Poor customer ratings and reviews have always been a nightmare for China’s vast population of couriers and ride-hailing drivers. They often face heavy fines or declines in delivery orders in the wake of customer complaints.

While moderate penalties should definitely be in place to protect consumers against poor work ethics, many external factors, such as traffic jams and extreme weather conditions, can all result in severe delays and poor customer reviews.

A good reputation is everything for businesses wanting to thrive in the current digital age, in which every online comment, photo and rating can haunt a brand indefinitely. Many delivery and ride-hailing companies tend to be entirely user- oriented, sometimes forgetting the fact that their drivers also have a right to impartial treatment when disputes arise.

Therefore, more energy needs to be invested in creating a set of clearly outlined procedures, aided by in-car dash cam recorders and other powerful digital tools, whereby workers unsatisfied with low ratings or customer complaints can appeal for reassessment and tell their side of the story.