9 Tips For Getting 5 Stars Driving For Lyft Or Uber

Being an Uber driver certainly isn’t everyone’s dream job, but it helps pay the bills and allows some people to make a lot of extra cash on the side. It’s a convenient job that allows you to work as long as you want during whatever time of day works best.

The best part of all is that you don’t need any extensive on-the-job training; once you have your car (or a rental) and the Uber or Lyft driver app, you’re ready to go.

Avoid The Ratings Danger Zone

However, being an Uber or Lyft driver means that you have to watch your ratings. In order to avoid deactivation, you have to keep your rating above a 4.6 in most markets. Luckily, only 2-3 percent of drivers fall into the below 4.6 danger zone. While it should be quite reassuring to know that most drivers do not have to worry about their job being in danger, it’s still quite frightening to know that your job security can be threatened by a few angry or spiteful customers.

Maintaining a good rating isn’t difficult to do, but it never helps to go the extra mile and make sure that your customers have a good time. When a few upset customers can potentially have you fired from your job, it’s important to know exactly what to do to keep them happy. Here are some valuable tips to get the perfect rating:

Drive Places You’re Familiar With

By far, the most common complaint that drivers receive is that they are unfamiliar with the city or routes they are driving in. Drivers who are new to the area often take wrong turns or miss important exits, which delays the trip and makes the rider wait longer to get to their destination. The best way to avoid this is by driving around your house or the city you live in. Not only will you be more familiar with the area, you’ll be close to home whenever you’re ready to call it a night.

Respect Your Passengers

Treat others the same way you would want to be treated. Your passengers rely on your services just as much as you rely on their money, so both parties ought to treat each other with mutual respect. Make sure to greet them and at least attempt to make a bit of small talk. Nothing is worse than spending the entire ride in awkward silence. Even if the other party isn’t respectful, you should always treat them well.

Offer Water, Mints, Or Gum

It’s always nice to offer your guest a little something special even if they will most likely decline. Bottled water, mints, and gum are all cheap to purchase and the small gesture will make your riders feel more welcome and appreciated.

Have Chargers For Apple And Android Phones

Something that riders will appreciate even more is access to a phone charger. If they’ve spent their whole night out partying, their phones are likely drained. They will need their phones to still be alive when it comes time to giving you your rating, so charging their phones for them is never a bad idea.

Work Late At Night

Many Uber drivers work their shifts after they get done with a regular 9 to 5 job. That means they are working late hours during peak times. According to a graph released by Uber, the later you work, the better chances of getting a high rating are. Drivers who work between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. have a much higher score than the weekend average, though the ratings do see a dip at 2 a.m. On the other hand, ratings often dip between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., reaching their peak low point at 3 p.m.

Pick Up The Right Person

A report released from Uber found that if you pick up the wrong person, you have an 84 percent chance of getting a one star rating. You can always call your rider to tell them that you’ve arrived. Of course, there will be inevitable mix-ups during peak business hours, so it never hurts to double-check that the person entering your car is indeed the right person.

Give The Rider Some Authority

People naturally like it when they are in control and get to make decisions for themselves. Ask your passengers what radio stations they like and if they would prefer having the music turned up or down. Take them on their preferred route if they know a quicker way to their destination. Bring them to a drive-through if they request it. Adjust the air conditioning or heat if they are uncomfortable with the temperature. Your riders will certainly appreciate it if you help them out.

Keep Your Windows Rolled Up

It can be a rather unpleasant experience for someone riding with the windows down when still in the middle of a cold night. If your passengers roll their windows down, then you should let them. However, you should always keep your windows up, but offer to turn on the air conditioning if they find it to be too hot.

Don Beg

Lastly, you should never beg for a tip or a five-star rating. It will come across as desperate and needy. Your passenger already knows that you want a five-star rating, so telling them again won’t change their mind about it. If you do everything correctly, you should get a good rating regardless of whether you ask.

Be sure to check out our tips for new Uber and Lyft drivers and ways to drive Lyft and Uber profitably.

When your livelihood is up to the discretion of your passengers, you must do your best to make them happy. Enough spiteful one star ratings might soon mean that you must find a different line of work. Most people are courteous enough to give you a five-star rating if you do a good job, but it never helps to brush up on any possible mistakes that would lower your score.

Of course, there will always be the rare passengers who aren’t courteous and will give you a one-star rating for an absurd reason. There have been stories of Uber drivers getting one-star ratings because a drunk passenger wasn’t allowed to smoke or play with the radio. Some rude passengers will try to cram a large group into a small car and then give a low rating when they are denied such a request. Just remember that you too have the power of ratings. You can rate passengers as you see fit as a warning to other Uber drivers who may pick them up. You have just as much power in your hands, so you too should use it wisely.