Ratings
It would appear that getting feedback is baked into the business model of most of the establishments that sell things as well as of the service organizations we deal with. They crave our opinion on every little interaction we have with them or their products. “Stay on the line for a quick survey,” they tell us, but some of them are a bit more polite: “Would you be willing to take a brief survey after you’re finished?” Do you ever stay on the line? I’ll be honest. I almost always skip that part of the transaction.
But there are other ways that our opinion gets hijacked. Our email is wide open for a request to “rate your experience.” Shortly after I returned home from buying a book of stamps at a well-know office supply store, my email was ready with a question. “How was your experience buying stamps today?” Seriously? I’m to rate my brief interaction with a salesclerk who engaged me in small talk while handing me my stamps? This kind of thing—getting our opinion— happens everywhere. I go into my bank to deposit a few dollars (yes, I should use my phone, but I don’t). Shortly afterward, an email survey pops up in my inbox asking me not only to rate my interaction with the teller but also to tell everything that happened from the time I stepped into the bank’s foyer—on a scale of 1 – 5. A response requires a four-minute time allowance that I could use for more important things. I suppose this kind of snap evaluation is designed to help the institution or business work on its image, but it also helps its bottomline, something we can deduce from the question, “How likely are you to recommend this bank (or other institution) to a friend?” Sneaky, aren’t they? Getting us to do their PR and their saleswork for free.
Rating a business seems harmless enough, though it’s often annoying, but I think rating has a larger effect. It gives the customers license to sound-off. We think we’re getting an opportunity to say what we think, but this critical nature can become pervasive, not in the best sense of the word, such as in critical thinking that leads to sound judgment and decision-making. Rather, it’s criticism learned from the merchants, and we apply it to nearly every other area of the culture. For instance, if a contestant on Jeopardy makes an obvious mistake, social media platforms light up and the poor contestant receives unwelcome feedback and is made to feel his or her smallness. Moreover, ratings can promote falseness and insensitivity, both prevalent in the culture today. People may not honestly believe their responses to surveys. Also, respondents may be relying on snap judgment, giving opinions that result from shallow thinking, yet the responses are used to make decisions.
It goes without saying that all of us are constantly rating. We rate people on their looks, their education, the way they speak, where they live, even their children. The people we rate don’t ask for our rating. We are generous in giving it freely. But since we do it automatically, we ought to use the best criteria for rating others. Let’s see them through their special gifts and abilities, their potential for good, their efforts on behalf of others, and their place in the world as children of God. Leave out the rest that really doesn’t matter.
Here’s a hard question. Do we ourselves depend on ratings, building up our ranking in society based on the opinions of others? Do we base our sense of self on the ratings we get from others? I like what writer and speaker Shauna Niequiest says in commenting about the internet. “When we become too accustomed to rating and evaluating every single thing, right as it’s happrning, we start to lose our ability to enjoy things for their imperfections.” I agree, especially with the part about imperfections. It’s amazing that the God who sees us with all our flaws still gives us His best rating, declaring His love for us.
Critiquing and constantly rating our experience tends to suck the joy out of life. In the same way we get annoyed with the merchants pulling at us to rate their products, we may become dissatisfied with ourselves because of our own misguided perception of our low rating, thus missing the “fullness of joy” the Psalmist tells us that is readily available through our relationship with our heavenly Father (Psalm 16:11). Let’s get beyond the ratings and find joy in our everyday experiences.
Blessings,
Judith
“I always give good ratings to books I’ve read,
unless they’re really bad.”
Author William Roache
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6 Comments
Fartema Fagin
Hi Judith, Yes, ‘finding Joy in everyday experiences’ is important and gives me a measure of joy. Ratings can be ‘overrated’. Whenever I share my recently published children’s book with friends I ask for a rating. They are few and far between. and I often wonder why. I question whether they read the book. I question whether they know how to access the Amazon rating sight. However, I’m guilty of neglecting to give a rating too. I apologize to all the authors I’ve read, and thoroughly enjoyed their work. Just how important are ratings to our published work? Will a published work make a best sellers list? Will a published work find its way to making a difference in someone’s journey?
Last month I attended a writer’s conference in my hometown sponsored by the local community college. I learned a lot. If there was a survey, I missed it. However, I would have given the conference a high rating. I learned a lot, and met other writers at the event. One Jewish woman gave me her memoir, and made an excuse for some of the ‘imperfections’ in the book. I accepted it. In exchange, I went to my car, and gave her my recently published children’s book. That practice is called a ‘book swap’. I read her memoir, ‘Touched by Truth’. After reading her book, I actually visited her website and gave her positive feedback. I didn’t find any ‘imperfections’ in her published work. I actually enjoyed reading her story which reminds me of my journey of being ‘touched by truth.’
Judith Nembhard
Hello Fartema,
You have such positive experiences and know how to share them to bless others. This is an uplifting comment that you’ve posted.
I like your phrase “ratings can be overrated.” So true. In one way or other, ratings matter. We want to make sure they have worthwhile value.
I was glad to see the notification for your comment because I’ve been having a problem with getting the post to go out this time. The site maintenance person promised to fix it and it seems he has.
Thanks for sharing. I love your comments. JN
Nanette Schell
Dear Judith,
I agree the rating business today has gone out of hand. My local drug store asks me to rate my experience every time I shop for medicins as well as other items. It takes up so much time to go through all of their questions.
One time I gave an eight star instead of ten, and was contacted by the manager to enquire why I wasn’t completely happy with the service. Surely eight was better than most replies. I am certain people give them two stars for having to wait in line fifteen minutes or longer.
I am not interested when my credit union asks me to give my opinion afterI have spoken to a live person, and I always say “No” and am put through right away to a live person.
Most of the time when I order from the web I rarely give a rating unless the service is very fast and the product arrives in record time. How can you give a good rating when it takes up to a week to reach you by mail, and how does one give an honest rating if the product is rated to last years.
Many of the ratings posted are not genuine as certain companies, doctor’s offices seem to have their staff rate the person.
I don’t know why or how one would rate a human being as it is not our job to rate anyone. We are all equal.
Bless you Judith, Nan XX
Judith Nembhard
Nan, this comment on ratings says a lot that all of us can agree with. I smiled when you said you gave an eight rating to a product and was contacted by the manager. It seems they take this rating business seriously. But it’s too much of a time-consuming activity. It’s an imposition. Great hearing from you. JN
Ramona
Again, Judith, your perception is sharp, and your ability to digest today’s world–and give baack a much more sane and wise version of it–is extraordinary! Thanks ever so much. I feel better about life after reading what you write!
Judith Nembhard
Ramona, this is a most encouraging comment. I am delighted to hear from you. I had what are called “technical difficulties” getting out the blog, but I persevered because I felt strongly about what i had to say. I’m glad the site maintenance person was able to fix things so the message could get out. Thank you very much for the good word. I’ll remember to make sure that what I write will be beneficial to you and all the other readers. JN