The Grace of a 5 Star Review
It seems like businesses are constantly asking us for ratings and reviews. Get a food delivery. How many stars would you give the food, the restaurant, and the delivery person? Buy a car. How many stars does the dealership deserve? Take an Uber? How many stars should you give the driver?
Most of us don't even think about it. We may ignore the request or just quickly touch or click some stars and get on with our day. But did it ever occur to you that this little action can significantly impact the work and life of the person who offered you service?
What Is the Purpose of These Reviews?
Ratings and reviews are often painted as a means for a business to ensure it is doing its best for customers. For some companies, this is an accurate portrayal of how they use ratings and reviews. Yes, in some increasingly rare cases, honest reviews can help businesses understand how to better serve their customers.
You may not know that when it comes to freelance and contract workers, there is a lot more to it. Many of the businesses that have appeared on the landscape over the past few years work on a very different employment model.
When Are Employees Not Employees?
You may have read about the legal question faced by Uber as to whether their drivers are employees or freelancers. They are, for the time being, freelancers. They only get paid when they give rides. That's fine. Many freelancers like me don't mind only getting paid for the work we do. That works out fine because it also means we only have to do the work we are paid to do.
There is a darker side to all this. Freelancers and contract workers that work with freelancer-based businesses, like Uber, have no guarantee of employment. They can be dismissed (or deactivated) at any time. Or, they can find themselves still active but not getting any work or enough to make a living.
What Does This Have to Do with Stars?
Photo by Jackson David
So what does this have to do with those ratings and reviews? Well, everything. Let's keep looking at Uber to explain. This piece isn't by any means meant to call out Uber. What they are doing may or may not be right, but it is becoming standard, which is why it is essential to know about it.
When you take a ride in an Uber, and the ride is over (and sometimes during the ride), you are asked to share a rating from 1 to 5 stars. If your ride goes well, what do you leave as a rating? If they leave a rating at all, most people leave a five-star rating. The average consumer doesn't like unnecessary conflict, so they take the path of least resistance. However, some people (and you may be one of them) were told somewhere along the way that perfect scores are only for a perfect or better experience. So they might be totally satisfied but leave a 4-star review since "everybody has room to improve."
I am not an Uber driver, but I work with other freelancing companies. Once, I had a great client who gave me comments like, "Everything was perfect!" and gave me 4 out of 5 stars. I asked why, and she told me, "I never give five stars. If you got even better, what would I do?" I don't work with that client anymore. Keep reading, and you will see why.
What Happens When You Give Less Than Five Stars?
So what happens if you get good service and leave a 4-star review? You might assume that four is pretty good, and everyone will be happy with that. Unfortunately, that simply isn't true. In fact, too many 4-star reviews, and your driver won't be driving anymore, your delivery person won't be delivering, or your car salesperson won't be selling.
“No one is going to suggest that you have to offer five stars if your experience isn’t great. But just think about the power you have in your fingers. ”
With Uber and some other similar service apps, these ratings go toward an average rating. So, what do you think is considered a good rating? It is definitely not a 4. In fact, with Uber, drivers whose average rating falls below 4.6 may be de-activated. That is the company's way of firing you, which they can do because they don't employ anyone. So, just like that, the freelancer will have to find another way to make money.
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya
Even if it doesn't get that bad, many freelancers know that the higher their rating, the more work that comes their way. With Uber, people can cancel their ride and rebook if they don't like the star rating of their driver.
Now, your one 4-star review will not likely lead to unemployment for your driver. If the driver is on-time, courteous, and keeps their car clean, they are probably getting enough 5-star reviews to keep their average up. But, in case you wanted to know, your 4-star review isn't helping.
But what if the experience is bad? Well, no one is going to suggest that you have to offer five stars if your experience isn't great. But just think about the power you have in your fingers.
Like me, you may remember a day that, if you complained about poor service, an employee might get a stern talking-to from the manager. Or the manager might help the staff member improve their skills. Not anymore. Your poor review might leave someone looking for another way to feed their family.
Certainly, if your driver made you feel unsafe or failed to get you to your destination, or your food delivery driver brought you cold food, you may feel you have to let people know, even if it is bad news for the freelancer. However, we all have bad days, and your one 1-star is going to hurt.
What Can You Do?
If it helps, here is what I do. I give delivery people, drivers, and other freelancers 5-star reviews every time I can. I consider it an act of grace. It is probably clearer for me since, as a freelancer, I know what they are dealing with.
“The more we know about how things work, the better chance we have to treat people with the grace and respect they deserve. ”
If I am unhappy and can't give five stars, I usually just don't give them a review. While some platforms take completed review percentages into account, they aren't as crucial as actual reviews. In my worldview, a freelancer must do something egregious to get four stars or lower.
It takes us all some time to adjust to the new world of work. The more we know about how things work, the better chance we have to treat people with the grace and respect they deserve. There are people in action all hours of the day and night, hustling to make a living and willing to give you a ride, bring you a meal, or, in my case, write that article your boss keeps asking you for. Let's be kind out there.
By the way, if you need a ghostwriter, I may be able to help. I write articles, blog posts, and other content. When I am finished, I give it to you to use any way you want. I help C-Suite executives turn their thoughts and ideas into clear, professional prose. I also write content for companies wishing to start blogs or add more content to websites. Drop me a line if you want to learn more. For the record, I have thousands of five-star reviews.