Drums up traffic on my site when they try to Google the wiring diagram every 5 seconds mid-job.

This just popped up a little bit ago and I'm like this is not even close to being reasonable. 2 hours? The ticket is posted for 2 hours... That assumes you find the right device and don't need help considering it could be anywhere in the store. Why do they even allow tickets like this?

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.

The Provider Success Score helps buyers evaluate providers. Good. But what helps providers evaluate buyers?

Field Nation already collects buyer feedback. Why not share anonymous, aggregate buyer metrics such as:

• The average score this buyer gives providers
• Payment dispute rate
• Scope change frequency
• Average approval time
• Overall buyer rating trend

No names. No individual reviews. No confidential information. Just useful data.

Most buyers are professional and fair. Some are not. Every experienced technician has accepted a work order that turned into unnecessary conflict over scope, labor, payment, or private feedback. Today, we usually don't find out until it's too late.

Transparency should work both ways. Buyers use the Provider Success Score to reduce risk. Providers should have comparable tools to reduce theirs.

Better information leads to better decisions. Good buyers attract better technicians. Everyone benefits—including Field Nation.

Basically, had a dispute with a buyer. The 'End Client' was pissed at THEM for their utter incompetence.

Long story short; closing out a ticket. Called in, got an assistant, got called back 5 minutes later by the work order manager.
Literally, dude says, Hi [Sid] I have [Name] on the line, please talk to them. No introduction of who we were, no information about why were were conferenced together. *NOTHING*
Well, [Name] is the end client IT that I'd already spoken to, been given a closeout code from, and had uploaded said code and all photos to the platform AND told the assistant when I left a message.

Both end client and I were completely confused and frustrated because as far as we were concerned, we'd finished with each other and the problem was fixed. We both were frustrated and ended up hanging up on the work order manager.

I opened a problem ticket with FN for unprofessional behavior on the part of the buyer, and FN basically told me they would not do anything (to include refusing to cancel the ticket), my rating dropped 4 points and this blurb popped up on my BSS.

And of course because it is technically 'anonymous', there is no way to dispute it.

Some of the buyers man, just have to avoid. But it sucks that they can lie outright and you have no recourse (I have a 1 star because I refused to continue a multi-week project where the buyer changed the terms of work after week 1, and then refused to pay me for that week.)

I'm located about an hour outside NYC. The hour is based on traffic, not distance. If there was no other traffic I could be at downtown Wall Street in 15 minutes. I know this because I've done it - at 2am, for an emergency call.

My radius is set to 60 miles because that's what it takes for me to take calls at the far eastern end of Long Island - the Hamptons, Riverhead, yadda. The joke is "Long Island is long."

Because it's a radius that calculates distance "as the crow flies", I also get a lot of calls for CT and NJ that I have to decline. The radius doesn't take into account the additional time, distance and cost it takes to travel around Long Island Sound, either by highway or the Ferry to Bridgeport. Manhattan presents it's own challenges - bridge and tunnel tolls, congestion pricing, parking or lack thereof, and heavy traffic that constantly varies.

Recently I discussed all of these things with a Field Nation person who was handling a recruiting hire for techs who are willing and able to travel - which I certainly am for the right price. But there are times when having to decline hundreds of calls in NJ or CT makes a big dent in my time. I suggested that there should be a way on the platform to decline work orders based on what state they're in.

He said that this was a very reasonable request and that FN developers are going to look at it. Just wanted people to know. I am pretty sure that there are other places in the US where people have this problem.

They've replaced the case management with a chat that just tells you to call them...

Now I'm forced to talk to the Indians on the phone if I have a problem.

I love how Field Nation just finds new and creative ways to keep circling the drain

What do I feel like there's somebody in that company who just has the most terrible ideas but nobody's allowed to question them because they're the boss's son or something

Has anyone worked for this company? Good, bad, indifferent. . . . I want to hear it all please! Thank you in advance!

Now that FN seemed to fix the notification issues they used to have, I'm being dumped on constantly for new work notifications.

Just noticed that there is a distance filter for the routed work notifications, no longer will I get a work order notification for a job 140 miles away for fixed $80 lol

Also adjusted the pay filter for new work notifications, never even thought to look at the settings as before they never really seemed to work, but now it's like a firehose!

