these seem easy enough, but can potentially be somewhat stressful. odds are you’ll find the tv mounted high up on the wall in the waiting area, so you’ll definitely need a step ladder. being that it’s mounted up and practically against the wall, you can hardly see anything behind the tv. i was there, my arms fidgeting behind the tv praying it didn’t come crashing down. also i was confused by the fact that some locations seemed to already have the new cable in there and some didn’t have a cable at all but still played the new media material. you guys like doing these?

I completed 2 last week. At one of the locations, a chair was needed to reach the cable box. I had no issues and was out the door in 15 minutes.

There is one in my area, that has been on the board for 2 weeks. They keep raising the rate. I have been in that office doing brochures so know where the tv is at. it is about 7 feet off the floor and under it is 8 waiting room chairs that are bolted to the floor, so you can't move them. So you would have to stand up high on a stepladder and try and lean over the chairs. No way would I do this job.

I couldn’t reach 2 of mine. I was told to take a picture and notate it and that was it.

I've had a couple that I could not service at all. The box was either locked in a place I could not access or the TV was mounted in a way that I could not reach it. Apparently the client has really lousy records or something. When I asked why I was replacing a cord that looked brand new I was told the client has no idea which TVs are properly equipped, so they are having us do all of them.

I had one of those. I submitted the project requirements along with some suggestions... and then I applied for a bonused location.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/2020 01:51PM by Shop-et-al.

That was very professional!

@sstazz wrote:

I completed 2 last week. At one of the locations, a chair was needed to reach the cable box. I had no issues and was out the door in 15 minutes.

I took five in my area. I took my husband and a 2 step kitchen step ladder. I'm 5'6" with bad knees and another issue that would make climbing ladders unstable or even dangerous. The first one was about 8 feet high. The majority were an old-fashioned wall hanger that does not extend or swivel but lies completely flush against the wall. The first one was impossible to get behind the tv. The second one the cable box was inside a silver box that was screwed closed and could not be opened without tools (we tried a pocket multi-tool, like a pocket knife)) The third needed a screw loosened with a tool to take the TV off the wall mount. The fourth had the cable box secured inside the silver box and needed tools to be opened. It was not until we got to the FIFTH one we were finally able to change it but it took both of us. He could not fasten the cable behind the tv without taking it down. He held it while I attached the cable to the back of the tv, then I had to hold the tv while he fastened the other end to the cable box, while elevated. Then he put the tv back up. I talked to the MSP several times because initially I kind of felt funny not being able to do the job. After these conversations, I have no problem with it. For this particular contract, we were not expected to need or bring ladders and tools. We just take the pictures and take notes and it should not be a problem. I believe that for the locations that are doable but require tools they will need to agree on a new price with the client and will result in other assignments. But we/they (MSP)/them (client) do not know which locations are which until this first attempt is made.
Basically, even though it would have been smoother, less stressful, and less confusing to just walk in swap out the cable and leave; the bottom line is simple If I'm going to get paid the same amount of money to walk in and take pictures and type a short note I'm happy. Either way that's all I care about.
P.S. Yes, I did end up telling them that I took help for this assignment and he was ok with it. (It's better than risking damage to the TV) plus most of the tv's are in the waiting room (all of mine are) and so the assistant is not in any secure areas. (added bonus for them: since my husband and I both are shoppers he got to pay base pay without incentives for 4 of my five locations since we route together. The fifth location had a small incentive for mileage but I had to pass by that town on my route anyway)

yesterday my first location the tv was broken, second one i did no problem, third i was able to do one tv but couldn’t reach the other(though it was playing patient point even without a cord in it?). today i wasn’t able to do reach on first location, and now i’m sortve dreading going to my next one. rather embarrassing when you call to tell them you’re coming in to perform a job and then you can’t complete it lol.

I picked up a second, bonused location. I know what to expect and what to do. This is good. At my first location, an employee told me that 'the last guy was there for eight hours'. I can understand why! I was there for about twenty minutes, including typing copious optional notes.

lol what 8 hours? i don’t understand... you can either reach the cable box and tv with the cord or not. what would they be doing to take that long?

@Shop-et-al wrote:

I picked up a second, bonused location. I know what to expect and what to do. This is good. At my first location, an employee told me that 'the last guy was there for eight hours'. I can understand why! I was there for about twenty minutes, including typing copious optional notes.

@jay225 wrote:

lol what 8 hours? i don’t understand... you can either reach the cable box and tv with the cord or not. what would they be doing to take that long?

@Shop-et-al wrote:

I picked up a second, bonused location. I know what to expect and what to do. This is good. At my first location, an employee told me that 'the last guy was there for eight hours'. I can understand why! I was there for about twenty minutes, including typing copious optional notes.

Must have been for the install.

The MSC has actually been really good about these when we can't get the job done properly. They obviously realize that not all of the TVs are accessible. I think that's why they have us do all of the photos. Either way, we get paid, so *shrug*.

I serviced one location. Thank goodness I brought a step stool. I was able to install one end of the cable to the TV, but the other end could not be installed because the TV wall-mounting bracket arm was in the way. I hope I get paid for my effort.

easily my least successful project ever... only one location was i fully successful. there were many where i could have put one end of the cable in the cable box blue port but the back of the tv port was the big problem. could just never get to it, or even close enough to see it for that matter. hopefully they don’t hold it against me.

are you guys going to take any brochure jobs for the April run, or would that be too risky with the corona outbreak?

I am considering these assignments. I believe that office staff should complete the brochure tasks until more is known, but I could use the money from them to pay for my necessary medicals. I will do them if offices are open and receiving vendors. I will not be surprised if we are not allowed into the offices.

@jay225 wrote:

are you guys going to take any brochure jobs for the April run, or would that be too risky with the corona outbreak?

If they do it, yeah, I guess. Bigger issue may be we might not be able to do it at all. Office's might be closed and/or we may not be allowed to leave at all to do them.

@jay225 wrote:

are you guys going to take any brochure jobs for the April run, or would that be too risky with the corona outbreak?

If you have your own mask and gloves they may let you in but I would not want to be around a ground zero for the virus.