Scrap the "star rating" system for events
The rationale for my suggestion is that it's very demoralising for group organisers/event hosts, when they have worked hard (for free!) to produce a nice event for everyone, to have their efforts rated in this way (especially by people who don't organise events themselves). I would much prefer that people leave comments instead (that are not anonymous), as this is more likely to be constructive and will identify any aspects that need to be improved, for future events. I posted a comment about this on the main forum and quite a few people responded, to say that they have been trying for a while to get MUHQ to get rid of the star rating system, but that nothing has happened. I contacted MUHQ and they advised me to post the issue here, so you can all vote for it - so please vote! Much appreciated.
Sarah
shared this idea
we don’t have plans to make changes to this feature at this time.
34 comments
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sqgl
commented
Dom is right, it is arrogant of HQ to not give us control of our own groups (ie the option to turn ratings off). The lack of respect for paying customers makes me wonder if I should just move my groups to a free service like FaceBook where I can at least accept their iron fist rulings.
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Dom
commented
Very disappointing! Clearly many of your organisers - your customers! - would like to be able to switch this feature off.
As this would not be technically difficult to achieve, given the maturity of your application and other features offered why can't you give us the choice?
This prescriptive, and destructive 'feature' that is imposed on us really spoils what would otherwise be a really good social networking application. If you disagree with this assertion fine, but to coin a variant of a popular phrase 'Let us make our beds and lie in them..'
:(
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ursula kolecki
commented
When meetup groups get bigger and more anonymous, new members commonly have no idea about the heartfelt effort that goes into hosting events. The star ratings sets up the expectation that events should all be "excellent." You can't please everyone. However, the vast majority of members choose to enjoy the event and not rate it. I do find myself feeling disappointed when no-one has bothered to saying anything nice about an event I held that appeared to work well. I like automatic reminders to participants to remind them to support the work of the hard working organisers - but with no stars - comments only. The system needs to facilitate the leaving of comments that ARE NOT ANONYMOUS - and hence accountable. I like to get positive feedback about events I have organised. It keeps me motivated.
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drivel
commented
It depends on the event.... for many events I attend the organizer does not do much other than initiate the event... the sucess or failure is totally dependant upon the people that attend and hence the rating is not a rating of the organizer, but of the success or failure of the event.
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Anonymous
commented
If there was some kind of explanation that the first star ratings are for the Organizer, rather than the venue, it might help. When someone rates bad food, terrible service, or that the movie stunk, all of which the Organizer has no control over, then it brings down the feeling about the group. They then should be able to make a comment, separate and apart about their experience.
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Anonymous
commented
I organize a volunteer group and it seems inappropriate to rate my events since they're for a good cause, not for fun. I just organized a donation drive for an animal shelter and received 4 stars.
That hurts.
Please, Meetup.com, give us the option to remove the rating system! -
TW
commented
I can't stand the "star rating". I don't use it any more. Instead I leave comments about each hike on the first picture of each album. My members do the same. The comments capture the true feelings we had during each hike.
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Sociable
commented
I don't agree, I think the star rating is good as promotion, and helpful feedback to organizers. I like the anonymity, and the generalized sweep. Comments are separate and folks already are free to do so. Negativity, really has no place in meetup at all....other methods I'm afraid may give an unbalanced platform to those types who tend to be negative/critical to no ones benefit...ie, as a personality trait. This is meetup...not that serious...should always err towards unity, promotion, positivity. Thank G-D there is an exit or remove button, for the rare need, that does exist, in order to preserve things going well.
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Anonymous
commented
Not everyone gives feedback or ratings ... so the star rating doesn't always reflect the opinion of the total group. That being said ... the feedback method is far better, because you know the exact feelings of the person and can directly contact them about issues they might have brought up.
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Anonymous
commented
Give the event organizers total control over star ratings. Let event organizers determine whether they are allowed, whether they are required, anonymous, editable, all of that. Let people choose. I can't wait for a competitor to meetup.com to appear and show what can be done right.
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Jay
commented
I also agree that ratings are useless and wrong. Besides, Feedback and ratings are NOT the same thing.
With the written feedback, a member is able to express in words and make it clear why he/she liked, or not, a meetup and can also participate in suggesting anything. Ratings instead leave no room for suggestions or comments unless of course they tied together, but once again this has only created confusion and misunderstandings, there are people out there that say wonderful things about a meetup but then give it for example 3 little yellow stars. If it hasn't happened to you yet, it doesn't mean it hasn't happened to others...
Keep the written feedback but scrap the ratings. -
sophie
commented
I actually prefer the rating system...I like the feedback and we've never had a bad rating in over 3 years of having the meet-up group.
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George
commented
I also find it childish... As an organizer I'd want to know what members have to say, but the little yellow five stars? Come on... Besides, I also agree that rating non-profit events or groups is wrong.
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Kim commented
Yes, definitely scrap the star system! (At the very least, make it so that it is not anonymous.)
What is awful is that when most non-organizers rate events they don't realize (or don't care) that: (a) their less than excellent ratings of events drag down the rating of the group as a whole, and (b) that they should only be rating the job that the organizers did and the things that the organizers have control over, and not the member's overall experience with the event.Here are some examples: (1) the meetup is at a bar and the member(s) have a bad experience with patrons of the bar, bartenders, wait staff, the manager, or don't like the venue itsself (meetup organizers should not penalized for any of these things because they have no control over it!), and (2) the meetup is at a movie theater and the member(s) rate the movie instead of the job that the organizers did, and/or they didn't like the venue or the other people watching the movie, or something that happened at the event (like for example, the management at the theater showed the wrong movie and then made you wait over an hour for them to get the right movie into the projector). Members are really not clear at all that they shouldn't be rating the actual movie, and that there is a separate ratings system for the venues (bars, movies theaters, etc.) So, for all of the above reasons (I listed at least 5 reasons) I think that the star system should be scrapped.
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Steven C.
commented
The rating system might be more useful if organizers and hosts could actually sort past events by rating to get an idea what worked well (in the eyes of those who did the rating) and what didn't.
The rating system isn't "childish" it's some of the people who use it who are childish. One problem with the current system (and perhaps also the new evaluation thing) is new people often don't KNOW that their comment and rating is going to be public, and there doesn't seem to be a way to retract a comment or rating.
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AC
commented
Agree 100% with Mike...
Never cared for ratings, it's actually kind of childish. And I agree that if non-profit groups are subjected to ratings then Meetup.com should be rated by organizers who are in fact paying for a service.
Nevertheless, I'll add that I do like the written feedback after an event, but rating non-profit events is wrong. -
Toni
commented
Our members haven't been leaving comments or ratings since the new email that goes out "Keep in Touch" . Honestly, people have busy lives and probably don't have the time to sit at the computer and click on Nice to see you (or whatever it says). I wish that the email reminder to comment and rate the meetups would come back or have it as an option to the Organizers. The ratings are ok but I enjoy reading members comments more. My Co-Organizer and I work so hard putting our meetups together and it's nice to see what they have to say!
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Tammy commented
Keep sending review reminder emails so we get event reviews.
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Mike
commented
Never cared for ratings, it's actually kind of childish. And I agree that if non-profit groups are subjected to ratings then Meetup.com should be rated by organizers who are in fact paying for a service.
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Anonymous
commented
I think it is difficult to please everyone. Organizers are not hotels, restaurants or service providers making money leading meetups.Most actually pay and then work to organize for the group and thanks is appreciated but less than 5 stars with no comment is unfair. If the experience is not what you are looking for either give positive feedback or don't go to the events. I don't like the stars. I would prefer just comments.
