Here is an email I sent to Survey, outlining the issues as I see them. I am i terested to know if others here have a similar take on the payment issues (i.e. a payment schedule change is forgivable so long as we get open, honest communication...preferably *before* the payment is late).

To Survey payroll team:

In the past year I have averaged over $475/mo in earnings from Survey, with some months topping $1000. I say this to emphasize that I am not new to your payment system, nor to the changes that have happened in the last few years. Nevertheless I have found myself repeatedly frustrated by late payments in the last few months.

I completely understand the financial pressures which forced a change of schedule, and want to be clear that this is not my issue. Any business owner knows the hiccups that accompany growing pains. What I find frustrating, even indefensible, is the lack of communication about the evolving situation.

While it used to be standard practice to approve work within a day or two, even perhaps three days, it is now apparently a flat 10 days, regardless of when the report is reviewed. Clearly this is meant to push the payment out by one whole pay period. Why not be upfront about this? Just say that payments are approved no sooner than 10 days after submission. No sweat. COMMUNICATION.

My other issue is the implication that payments are processed in random order. Granted I only have my own history by which to judge (and that of a few friends willing to share info), but it seems clear that payments are processed in ascending order by amount. Okay, I get *why* this would be done, from a financial perspective, but I have to say that it is very shortsighted. Your one-off and occasional giggers get paid first, while dedicated high-volume contractors are made to wait? Believe me when I say that we take notice, and this information is discussed liberally in the relevant forums.

Either way, it would be prudent to once again just admit that the payment processing period is no longer 3 days, it may now take up to 10 days.

The one change I can't abide, especially in light of the repeated lies and misinformation given me, is that reimbursements are no longer paid within 24-48 hours of being requested. I am currently doing 4-5 demos per week for Survey, at a materials cost of $10-30 per demo. With the estimated 10 day or so wait for reimbursement, this means I will be at least $100 out of pocket before I begin being reimbursed. This is despited being promised that my payment would arrive within 48 hours of being requested (told to me 50 hours after the request was made). The next day I was told that I had in fact been paid last pay period (which was 2 days before I did the first demo). Then I was told I would have it by the end of the day...a week after the demo and more than 72 hours after payment was approved and requested. So far, I remain unreimbursed.

I beg of you, please be truthful and communicate the payment policy changes to your ICs. Your own FAQ says that if payments are going to be late we will receive an email with the details. This has happened only once in the 9-10 pay periods since things changed. This gives your contractors a VERY bad and untrustworthy impression. If we know what to expect we can plan around most anything. If we are kept in the dark and lied to, we soon give up trying.

Sincerely,
<redacted>

Sounds like you may have to ease off on their shops given they don't pay when they say so. That could be a sign the company is going through some difficulties and you don't want to be caught up in that. If you can afford to wait for random payments and don't miss the money, then keep doing the shops.

I've had some bank shops get approved after about 10 days or so but the payment was always at a set time the next month. I didn't have to lay out money though.

Let us know what they say.

I had a scheduler confirm that the issue is cashflow due to them taking on too many projects at once. They always pay eventually, so I don't feel like there's any danger of them going the way of RQ, I just wish they would be upfront about the fact that they are essentially switching to "payment within 30 days" instead of "payment every 10 days." Instead, they have monkeyed with the invoicing and payment process so they can take advantage of the float with a little white lie.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/2019 02:28AM by stormraven73.

As long as you can wait 30 days or so for the $$$, then shop away !

That's still faster than many MSCs, and they do still sometimes pay in as few as 20 days. Not as good as their old 10-day turnaround, but not a good enough reason to drop them, either.

How come they can have financial pressure when they are not really paying well?

They took on way too many new accounts at once. And I disagree with the pay bit. Demos pay $20/hr, and resets are $12.50-15.00/hr. Their flat rate jobs have a low base pay but tend to bonus well if you will take a route.