I was recently very
surprised to read a newspaper article on Uber (in Bangalore) providing
customers a rating. What !! Aren't customers supposed to provide ratings for
the services received. Defied logic.
(The original article
on Uber in “The Hindu” http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/have-you-been-fretting-about-what-your-uber-driver-thinks-of-you-youre-not-alone/article8422948.ece
)
I had seen a big
change in how customer friendly Ola drivers had become (in Chennai) after ratings were
introduced. Not only customer friendly, but also better drivers -- no rash
driving, lesser honking, no foul mouthing other drivers on the road and no
expectation on extra tips...hmm!!
Never mind the Ola boats which came during the December rains, but we started having a preference for Ola cabs - especially after our car was flooded and we were dependent on other modes of transport!
When I casually
enquired with the drivers, soon realized that their incentives / customers
assigned are linked to the ratings received.
Is amazing to see how introduction of
these ratings And linking it to their incentives could bring in such a positive
behavioral change.
Coming back to Uber,
as I started to read the article in detail, was intrigued to see the parameters that the
drivers had for rating - timeliness, conversing, clarity on route/route guidance,
etc. -- clearly, well thought out parameters to bring about customers behavior
changes.
Being in the service
industry, despite being a captive organization, many times having to put up
with "customers" requests, one sided expectations....I started think of “Hey,
maybe this could be the way to change behaviors”
After some soaking of
"customers ALSO being rated" I can relate very well to what Uber is
doing. If implemented in the
right way and used judiciously, it would lead to better behaviors on both sides.
It would be
interesting to see the customers reactions when this introduced in more places
/ services - for sure, I would need some getting used to...
Cheers
