I am sure I have asked this before but search brings up nothing.
In case you are not familiar they are a company that has you go out and take photos of property - from a public space like the street or a sidewalk, you never interact with people and it is fast and easy (I love these type of jobs).
But has anyone figured out a way to work with them without having to taking all the low paying assignments they throw out?
I swear they keep sending me to the same area that is about 15-18 miles each way for a single job and sometimes the fee is 13.00- 15.00 (mind you the task itself is 3 minutes of picture taking out the car window and reporting takes another 3 min tops which uploads while you are driving ) other times it is 10.50 or even 8.00.
There is no refusing jobs or they put you on "unavailable" status or they black list you.
There is no refusing because of distance or they threaten to take that zip code off your list.
I kept staying on because I thought the jobs would multiply as I got more time in with them but I have only had 1 day where they sent me 3 assignments in an area and only twice where I had 2 jobs in a day.
These photos are being requested by realtors so I understand that my semi-rural location reduces the amount I will receive purely due to population density, but the distance involved should also factor into the price (and sometimes the job says extra has been added by the client for distance).
Ugh.

You can't refuse a job for $8, and it could be a 36-mile round trip? That sounds unfair. Have you contacted them about your concerns and see what they say?

I, personally, wouldn't care how much I love doing their jobs, I wouldn't do it for that amount and for that distance. They would just have to put me on that crazy list.

Nope, nope, nope. I don't live close to anything so I group shops, always, and that arrangement would be a hard pass for me. I just refused a scheduler today who thought I should drive 90 minutes round trip... for a sandwich.

If you think they are cheap, you should see what their competitors pay LOL

About the same TS pays for similiar assignments, although they will consider additional pay for distance, or if they really need to get the shop done. They do not force you to accept the assignments with a retaliation stick. Always getting emails and texts to help with other jobs even so I've refused others.

from the sounds of it, Velocity's business model includes a continuous flow of new contractors.

Yes I do work for them. Never refuse a job if you have it listed in your zip codes to service because they will let you go. They did that to me a few years ago when I first started and begged them for 4 months to give me another chance, because I didn't know you couldn't refuse a job in your zip codes if I didn't like the pay. They pay every Friday and sometimes I get a whole neighborhood to do from them and can make $200 in about an hour. I usually get the same neighborhood every two months.

Oh I work for TS all the time and never do an out of town job without PAD.

I base it on mileage and generally they accept my offers unless it is a really remote location and the amount is too high (and they sometimes come back to me and accept it when they can't get anyone else). I really like the property evals. where no meeting is required, pretty much the same gig as Velocity but pays more.

@Zek wrote:

About the same TS pays for similiar assignments, although they will consider additional pay for distance,

Ahh, yes. I think you hit it on the head there.
I was hoping there was some strategy to get a better deal from them but it appears that they just axe you if you don't accept ALL the jobs ALL the time. Damn, guess I will just make myself "unavailable" 5 x a week.

@BarefootBliss wrote:

from the sounds of it, Velocity's business model includes a continuous flow of new contractors.

Thank you blackgold78!!

This is what I was seeking, someone who actually worked with them and knew how they operate.
I keep thinking if I accept the low paying jobs that aren't too far away that I will get more clustered work, but so far I have only had one occasion where there were 3 assignments in an area at one time.

I wonder how they get someone to do some of the rural areas if I remove them from my zip codes. I know they have reps in the denser populated areas, that is why I thought I would get more work if I listed all the rural areas around me.

I guess I didn't expect they would not be adding some distance pay to get them done (occasionally the job says additional pay may be added for distance).

So it does sound like hanging in there gets you more clustered/grouped assignments?

I had to laugh at one they sent me last week (same area that nearly ever job has been in), I did it and the next day they ordered a ROCKET RUSH job for the address directly across the street. I am guessing they had the address wrong the first time.

@blackgold78 wrote:

Yes I do work for them. Never refuse a job if you have it listed in your zip codes to service because they will let you go. They did that to me a few years ago when I first started and begged them for 4 months to give me another chance, because I didn't know you couldn't refuse a job in your zip codes if I didn't like the pay. They pay every Friday and sometimes I get a whole neighborhood to do from them and can make $200 in about an hour. I usually get the same neighborhood every two months.

Blackgold - a few more questions if you don't mind.

If they send jobs that are not in your zip code list and you don't respond is there a penalty for that? I just missed one coming through that didn't even show up as an available zip code (tiny town barely on the map) when I was editing my zip codes. I guess I missed the email - it had a bonus added to it and I should have done it.

I am also experimenting with editing the zip code list based on where I am going to be that day on other jobs then change it back to local only. As long as I don't forget to change it back it seems that might get more offers for areas I wouldn't normally do as "local".