because I can't tolerate ANYTHING that stinks - good or bad - so I'm fairly confident that isn't it. The car is leather seats that I wipe down before driving. The flooring of the carpet isn't immaculate, though I do vacuum it every week.

I think it honestly might be my STATE. haha. Iowans are fairly pragmatic people and as a general rule we don't believe in giving 'top marks' to anyone, because "There's always room for improvement." I was talking about the ratings with my co-workers, all nurses, and they were shocked and appalled that 4.7 is the expected standard for that very reason. One of them does a lot of travelling on her vacations and has used Uber often and has never once given a "5" though she has always raved about how convienient it was and how nice her drivers and so on and so forth. She felt terrible after I told her how Uber views the ratings and swears she will never again give less than a "5". heh. So, at least I've educated someone. 

I'll try to pay more attention, too. Maybe I'm accidentally TOO chatty or something. Wouldn't be the first time.

Anyway, thanks for the input. I look forward to other suggestions as well.


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## ATX 22 (Jun 17, 2015)

Vinyl floor mats.


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## Luberon (Nov 24, 2014)

Take a few nice people that match your 'demographic'. Be nice to them, rate them 5 star before they step out of the car. Drop the word five star as they step out. Something like " There you go, we arrived XXX, and you get 5*, have a nice day" you will be surprised many don't even know they are rated by driver


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## glados (May 23, 2015)

Please do not feel discouraged! 16 rides is a really small sample size. I am sure you're doing great and your ratings will converge to what it should be after some more rides


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## Clifford Chong (May 3, 2015)

Took 3 trips today and only 1 person rated me which was a 4/5. No idea why he would give me a 4 but I remember giving everybody 5/5. Oh well. Sometimes, people will give you lower than 5/5 for no particular reason. Maybe they were just having a crummy day or forgot something and decided to take it out on you. Idk, but I would say in most cases, it's not your fault.


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## Amsoil Uber Connect (Jan 14, 2015)

Ratings always take a hit in the beginning. Check in the morning and hopefully its gone up. 

I was looking at a 4.2 on the 7 day, then went to 4.29, then 4.63 so mostly its just they didn't yet. Its a screwy thing.

After you get past 500 trips the first ones start dropping off. My 365 has been 4.75 for months and they say, what I 've read here, most will average 4.75-4.80.

And most riders don't know the driver being less than 4.6 blah blah blah. If I find out they are new, I explain the rating system to them and point out articles that journalists have written about, "Anything less than a 5* is a Fail."


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## Huberis (Mar 15, 2015)

BizyMom said:


> I'm starting to get discouraged, despite honestly enjoying/having fun driving. Uber is nowhere near my 'primary' job. My daughter's dance class is EXPENSIVE, and the time I have to sit about waiting for her to finish is empty time, so whatever I earn with Uber will help pay for costume fees and so on. I also donate plasma twice a week at the plasma center next door to her studio!! haha. That actually pays me more than Uber.
> 
> My discouragement is this: I am a nice person. I'm 40-something and not grossly obese, smelly or homely, though probably very 'matronly'. I drive a very clean hatchback vehicle. I ask the riders about their comfort for temperature as we pull away. I am a very safe driver - I don't speed or do hard corners or hard stops/jackrabbit starts. I chat if the person seems chatty, I am quiet if the person is absorbed in his/her phone. I wish them a nice day or whatever as I drop them off. I open my hatchback for their packages when they've been shopping. Etc., Etc., Etc.
> 
> ...


16 rides would be barely half a shift. Don't sweat it. DO NOT SWEAT your ratings. The rating system is a complete load of crap under the best of circumstances. At 16 rides, that is equivalent to zero circumstances, completely inconsequential. Allow yourself the opportunity to enjoy what you are about to embark on.

4.8 or 4.56...... given any kind of true lack of metrics for pax to rate you by, the difference between those two numbers is just as likely to be accounted for by luck than anything you may have done. It means less than nothing, it is a source of noise and frustration. Don't let Uber manipulate you through fear of pax rating you less than perfect.

Focus on "I didn't even have trouble finding anyone's pin/pickup spot yesterday" or "I'm not going to be annoyed by the short walmart-to-appartment trips and I'm not stressed out if I don't earn 'enough' money."

