The online directory 11880.com has introduced a new Web 2.0 feature; as of a couple of weeks users have been able to rate the discovered service providers.

Telegate AG, the management of the web directory, announced the improvements in a recent press release. For users to actively participate, they have to be previously registered, using a valid e-mail address, under the rubric „My 11880.com“. Every discovered service provider is then able to be rated, using the “Bewertung abgeben“ [“Rate this”], using a 5-star system, and also include their reasons with a short paragraph. These ratings can be changed, edited, augmented or deleted at any stage by the management of this site.

It is interesting that only firms, which are enabled to react to the user ratings, are indeed those who are customers of 11880.com. This means this function only applies to firms who have paid for entries in the directory. Other (non-paying) firms, who appear in search results, do not have the opportunity to comment on the user ratings.

This system of ratings offered by Telegate AG has advantage for both user and commercial subscribers: the user benefits from the experiences of other users, thereby gaining transparency for their own purchase decisions, and the firms have the opportunity to react to the comments of their customers.