Uber’s Rating System: A Missed Opportunity?

At StringCan, we hear from a lot of our clients about the upsides and downsides of online reviews. Especially considering our focus on multi-location businesses, we know that digital reviews can add a very layered aspect to a brand's marketing strategy. And in many cases, the most useful part of a review or rating system is the data it reveals.

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So the other day I was thinking about this in terms of Uber and ended up stoking a heated discussion with some colleagues about it. I suggested that Uber has a stockpile of data on its hands that is seemingly untapped. After all, drivers can rate passengers and vice versa, but not much is done with the hoards of aggregated data from this. I propose all of this information should be put to use in order to improve the whole system.

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What if you could make decisions about your Uber drivers based on how they’ve been reviewed? Think of how that would shift the entire process. Uber would essentially then be transformed into a Yelp for drivers. And I believe it would up the ante of drivers and passengers alike, giving advantages to only the best on both sides of the equation.

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What do you think: Is it ever okay for data to go to waste, or do you think Uber is missing a big opportunity to improve itself by allowing for more selectivity based on ratings? Let us know… and be sure to check out all my thoughts on this subject in the full piece on Media Post Marketing Daily.

Image by Lovepro via Flickr CC