That is pretty good particularly since you are very much a casual driver.

If you are as competitive as you suggest and you seem to have your ego wound up and tied into how people are rating you, you would be wise to disconnect that thread. How people rate you is pretty arbitrary. There is zero standard or guidance as to how to rate drivers.

It sounds as if you need some sort of approval of some kind. You do not need it through the rating system. You don't seem to need the money too much in that you don't express concern over earnings. If that is true, if you were to bomb in the ratings- let them can you. In the meantime, work on communicating well with your pax. Tell them you enjoy your work as a livery driver. Thank them for letting you haul them and let them thank you in return...... just don't count on a tip.

Let your interactions with your pax inform you of how you are doing as much as possible. If there is a real problem or concern, you will no about it. Worrying about a 4.8 versus a 4.56 will not make you a better driver. It will make you a better worrier. Enjoy.


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## insfireguy (Aug 4, 2015)

BizyMom said:


> I'm starting to get discouraged, despite honestly enjoying/having fun driving. Uber is nowhere near my 'primary' job. My daughter's dance class is EXPENSIVE, and the time I have to sit about waiting for her to finish is empty time, so whatever I earn with Uber will help pay for costume fees and so on. I also donate plasma twice a week at the plasma center next door to her studio!! haha. That actually pays me more than Uber.
> 
> My discouragement is this: I am a nice person. I'm 40-something and not grossly obese, smelly or homely, though probably very 'matronly'. I drive a very clean hatchback vehicle. I ask the riders about their comfort for temperature as we pull away. I am a very safe driver - I don't speed or do hard corners or hard stops/jackrabbit starts. I chat if the person seems chatty, I am quiet if the person is absorbed in his/her phone. I wish them a nice day or whatever as I drop them off. I open my hatchback for their packages when they've been shopping. Etc., Etc., Etc.
> 
> ...


Dont sweat it, I gave some girls a ride to their hotel and gave them some suggestions on local eats and they got pissed off because one ofvthem was lactose intolerant! Got a low rating from them. As a nurse you should already know people are ignorant and generally dumb. Dont stress over it, mine is a 4.7 currently. From a 4.5. It could be someone was just being a jerk. Uberman on you tube has some advice. As for me i carry a cleaning kit and use lots of febreeze to eliminate odors and play frank sinatra on the cd, people really respond positively to frank.


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## KBecks (Sep 13, 2015)

I started giving rides in my dirty van (vacuumed but look, I have kids and there is some kid scum in it) to see if it would pass muster. It didn't. I'm getting my van detailed and bumper painted before driving for Uber again. I have a 3 rating right now. A 3! 

I agree with the others, don't take the ratings too seriously. If you *need the money* then drive more, maybe. Or look at selling some stuff in your house that you don't need or look at some other ways to make money.

My problem is my car and me, I did not dress very professionally but I'll make those changes and see how it goes. But coming back from a 3 might take forever. I'll wait to see if Uber kicks me out. If they kick me out I will try Lyft. If Lyft kicks me out, I will survive!!!! 

Don't let it get you down. Honestly don't even look at your ratings. Who cares? Focus on excellence in your main job, give Uber your best effort and forget the ratings.


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## Ubergirl73 (Sep 18, 2015)

BizyMom said:


> I'm starting to get discouraged, despite honestly enjoying/having fun driving. Uber is nowhere near my 'primary' job. My daughter's dance class is EXPENSIVE, and the time I have to sit about waiting for her to finish is empty time, so whatever I earn with Uber will help pay for costume fees and so on. I also donate plasma twice a week at the plasma center next door to her studio!! haha. That actually pays me more than Uber.
> 
> My discouragement is this: I am a nice person. I'm 40-something and not grossly obese, smelly or homely, though probably very 'matronly'. I drive a very clean hatchback vehicle. I ask the riders about their comfort for temperature as we pull away. I am a very safe driver - I don't speed or do hard corners or hard stops/jackrabbit starts. I chat if the person seems chatty, I am quiet if the person is absorbed in his/her phone. I wish them a nice day or whatever as I drop them off. I open my hatchback for their packages when they've been shopping. Etc., Etc., Etc.
> 
> ...