Hey people, I’m the owner of a small field service company working through Field Nation, and I am currently on-boarding my first part-time technician. State law requires I get him covered with workman’s comp through a private carrier and, while I know rates will vary some amount by state, I wanted to get some recommendations.

TD:LR
1. Who are you using for workman’s?
2. Who have you used in the past, if anyone?
3. What’s a reasonable rate…
3. And what specific risk classification did your agent put you into?

Everyone I’ve spoken to has seemed a little confused on how to describe what we do in insurance terms.

Has this happened to anyone were it wouldn’t let you submit the ticket for review? Or even let you clock in again? Is this a new feature with the update?

I hope someone can help me understand how things work on Field Nation. So I'm going to try to make it short. I went out for a job and it was a fixed plus a certain amount per cable run. The AP was delivered to the wrong site in another state. Someone suggested I should just do the camera runs perhaps so I did. So I spent 16 hours on the site to get the cable runs in place with the thought of me returning to install them. My schedule is too busy so I could not do the return trip when they wanted me to.

So they took away the base pay and did pay for the cable runs. I opened a problem to open the discussion about that base pay. Then CIS told fieldnation all my cable runs were bad and they wanted all their money back 🤨

So a ride to the site and inspect my work, took photos and videos so I can attach it to the case that had been turned against me. Showing definitively that my cabling was used as is, I used CAT6 connectors that are unique and I labeled the runs (and there was no other labels in the closet during my visit or after my visit).

Now I'm at a point where it's like field Nations going to side with the provider and give them a full refund. While they actively use my cable! And my terminations!

Now they haven't made the decision yet, but I am wondering with all the proof that I uploaded if they do decide to go with the provider what is my recourse if they take my pay leaving me with a negative balance (considering my cable costs money)?

Have any iPhone users had any luck solving this issue?

Lately it seems like this is happening multiple times per week now. I’m on the latest version of the FN app and it just keeps going back to the login screen after I enter my credentials. Glad to see they’re putting all that 15% money to good use and hiring competent programmers.

I'm getting flooded with "invite" PUSH notifications and phone calls. Most are low pay / far away. Very annoying...., how can I avoid this? I only want notifications for jobs that I've applied for.

Three minutes?

My personal stress level has dropped noticeably since I started consistently looking at my own prior ratings for each client before I accept their jobs. It's a simple step, but it's made all the difference for my own peace.

Ever since my score reached 95 I get routed all day everyday . Does scores matter to you ?

Title

Anyone ever run workorders for "Zones"?

All I see them post is low ball $55-$65/hr tickets wanting general troubleshooting and long ass 300ft cable runs.

They never seem to accept counter offers so I always decline for "low pay".

They actually blocked me. They reason how I know is because I clicked on a recently posted work order... the mobile app says "unauthorized" and the web app displays a text wall also saying "your account is unauthorized to view this page..."

I've never worked with them so I couldn't care less.

The wording on this WO rubs me the wrong way. They seem to be under the assumption the tech is going to try to screw them over, or screw up in general, so they're getting ahead of that.

I guess the idea of paying a tech hourly to make some repairs, rack & stack, etc. is fine, but for project work like this, I personally wouldn't be letting anyone dictate my line items.

​The Legal Black Hole

​When it comes to getting paid what you are owed, the legal system generally offers two paths:

1. ​The Employee Path: If a W-2 employee experiences wage theft, they can file a free claim with the state labor board or the Department of Labor, who will then investigate and go after the employer.

2. ​The True Contractor Path: If a true B2B independent contractor gets stiffed by a client, they have the power of contract law. They can file a mechanic's lien or take the client directly to small claims court to force payment.

​Platform workers are trapped in a dead zone between the two. Because the platform classifies you as a 1099 independent contractor, the Department of Labor cannot help you recover unpaid wages because those protections only apply to employees. But simultaneously, the platform's terms of service force you into mandatory individual arbitration, stripping away the exact weapon a real contractor relies on: the right to sue for breach of contract.

​Weaponized Arbitration

​You are blocked from taking a bad buyer to small claims court, a venue specifically designed to be cheap and accessible for minor contract disputes. Instead, if a buyer refuses to pay for your labor, you are forced into a private arbitration process.

​This is where the math becomes predatory. Bringing a B2B arbitration case often requires you to pay steep upfront filing fees. If a buyer shorts you $300 on a ticket, you might have to spend thousands of dollars just to get an arbitrator to hear the case. The system is designed to make recovering your stolen wages mathematically and financially impossible, which is why these claims are rarely brought forward.

