01 · Policies
Role of Customer Ratings
Customer Ratings: Customer ratings may be used as one of the sources for measuring the beneficiary experience and the quality of the services or products offered by participating establishments. Independence of Customer Ratings: Customer ratings are an element independent of the jury's assessment and the technical evaluation, and their weight is determined within the methodology of each category when they are used in calculating the final result.
02 · Policies
Eligibility and Verification
Registration to Rate: Users may be required to register or to verify their identity, phone number or email address before being allowed to submit a rating, in order to strengthen the reliability of results and limit manipulation. Genuine Experience: It may be required that a rating be submitted by a customer who has had an actual experience with the establishment, product or service being rated. Proof of Experience: A means of verifying that a genuine experience took place may be requested, such as a booking number, invoice, order number, verification code or any other means approved by the platform. One Rating per Experience: The number of ratings permitted per user or per experience may be limited in order to prevent duplication and manipulation.
03 · Policies
Rating Form and Content
Rating Form: A customer rating may include an overall score in addition to ratings of specific elements such as service quality, customer experience, value for money, speed of service, cleanliness, professionalism or others, depending on the nature of the sector. Comments: Users may be permitted to write a comment about their experience alongside the numerical rating. User Responsibility: Users are responsible for the accuracy of the content they submit, and a rating must reflect a genuine experience and a personal opinion, without abuse, defamation or unlawful information. Prohibited Content: It is prohibited to publish offensive content, threats, hate speech, personal data of others, claims unrelated to the experience, or any content that violates the law or the platform's policies.
04 · Policies
Content Review and Right of Reply
Content Review: The management has the right to review comments and ratings and to remove content that violates the policies, without altering legitimate opinions merely because they are positive or negative. Legitimate Criticism Is Not Removed: A negative rating is not removed merely because the establishment disagrees with it, provided it expresses a legitimate experience and complies with the platform's rules. Establishment Right of Reply: Establishments may be given a feature allowing them to reply to customer ratings in a professional manner through their official account.
05 · Policies
Prohibited Practices
Fake Accounts: Creating fake accounts for the purpose of raising or lowering the rating of any establishment is prohibited. Self-Rating: An establishment, its employees or its representatives may not submit artificial ratings for the purpose of improving its result. Rating Competitors: Deliberately using the platform to submit fake or misleading ratings against competitors is prohibited. Buying Ratings: Buying or selling fake ratings, or using external services to generate non-genuine ratings, is prohibited. Incentives: Establishments may invite genuine customers to leave a rating, but they may not make a positive rating a condition for receiving a reward, discount or benefit where this is contrary to the platform's rules.
06 · Policies
Detecting and Addressing Manipulation
Detecting Manipulation: Technical and analytical systems may be used to detect abnormal rating patterns, including repeated ratings, linked accounts or automated activity. Suspension of Ratings: The counting of certain ratings may be temporarily suspended while their validity is being verified. Removal of Invalid Ratings: Ratings proven to be fake, duplicated, the result of manipulation or in breach of the platform's rules may be excluded. Impact of Manipulation on the Establishment: If an establishment is proven to be directly involved in manipulating ratings, measures may be taken including a warning, deduction of points, exclusion of certain ratings or exclusion from the cycle, depending on the severity of the violation.
07 · Policies
Calculation of Customer Ratings
Number of Ratings: The number of ratings alone is not a sufficient criterion for ranking establishments. Consideration is given to the quality and reliability of the data and the way it is calculated in accordance with the approved methodology. Minimum Number of Ratings: A minimum number of customer ratings may be set before their result is adopted in the final evaluation, ensuring that the result does not rely on a limited number that does not adequately represent the customer experience. Weighted Average: Weighted averages or statistical models that reduce the effect of small samples or extreme ratings may be used when calculating the customer score. Rating Calculation Period: The time period during which customer ratings count towards the cycle's result is determined, and it is not required that all of an establishment's historical ratings be counted. Closing of Ratings: A cut-off point may be set for counting customer ratings within the cycle; subsequent ratings continue to appear on the platform without affecting the result of the closed cycle.
08 · Policies
Electronic Voting
Electronic Voting: An electronic voting system may be used for certain awards or categories that rely on public choice. Difference Between Rating and Voting: A customer rating expresses the customer's experience with the establishment or service, whereas a vote represents the user's choice of a nominee or establishment within a specific award. The two are not treated as the same mechanism. Verification of Voters: Appropriate verification means may be used to ensure that votes come from real users and to reduce the likelihood of repeated or automated voting. Voting Protection: Technical protection systems may be applied, including rate limiting, account verification, analysis of abnormal patterns and other appropriate means.
09 · Policies
Voting Results
Interim Results: The management may show or hide the number of votes or interim results during the voting period, in accordance with the policy approved for each award. Displayed Results Are Not Guaranteed: If interim results are displayed, they are not considered final until the voting period has ended and the verification and audit process has been completed. Cancellation of Votes: Any votes proven to be invalid or in breach of the rules may be cancelled, even after voting has closed and before the final result is approved. Audit of Results: Voting results are subject to review before approval, and a technical or independent body may be engaged to verify the integrity of the process.
10 · Policies
Data Protection
Protection of User Data: The data of customers and voters is processed in accordance with the Privacy Policy and the laws in force in the State of Qatar. Customer Data Is Not Sold: The personal data of customers or voters is not sold to participating establishments or to any other party merely because they took part in rating or voting. Use of Aggregated Data: Aggregated and anonymised data may be used to prepare indicators, studies and reports and to improve the evaluation methodology.
11 · Policies
Objections and Approval of Results
Objections: An establishment may submit an objection concerning manipulation or a material error in customer ratings or voting, in accordance with the approved Objections Policy. Approval of Results: The results of customer ratings or voting do not become final for the purposes of the award until the verification, review and approval processes have been completed.