I am right there with you. I have the top of the line kia optima hybrid, leather, dual sun roofs, immaculate condition, clean, I dress nice, am super friendly, I offer cold water, candies, gum, aspirins, antacids, practically a pharmacy if needed, I ask if temp is okay, music okay, and so on. I'm know my city pretty good but always use gps and ask if they have a preferred route, I also always show up within 5 minutes of request yet my average is a 4.79. I'm perplexed. I've done about 80 trips total. I havnt had one bad experience. I think a lot of people generally don't give 5 stars because of the always room for improvement mentality. My goodness if I didn't offer all the things I did I would probably be at a 4. What do passengers want to be able to give a 5 star rating?????


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## KMANDERSON (Jul 19, 2015)

BizyMom said:


> I'm starting to get discouraged, despite honestly enjoying/having fun driving. Uber is nowhere near my 'primary' job. My daughter's dance class is EXPENSIVE, and the time I have to sit about waiting for her to finish is empty time, so whatever I earn with Uber will help pay for costume fees and so on. I also donate plasma twice a week at the plasma center next door to her studio!! haha. That actually pays me more than Uber.
> 
> My discouragement is this: I am a nice person. I'm 40-something and not grossly obese, smelly or homely, though probably very 'matronly'. I drive a very clean hatchback vehicle. I ask the riders about their comfort for temperature as we pull away. I am a very safe driver - I don't speed or do hard corners or hard stops/jackrabbit starts. I chat if the person seems chatty, I am quiet if the person is absorbed in his/her phone. I wish them a nice day or whatever as I drop them off. I open my hatchback for their packages when they've been shopping. Etc., Etc., Etc.
> 
> ...


Go to where they drop the pin and wait five minutes and cancel on them don't hunt them down get the cancelation money


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## XUberMike (Aug 2, 2015)

You sound like a perfect driver...

Keep doing what you're doing and your ratings will be fine.


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## BizyMom (Sep 1, 2015)

I think my problem was an Indian young woman - the same one who rated me a '4' last time. :/ I wish I'd have rated HER a 4!! I won't refuse to drive her again - she was very polite - but I'll try not to be so sensitive about my scores. :/

She was at Walmart, which I don't mind/don't care - but in my town, when Pax enter Walmart addy, the stupid app puts the pin in the MIDDLE OF THE STORE rather than at the door. Seriously - right smack-dab in the middle of the building on the Google Maps. So I positioned myself exactly in the middle of the two doors, opened up my 'grocery bag rack' in the back of my hatchback vehicle, and was ready/waiting for her when she came out.

Last week, she came out the Grocery door, this week, she came out the Pharmacy door. I remembered her apartment complex without her having to direct me, but not her specific building.

She was very polite, though she talked on her phone during the ride, so I remained quiet until I needed directions to her precise building. She was very surprised/glad/pleased I remembered her complex, or at least she said so. She also commented how nice it was to be in 'such a clean' car.

I do not like to 'profile' people or be prejudiced, but every rider I've had from India has treated me like dirt under their feet and rated me poorly. :/

Anyway, thank you very much for all the comments/support. I do like the idea of introducing the conversation about ratings by saying something about *their* rating - "I was glad to see someone with a good rating requesting a ride," or, "I've passed up some low-rated passenger requests tonight" so they learn it matters.

This forum is so helpful!!!


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## XUberMike (Aug 2, 2015)

First and foremost ladies the rating system blows, it is awful. 

Just know that 9 5-stars and 1 3-star leaves you with a 4.8. 

You practically have to pitch a perfect game everyday to have a 4.9


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## xUberEmployee (Sep 29, 2015)

BizyMom said:


> I'm starting to get discouraged, despite honestly enjoying/having fun driving. Uber is nowhere near my 'primary' job. My daughter's dance class is EXPENSIVE, and the time I have to sit about waiting for her to finish is empty time, so whatever I earn with Uber will help pay for costume fees and so on. I also donate plasma twice a week at the plasma center next door to her studio!! haha. That actually pays me more than Uber.
> 
> My discouragement is this: I am a nice person. I'm 40-something and not grossly obese, smelly or homely, though probably very 'matronly'. I drive a very clean hatchback vehicle. I ask the riders about their comfort for temperature as we pull away. I am a very safe driver - I don't speed or do hard corners or hard stops/jackrabbit starts. I chat if the person seems chatty, I am quiet if the person is absorbed in his/her phone. I wish them a nice day or whatever as I drop them off. I open my hatchback for their packages when they've been shopping. Etc., Etc., Etc.
> 
> ...


