That's what I'm saying! Why do people take these for $17 when they paid $30 to $50 and the "actual" inspections, what they are calling scope A, B, C, D used to pay $115 up? Oh, I like to do these (sarcasmic spasm).....This market sucks!

YEP, butt they get them done, why they can keep price down.....didn't know they once went for over 100.00...wow and how sad.

The ones you draw and measure and pics interior and interior!

No drawings or measuring, many pic's exterior (2) and interior, locked files, schreder, license, computer, the whole chabang..questions about security, anti virus used and much more, making appt. within 4 hours of accepting job.

I no longer appear to have self assign privileges and sent a message to support with a question as to why I cannot self assign. Below is my email asking about why, their response and my response. This is the first time in 6 years (and over 500 inspections) that my "quality" is lacking. Anyone else having the self assign problem?
--------------------------------------------------------

Question Date: 12/28/2017 11:40:17 AM
Question: Can you PLEASE tell me what I have to do to self assign these projects? I used to be able to self assign and this is a problem due to the 4 hr/before 7 pm need to make the first call.

Responded On: 12/28/2017 12:17:05 PM
TrendSupport Response: Hi Patsy,
It appears that although you have completed many OSIs for us, the quality was not what it needed to be which effected your rating. If you complete more of these, and make sure to follow all requirements and answer the follow up questions thoroughly and quickly, it should increase your rating and self assign should turn on for you.

My response:

Your answer sure doesn't make any sense to me. I always respond quickly when asked for follow-up questions or clarification. And since you do not provide any "quality" (rating) or tell me what or why my quality appears to be lacking; how can I improve?

I have done over 500 inspections and to date I have never, ever been told the quality of my reports was lacking in any way, shape or manner!!!

Your not alone, i can self assign some, but no longer all shops. I was outed on one grocery, maybe that's why.
I do think they have new schedulers and things are working in a different way....they don't really let you know if something is not right so how are you supposed to fix it.

Irene - I agree with you. That's why I shot back a response asking them that question. Surely after doing over 500 business inspections, someone would have shot me an email telling me I'm a screw up and what I'm doing wrong. I did a lot of the compliance phone calls but and perhaps a couple of recent restaurant shops that they just started doing. They apparently didn't do the compliance calls this year or at least they didn't offer any of them to me. Personally, it p------s me off that they would say my reports lack "quality" when the do not do any follow-up stating any rating or what we did wrong!!!!

I noticed I lost the self-assign feature about 10 days ago. After reading their posted GENERIC information on their website about the way to gain/re-gain self-assign, I decided it wasn't worth pursuing further. I get 10s & an occasional 9 with other MSCs, & am pretty sure my work is high quality. Trendsource jobs are low paying & their schedulers will be scrambling trying to get jobs assigned with self-assign removed from so many good shoppers. I will not be "applying" for their jobs without a big PAD request if I don't instantly know that I have the assignment.

I see the schedulers are already sending out desperation emails, calls, & texts. Our pay for these jobs needs to go up anyway, so I am on a Silent Strike with Trendsource right now.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2017 01:29AM by xenshopper.

I had applied for a restaurant which I've done several times before self-assigning. I am on pending unable to self-assign. What got me is they've taken a week and it's still on the board. I just wrote and told them I got another restaurant (which I did), so cancel my tentitive pending appl, which they did. I don't know what's going on, but I'm still able to self-assign another client. I will now ask for pad, which i have never done...once a 2.00 pad which was refused.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2017 10:02PM by Irene_L.A..

100 percent of mine are with hefty pad, typically 2x the listed fee, or I don't do them.

I am very, very disgusted with their treatment and I think I will start asking for PAD, too. It just seems to me that after being on the Premier list with self assign of over 500 inspections and suddenly being told that my shops "quality was not what it needed to be which effected your rating" is very strange. You would think if my work was not up to speed they would have deactivated me. I have a couple of other MSCs who give me all their inspections. I get 10/9s on all the reports I do with companies that do rate their shoppers .

Tell her she wrote "effected your rating" rather than "affected your rating" and for that reason your self-assign ability should be reinstated. These companies are rating us?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2017 11:46PM by spicy1.

That might be the same person who wrote in an email "on able" instead of "unable".

I never had PAD approved so I only did jobs for them when I was already going to be in the area. Even with already being in the area, not one time did I feel the compensation was adequate for the job. I realized I was part of the problem. I did these jobs for low pay, rationalizing that I didn't have additional travel time. They got their job done for low pay so they will never raise the rate.

If I take the time I would have spent on one of their low paying jobs and take a bubble bath, clean my house or just go down to the pond and feed the ducks I think my quality of life will improve if only not to have the aggravation.

Other shoppers may disagree, but at this time of year, it's a good idea to take a step back and look at what we are doing. If we don't value our time, how can we expect MSC's to value us?

Well said and a standing ovation to you!

I agree with above, however I don't want to lose my grocery shops...but am re-thinking taking Business Verifications for 17 to 21.00....even though I only take those in my town and within 3 miles. We have a huge Industrial Center a mile away from me which makes it easy.....oh, what to do!!

