Team-BHP - Would you tip Uber / Ola / Meru drivers?
Team-BHP

Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)
-   Street Experiences (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street-experiences/)
-   -   Would you tip Uber / Ola / Meru drivers? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street-experiences/209294-would-you-tip-uber-ola-meru-drivers-5.html)

My family gives tips. Restaurants waiters and drivers usually get something.
People who have walked extra mile for us will get the tip too where job is challenging (lifting and delivering heavy/important items, air pressure check guy etc.)

I am different from them. IMHO, they are doing their job. Giving services is part of it.
If one does outstanding job which makes him/her distinct, they deserve reward/tip.

I recall a moment when a bell boy took my luggage from reception and load into boot of Uber cab. His attitude was polite and service impeccable. He was given a tip (driver saw it)

The cab dropped me to RLY station and driver opened the boot. He was about to come and lift the luggage but I did myself. He anticipated tip which was obviously not given (as I don't tip)
I checked my rating and it was reduced by 0.01

It just left me wondering how tipping would make one happy but second unhappy.

I would absolutely tip for good service, voted 'yes' in the poll. It visibly pays off in my 'overall analysis', and I realized that I also generally feel happier for it.

Of course there is an added overlay layer about being culturally sensitive. On trip to US last week, tried to tip my 'Uber' drivers but got the message 'tipping not available with this method of payment' - which was through Amex India credit card. In US, tipping is probably generally considered mandatory, e.g. when I took a SuperShuttle from airport to hotel and the charge was $17 and I gave the driver $20 and asked for receipt, the driver wrote the fare as $17 and tips as $3...did not even ask me if I was tipping. And then we also know of the countries where tipping is considered rude.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashis89 (Post 4592812)
Thanks for sharing this information and the URL. It clears some of the confusion around rating.

:thumbs up

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashis89 (Post 4592812)
I remember doing that every time I got out of the car - thanked the driver with a smile. I never kept them waiting more than a minute (at max), was belted up, never fiddled with the car and struck a conversation whenever possible.

I do the same thing here in India as well. And here my rating is 4.84, even though I use Uber occasionally, for airport rides at odd hours or pub visits.

I have rated them 5 unless I got some real bad service. I also add a compliment if the ride was good. It could be around the driving skills, conversation or even praising a well kept car.

In my next visit to the States, I will try to be extra polite and see if it makes a difference.

Personally speaking I don't attach importance to this online validation and rating stuff for myself. It's different for businesses because their livelihood is dependant on it.

Don't get me wrong. Its not wrong to try to be extra polite but for if it's for rating and such then I'm not subscribing to that direction for the society.

Is the Taxi market such that drivers are choosing a 4.9 star customer over a 4.8 star customer?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiku007 (Post 4594794)
Is the Taxi market such that drivers are choosing a 4.9 star customer over a 4.8 star customer?

In US, yes, the drivers avoid riders with rating below 4.5. I was told this reason by at least 3 different drivers. Riders with such low ratings are looked down upon and considered troublesome and hence, avoided.

Quote:

Don't get me wrong. Its not wrong to try to be extra polite but for if it's for rating and such then I'm not subscribing to that direction for the society.
I am in for giving all due respects to each individual in the society - a driver, a watchman, a waiter, a cop, a rickshaw puller, a tollbooth operator or a minister. In India, I have thanked each one of them whenever I got satisfactory or good service without any expectation from them. Most of the times, it is the surprise and smile on the recipient's face which makes me even more happy.

However in the small time I stayed in US, I couldn't figure out what I did wrong to get low ratings. I discussed with few colleagues there and most of them opined it was due to the missing 'tips'.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashis89 (Post 4594923)
In US, yes, the drivers avoid riders with rating below 4.5. I was told this reason by at least 3 different drivers. Riders with such low ratings are looked down upon and considered troublesome and hence, avoided.

Yeah, 4.5 is roughly where the line is drawn I think.

On a lighter note check out this article, https://www.smh.com.au/business/smal...06-p4zvqc.html

:thumbs up

I tip Uber drivers when they drop me off at my home in trivandrum. The fare is a fraction of what most Auto guys charge, and I feel like I'm ripping them off paying the actual fare. They'll have to drive at least 10 km to get their next fare

Funny article in a way. Anyone watched the Black Mirror episode - Nosedive? Please don't click that link unless you want some spoilers!

But all this rating by Uber drivers just reminds me of that episode. Heck, such behaviour could become the norm. And I guess that is quite the norm in restaurants here - it is so institutionalised. You are expected to tip. For what? No clue. My dad hates tipping at restaurants. Naturally, I ended up tipping quite a lot when in India. But when I moved here, I see that there is no option other than to tip. For what? No idea! Because the restaurant that the waiter is working for doesn't want to give a decent wage? THAT is the argument that is given?

Coming back to topic - would I tip an Uber driver? Not out of choice but because I don't want my ratings to Nosedive.


All times are GMT +5.5. The time now is 17:03.