Hi BizyMom,

(1) There's a certain threshold of # of trips need to be completed before ratings are taken into consideration for account review/deactivation purposes. 16 trips is nowhere near that threshold. The threshold has changed overtime, but usually ballpark 50+ trips. So if there's any concern with deactivation, there's no need to be. (2) 16 trip is a small sample size. I doubt all 16 riders have rated you yet (riders are prompted to rate the next time they open the Uber app). So once all 16 have rated you + you hit 50+ trips completed, then your rating will be more stable. Of course, once you hit the hundreds of trips, the rating would barely change over time unless you repeatedly get a certain rating, all 1s or all 5s kind of deal.

Hope that helps!


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

glados said:


> Please do not feel discouraged! 16 rides is a really small sample size. I am sure you're doing great and your ratings will converge to what it should be after some more rides


Finally, a response from you I can agree with.


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## UberPhilly (Aug 11, 2015)

I've had PAX ask me about the tip system in Uber. Waaaah??? Yes. some pax think the tip is stars. I think Uber should place simple wording above the stars. Maybe just three words. Poor, Good, Excellent. I really think some pax (especially newbies) do not know what a 5 star ride is. I've taken Uber myself several times and I have never been offered the level of perks. I have a little cooler in between my back seat floor, and I offer chewing gum, etc. I drive a Chrysler 300 with all the amenities. Leather, Sirius, etc. It seems not to matter. I'm barely at a 4.6. I don't understand it.


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## Backdash (Jan 28, 2015)

BizyMom said:


> think it honestly might be my STATE. haha. Iowans are fairly pragmatic people and as a general rule we don't believe in giving 'top marks' to anyone, because "There's always room for improvement."


You've gotten some good advice.

All I want to add is:
Iowa - Idiots Out Walking Around


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## UberPhilly (Aug 11, 2015)

I know Uber will not share the star rating, and I sorta don't care about that. How about they share the feedback if any? Feedback is much more important. How are you to know what you need to improve upon if no one gives you feedback. May once a month you get a scrubbed dump of feedback comments. It will let you know where you can improve. It may also let you know you are doing everything ok and there are some things that are out of your control. Traffic bad, car accident ahead, bumpy or gravely road, surge pricing, etc. there are things out of your control that unfortunately get you a low rating.


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## CommanderXL (Jun 17, 2015)

Watch this video about the rating system. It explains a lot about how the numbers work and why you shouldn't be worried at all right now.


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## Pig Vomit (Oct 7, 2015)

Ubergirl73 said:


> I am right there with you. I have the top of the line kia optima hybrid, leather, dual sun roofs, immaculate condition, clean, I dress nice, am super friendly, I offer cold water, candies, gum, aspirins, antacids, practically a pharmacy if needed, I ask if temp is okay, music okay, and so on. I'm know my city pretty good but always use gps and ask if they have a preferred route, I also always show up within 5 minutes of request yet my average is a 4.79. I'm perplexed. I've done about 80 trips total. I havnt had one bad experience. I think a lot of people generally don't give 5 stars because of the always room for improvement mentality. My goodness if I didn't offer all the things I did I would probably be at a 4. What do passengers want to be able to give a 5 star rating?????


Don't sweat it. I know pax who won't rate anybody a 5 unless they are Penthouse model hotties.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

I too drive a 300.. one day im going to get the shittiest car possible, get it though uber and start picking people up just to see the looks on their faces

im going to install something to kill a couple cylinders and make it back fire as soon as they open the door and get out. im going to run the power steering fluid low so when i turn away from the pax my car screaches loudly as i drive off.. popping another backfire or two

oh and this horn too

 would be hilarious to me


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