Come to think of it, they were my favourite shops at Trensource when I was an elite member. Haven't done any shop for them since I refused to do any reveal shop. I miss that shop.

I just signed with one 60 miles RT and asked for 8.00 pad, waiting to see if they approve. I do them often, actually like them when they're in my town but pay is too low.....it's a toss up, want more $$, but also want jobs.

Call them, Irene-L.A.

"One of the possible jobs listed is repo. What exactly do you do in that department? I'm sure you would get paid a ton more for actually repoing someone's car!"

Hahaha. No, you don't get to steal someone's car. But you could ask to do a ride along, maybe. For a repo agency, you would be taking photos of such exciting things as (gasp) the paper shredder. Also, the doors, and barb wire/razor wire on top of the fence, if it's an outdoor lot. Sprinkler system. File cabinet. Locked key box. Fire extinguisher. A box of sawdust in case of an oil leak. You'll have to walk around the perimeter. Ask about any security systems they may have. A repo agency typically will have 6 or more inspections per year, because their clients and insurance policies require it. So generally they have spent some amount of time to make sure that you get your info correct and the photos done.

There are not many repo agencies out there. If there are two assignments in the same town, odds are, it's the same agency, but two banks or insurance companies that have asked for a separate report.

Yes, you would be paid more to do a repo! You may as well ask, while you are there, because repo agencies are almost always hiring. You'll never need to buy jumper cables again!

Wear boots, not dress shoes.

Nope, gave job to someone else, no longer on board.....never get pad...

This company has "favorites", imho and experience. Just because they are not giving you pad does not mean that they are not giving pad for that assignment. They want someone they can count on to do these $17 "inspections" that should be paid at least $50-$100 and they want to be able to fill them on a regular basis.

I can tell you this. They listed an assignment and I applied for it, with pad, because I was going to be literally next door. I hadn't heard anything so I called. They said that "the client" requested another inspector. Well, why did they list it on the job board then, I asked? Fast forward two and a half weeks they're calling me and now they have to pay me more than what I asked. It's a shitty conversation, with them, at that point; they're tone of voice is all crackly even though they're still offering me a nickle to do a quarter job.

I, too, find it very odd that they don't provide any feedback about how they 'score' the Scope A,B, etc. assignments, which are the only ones I will do for the pay I can get. So, the parts that ask questions about information that only a Realtor or Real Estate Inspector, a real one not us fakealots, would know I put minimal information. I don't look up the school district names, major road names etc. at all and I estimate the distance to the nearest major road or highway. The real estate records, when it was sold or listed, has that information that is easily accessible to them and they can click and paste when they edit it so why should I do a Realtor or Real Estate Inspector job for McDonald's wages?

My BV are all different, most have to do with the loan companies finding out info., as to their license, locked files, pictures, etc. I have had jobs take from 6 minutes to 1/2 hour, never longer, and never anything to do with Real Estate. I feel 30 to 50$ a decent price, but not doing them for 17 anymore, unless there a couple miles (which they are normally). The reports and uploads take longer than the job. I do feel they pad (in my location) for distance, nothing more. Jobs fly off the board here.....

I did hear back from the MSC and they stated that I had a "couple" drops and was only a half point from being able to self assign. Don't remember what the drops were but did have a couple who were difficult to schedule. I've been doing these inspections for years and have done over 500 of them just for this one MSC and never had a problem scheduling as the contact are usually anxious to get it done. Suddenly in the past few months I seem to have gotten all the ones who aren't ready, are in the hospital, don't return my calls, etc. Those might have been part of the problem. I've always been treated fairly by this MSC so have to assume that what they say is right.

However, can they charge you for someone else' action, in this case someone else's inaction? I can not imagine how they can.

I can not get up that early.

@AnneAshley wrote:

@2stepps wrote:

Maybe I'll try one or two as long as it not like the guys and a truck.

What was wrong with that one?

Does The Source have no assignments for the weekend of the 13th-14th? Do they just skip that weekend?

I'm doing another BV Monday, got appt. within an hour, very nice guy and 3 miles from home, could be why I don't get pad...my companies here are 99% professional in beautiful offices, only had one in a run down house ,,he looked like a perv.

On the app Field Agent, there is an assignment called "Photos of House from Street" Insurance Policyholder "Address" Job Overview: Hi Agent! Important: this job will require you to take 3 + photos of a house at the location listed above for insurance verification purposes. Do not go on private property at any point. Only complete this job during daylight hours and no later than 5pm. All of your photos must be taken from the sidewalk or road. Make sure you read all of the instructions thoroughly and take clear photos. If you leave any photo requests blank, your submission will be automatically denied. If you cannot provide photos of this residence for any reason, please do not accept this job.

Looks like The Source has competition now. It also looks like these assignments, without all of the narrative, may be paying $7, the offering for this assignment.

I have't seen that on the board, hardly anything this morning....slow with groceries as well.

Yes, they changed the grocery assignments. I'm still trying to figure out their new system. I asked about this on another thread a couple of weeks ago but did not get an answer from anyone here.