Companies like Uber, Airbnb, and OpenTable have been in the news lately for rating their customers — rating systems that the users themselves are not always privy to. This has caused some consumers to feel creeped out, yes, but it also got me thinking – is this even necessarily in these companies’ best interests? I called Frances Frei and Anne Morriss to ask. Both are co-authors of Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business. Morriss is co-founder and CEO of GenePeeks. Frei is a Senior Associate Dean and the UPS Foundation Professor of Service Management at Harvard Business School. What follows are edited excerpts from our conversation.
Yes, Your Uber Driver Is Judging You
What happens when employees rate customers.
February 20, 2015
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New!
HBR Learning
Customer Focus Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Customer Focus. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Learn how to keep your customers—and their most important needs—front and center.