You might be tempted to hit “cancel” when a trip isn’t perfect, but there’s more at risk than you might think.
How Cancellations Affect Your Standing
Think of cancellations like yellow cards in a football match – if you get too many, you’re off the field. Here’s what happens when you cancel too often:
For Your Riders
1. They might be late for work, school, or important appointments.
2. They lose trust in the Uber service and might hesitate to book a ride next time.
3. They’re left frustrated, which often leads to complaints and poor ratings.
For Your Driver Account
Uber monitors your cancellation rate closely. They look at how many trips you cancel in comparison to how many you accept.
Here’s the math:
Cancellation Rate = (Cancelled Trips ÷ Total Accepted Trips) × 100
Most cities in South Africa such as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban encourage drivers to keep their cancellation rate under 10-20%. For example, if you accept 10 trips, you should only cancel 1 or 2 of them.
The Warning Signs
If you’re cancelling too many trips, Uber will send you warnings to let you know. When you see these messages, it’s time to consider reducing your cancellations.
When Things Get Serious: Deactivation
Here’s the tough truth – Uber can deactivate your driver account if your cancellation rate stays too high. This is harder to recover back from than a low rating. While you can improve your rating by giving great service, being deactivated for cancellations is harder to appeal.
Why Cancellations Are Different
1. You won’t be deactivated for not accepting every trip offered to you.
2. But you can be deactivated for accepting trips and then cancelling.
3. Cancellations are tracked carefully, and high rates are risky without a guaranteed way to appeal.
Staying Safe: How to Keep Your Account Active
1. Here are some practical tips to protect your account:
2. Only accept trips that you’re confident you can complete.
3. Aim to keep your cancellation rate under 10-20%.
4. Reserve cancellations for real emergencies.
5. Watch out for Uber’s warnings about your cancellation rate.
6. Stay connected to Uber’s notifications about your account performance.
Conclusion
Your Uber driver account is valuable – look after it! Cancelling occasionally is fine if it’s really necessary, but making a habit of it puts your account at risk. Keep your cancellation rate low to protect your earning potential.
Remember: A successful Uber driver in South Africa is not just someone who knows how to drive well – it’s someone who can reliably show up for riders. Each time you accept a trip, aim to follow through and deliver great service.