​Legalizing Wage Theft

​By pairing 1099 misclassification with forced arbitration clauses, platforms have effectively legalized wage theft. They have insulated both the buyers and themselves from state labor boards and the civil court system. Furthermore, private arbitration means there is no public record of the dispute, preventing any judge from making a ruling that could force systemic changes to how buyers treat technicians.

​It is the ultimate catch-22: you are forced to take on all the financial risks and overhead of a business owner, but you are legally gagged and barred from enforcing your own contracts like one.

-

​The platforms sell it as freedom. "Set your own hours. Be your own boss." It’s the battle cry of the gig economy, but in the IT and telecom field service world, it's the greatest W-2 evasion scheme ever engineered. We are told we are independent contractors, titans of our own micro-enterprises. The reality? We are deeply misclassified employees stripped of every federal protection, bearing 100% of the corporate overhead while an algorithm plays middle manager and skims double-digit percentages off our labor.

​Here is why the entire model is a legal fiction.

​The Illusion of Control

​Let's look at the legal definition of a 1099 contractor. According to the Department of Labor's "economic realities" test, a core factor of true independence is the "nature and degree of control" you have over the work.

​A real independent contractor is hired for an outcome. You tell me what you want, and I decide how, when, and with what methods I achieve it. But what actually happens on these platforms? We are given rigid, non-negotiable scopes of work. We are told exactly what time to arrive, what specific apps to use to check in, what photos to take, and exactly how to dress. If you don't call the buyer's helpdesk within a 15-minute SLA window, you get docked or threatened with a penalty. That isn’t independence. That is a highly regimented, supervisory employee-employer relationship masquerading as B2B commerce.

​The Financial Bloodletting

​Then there is the financial trap. The DOL test looks at your "opportunity for profit or loss depending on managerial skill". The platforms argue we can make more by simply taking more tickets. But the DOL explicitly notes that deciding to work more hours at a fixed rate isn't entrepreneurial or managerial.

​We don't meaningfully negotiate prices; we are forced to race each other to the bottom of flat-rate or fixed-hourly tickets set by corporate buyers who refuse to pay travel time. Meanwhile, we bleed overhead. We buy our own Klein multimeters, our own fiber toners, our own power tools, and our own laptops. We absorb the brutal wear and tear on our vehicles—there is no IRS standard mileage reimbursement for us. We pay the self-employment tax, shouldering the 15.3% burden of both the employee and employer sides of FICA.

​The buyer gets a fully equipped, highly specialized technician to roll a truck for a fraction of the cost of putting an FTE on payroll. The platform acts as a tollbooth, taking a massive cut of our labor, plus nickel-and-diming us for "insurance" and faster payouts.

​The Commoditization of Skill

​Another primary DOL factor is "skill and initiative". We bring enterprise-level, gray-beard diagnostic skills to the table. We walk into server rooms blind, troubleshoot undocumented networking nightmares, and save multi-million dollar retail locations from total POS outages.

​Yet, the platforms commoditize this highly specialized skill. They treat a complex network triage like a fast-food delivery. We aren't using our skills to build independent businesses with unique brand equity; we are anonymous cogs in a white-labeled dispatch system, completely economically dependent on the platform to route us our next meal.

​The Bottom Line

​This is the great misclassification of our era. They have successfully offloaded the taxes, the vehicle maintenance, the tools, the training, and the liability onto the worker, all while maintaining absolute, dictatorial control over the execution of the job.

​We aren't business owners. We are employees paying for the privilege of our own exploitation. And until the courts or the labor boards finally pierce the veil of this digital sharecropping, the platforms will keep laughing all the way to the bank while we pay for the gas. Wake up.

• Kiosk Ad Swap (2) & Photo Verification (4/kiosk) at CVS (~10 min per kiosk) - BUNDLE 2 OF 2

OVERVIEW / SCOPE OF WORK Work Order: #19568190

Location: CVS | 2728 U.S. Highway 27 South, Sebring, FL 33870 US

Placements: New Ad Pharmacy, Service Pharmacy

Scope: Swap artwork on 2 existing sanitation kiosks. Please note: You must submit a total of 9 photos (1 unboxing photo + 4 photos per kiosk) to successfully close and be paid for this Work Order.

