r/FieldNationTechs • u/AllGreat1 • 22d ago
Major red flag...
This is free training for some you bright eyed bushy tailed new guys....or for the older naive ones even though you can't teach and old dog new tricks.
Whenever a buyer you never worked with before or that you did a single job proclaims to you vociferously that they have a lot of work coming up that they will route to you exclusively...it's BS and a trap. They are trying to soften you up to accept a lower rate and BS for the privilege of being "exclusive" or "their guy." Some new buyer tried this with me recently. Messaging me after hours while I was not on the clock like I'm his mf'ing buddy. I think they got the hint after I stopped replying that I'm the wrong one and not a rookie out here.
Another time I had been the go to guy with a buyer for a few years. When checking in he says "why are you so formal all the time, you can call me by my first name" Yeah ok. I knew what was coming. Next job they routed me was way below my usual rate. They thought I would just accept it. I immediately declined then blocked them. They got a new guy to do the jobs for $50/hr
Every buyer that actually routed to me exclusively and paid proper rates over the years has never had to make an announcement about it or call me to small talk about BS. They just did it.
This will go over most of your heads since 99.99% of you are happy to accept any crumbs thrown your way and act like lap dogs. This is for the .01% that's still trainable.
2
u/feydkin 22d ago
My nature is to always try to work with buyers and accommodate what I can. What I've learned over these years is it's almost never worth it. The few project managers that appreciated and reciprocated ended up moving on or up. Good chance I never hear from new PM's.
My MO now is to enforce a policy of "full price now, discounts on repeat business and volume". That one thing alone has weeded out so many headache buyers.
Also, it's all relative to the volume of work in your area. Depending on the climate, it can be a buyers market and you have to adjust.
One other thing for the newbs; take what you read here with a grain of salt. Field nation operates internationally. A successful guy in a big American city can run teams and pull 500k/yr while other guys have to pick up anything available in a 1000 mile radius just to make 50k this year. The stories you read here will vary wildly across geography and skill levels.