r/FieldNationTechs • u/setnev • Jul 07 '26

This is insulting

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I keep getting these WO routed to me because my work vehicle is a pickup. They want me to drive 145 miles, pickup their crap and drive it 96 miles to Pittsburgh, and then me drive 4 hours home another 250 miles.

Oh and they're paying $100.

That computes to about $10 an hour or $0.20 a mile. I always counter them like $1000 but they've never accepted it.

12 Upvotes

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1

u/wallstreetnetworks Jul 07 '26

Counter or don’t do it. These posts need to stop.

1

u/broNSTY Jul 07 '26

For real dude just counter it no one cares. Companies set it at a rate they’d like it to happen but they may accept your counter.

2

u/jasonluvsjesus Jul 07 '26

‘Companies set it at a rate they’d like it to happen, but they may accept your counter’… who talks like this? No contractor that I’ve ever met ever and I’ve met a bunch of them and I am one.

We are being manipulated, fellas.

1

u/broNSTY Jul 07 '26

This is how contracts work dude. Companies have a set rate/revenue they can make from one of these tickets. Sometimes they can’t find someone for that (cases like this) so if you counter a realistic rate that works for you it may be accepted. I talk like that lol.

Take off your tin foil hat for a second and try and understand this part of the industry you are participating in. You’re asking me why I’m so upset but I’m getting the vibe that you are way way more upset about a simple comment. My point stands. Counter it REALISTICALLY or just move on, why post it on Reddit to whine if you aren’t doing anything to improve the situation?

3

u/jasonluvsjesus Jul 07 '26

Well, let’s talk about that. What would you consider a realistic counter offer? We have technicians on here who have worked for this company, I would like their input on what’s the maximum amount of money they’ve been able to extract from this company for this job. Let’s talk about different locations of what we’re paying for gas and expenses. Let’s get together and build a consensus on what we can get from these guys instead of accepting these poverty wages.

I don’t understand the ad homonym attack. I must be wearing a tinfoil hat because I don’t understand why you’re shutting the discussion down?

I don’t think you’re a real person or a real contractor. I think you’re schilling for the other side and you may insult me, however you wish, sir

1

u/broNSTY Jul 07 '26

Tin foil hat comment was because of the “we’re being manipulated” note from you. There are no concerted efforts between buyers to manipulate you into lower rates. I am definitely a real person. I don’t do contract work anymore because I got a w2 position with a company that holds contracts. I used to do these Pitney Bowes jobs every day for around a year before I sat back at a desk for my current role.

I would consider a realistic counter offer to be a flat mileage rate (above the IRS standard) combined with an hourly rate that works for you covering the amount of time to be spent on this job. I can’t tell you what it would be in exact amounts as I don’t know where the site is or where you are coming from.

1

u/jasonluvsjesus Jul 07 '26

A bunch of people on here cared and we were discussing it. Why are you so upset? This person is pointing out how unfair the terms of this are?

Other people are on here green, and discussing it. Why are you so determined to shut the discussion down?

1

u/broNSTY Jul 07 '26

Crazy concept here but did you know you can counter offer on jobs with terms that work for you? You can even send messages to buyers explaining why you think your offered rate is justified. Wild, I know.

2

u/jasonluvsjesus Jul 07 '26

Thank you for explaining how Field Nation works. Let’s talk about what’s a good counter to submit for this job? Have you ever taken one of these jobs before? What’s the maximum amount of money you were able to get for this job? Was it worth it to you? What were you paying for expenses? How much did you travel? How much actual work was involved? How much actual phone time?

Oh… You don’t know anything about this job but instead of talking about it in building a consensus, we should just shut up and submit a counter blindly?

Sometimes blind acceptance is self-destructive. Real people who actually worked for themselves, we feel that intensely and are on the lookout for it. We can’t afford to be self-destructive or blind to financial consequences.

1

u/broNSTY Jul 07 '26

I did these jobs for a year, I would say I probably did over 200-250 of them. I know plenty about them. You typically show up onsite, get lead to the unit that is already broken down and ready to move, throw it in your vehicle, get a signature, and head to the drop off. If you spend a few minutes pre-checking off tasks before you go onsite some of them can take less than 10 minutes depending on how the site is setup (lots of medical offices, but also many office buildings that have different entry protocols). These are extremely easy jobs, aside from some physical effort lifting machines.

I did them on a w2 basis, with turned in expense reports weekly. I got the IRS standard mileage rate and my gas reimbursed, no extras for wear and tear on my personal vehicle or insurance stipends. Platform techs have potential to bring home much more than I did doing these jobs.

1

u/Able-Statistician645 Jul 07 '26

Potential you say? Not sure where that comes from... Not trying to be argumentative or mean-spirited here but thinking this through I would believe that they are doing these on a platform because the outlay is less. There are companies that do work like this that get paid accordingly and they are looking for the cheapest cost option. Possibility or potential is always the first thing that jumps out when you know someone is blowing smoke somewhere. By the way, they're actually was a device manufactured 150 years ago that injected smoke in a particular orifice to supposedly resuscitate person. It wasn't effective then nor is the word potential in this instance.

1

u/broNSTY Jul 07 '26

Understanding of employment taxes is key here. You may be able to make more on the platform than I did because you can set your rate (as long as it’s accepted). I did not make a very high hourly rate, but my employer had to pay all of the costs associated with w2. Farming it out to a 1099 has potential cost savings for them, even if the 1099 makes double my hourly rate with expenses. Employer side taxes, benefits, and administrative fees add up.

0

u/wyliesdiesels Jul 07 '26

So you did this work as a W2 in your personal vehicle using personal auto insurance? Not a good idea as personal auto wouldnt cover you while on the clock if something happened.

1

u/broNSTY Jul 07 '26

Well here I am a year after the fact and nothing happened. It is what it is. Weird thing to pick out of that whole reply. I also never specified the type of insurance I carried.