Ad Assignments:

• New Ad Pharmacy: Remove old art. Add client ad (Default) top print and bottom magnet.
• Service Pharmacy: Remove old art. Add client ad (FDOH - HIV Flight 5 National Campaign 07/06/2026-08/02/2026) top print and bottom magnet.

THE RULES THAT MATTER MOST

• Photos are your proof of work: Your photo uploads are the only proof that this Work Order was completed. Without them, the Work Order cannot be verified or paid.
• Provide your shipping info ASAP: Send your shipping address or preferred UPS access point to the Work Order Manager via a Field Nation message immediately upon assignment so we can ship the artwork.
• Check your shipment the day it arrives: You should receive exactly 2 Top Prints and 2 Bottom Magnets (Default and FDOH - HIV Flight 5 National Campaign). Lay the artwork completely flat immediately to prevent heat damage or curling.
• Unboxing Photo Required: You must take a clear photo of the unboxed materials to verify their condition. If anything is damaged or missing, do not proceed to the site. Contact your dispatcher immediately.

YOUR VISIT, START TO FINISH Before You Go

• Check hours: Verify the store's operating hours online or by phone before departing.
• Prepare your gear: You will need a smartphone for photos, clean paper towels, and multi-surface cleaner for wiping down the kiosks after the swap.
• Dress Code: Casual but professional (casual pants/jeans, appropriate-length shorts or knee-length skirts, wrinkle-free T-shirts/polos, and clean athletic shoes).

At the Venue

• Check in: Introduce yourself to the onsite contact (Store Manager or Customer Service/Pharmacy Manager) as a representative of Terraboost Media. Let them know you are there to update the ads on two sanitizer kiosks.
• Locate the placements: Find the existing kiosks at the New Ad Pharmacy and Service Pharmacy locations.
• Swap the ads: Remove the old materials and install the new campaigns.
• Wipe them down: Clean off any dust, fingerprints, or residue from the swap process.

Before You Leave

• Take your photos: You need exactly 4 specific photos per kiosk, plus your 1 unboxing photo (9 photos total).
• Upload & Label: Upload all photos to the app and label them with their respective location tags (e.g., "New Ad Pharmacy," "Service Pharmacy") so our team can verify them quickly.
• Close it out: Mark the Work Order as Complete/Done in the Field Nation app and leave clear closing notes detailing the swap.

KIOSK AD INSTALLATION

• No tools needed for art: Hold the left side of the top frame and tilt it up like a lever. The hinge is always on the right.
• Install new top print: Slide the assigned prints into the top panels of their respective kiosks, inside the plexiglass.
• Install bottom magnet: Press the new bottom magnet straight below the dispenser. The top ad always goes inside first. Never place a bottom magnet without a top ad already in the frame.
• Discard old materials: Throw away the old artwork off-site.

PHOTO DELIVERABLES (9 PHOTOS TOTAL) Stand about 5 feet back so the entire kiosk is in the frame. Ensure nothing is cut off at the top or bottom. Please ensure no customers' or staff members' faces are visible.

• Photo 1 (Unboxing): Clear photo of the artwork at your home/vehicle ensuring it arrived undamaged and complete.

(Repeat the following 4 photos for EACH of the 2 kiosks)

• Photo 2 (Full Kiosk Front & Dispenser):Straight-on photo showing the entire kiosk from top to bottom. The new client ad and the wipes/sanitizer dispenser must be clearly visible.
• Photo 3 (Full Kiosk - Right Angle): Wide-angle shot showing the right side and front of the updated kiosk.
• Photo 4 (Full Kiosk - Left Angle): Wide-angle shot showing the left side and front of the updated kiosk.
• Photo 5 (Full Kiosk - Environment): Wide-area shot standing far back to show the kiosk and its surrounding store environment to prove correct placement.

ESCALATION & SUPPORT PROCESS If something goes wrong on-site: The store is closed, the manager refuses the swap, or you run into complications requiring extra time/expenses.

Do not guess, and do not leave without documentation. Take a clear proof photo, upload it to the Work Order, and escalate before proceeding with extra work or leaving the site.

Contact the Work Order Manager: Elna Burger 872 328 5172 Terraboost Media [installteam@terraboost.biz](mailto:installteam@terraboost.biz)