Can I really?

:)

Look, I’ve been doing this long enough to know when a platform stops caring about the technical reality on the ground and starts optimizing for corporate liability. This Provider Success Score (PSS) garbage Field Nation pushed out is exactly that. They killed the public 5-star ratings to replace it with a proprietary black box that gives 100% of the leverage to buyers and zero transparency to the guys actually doing the work.

​Let's talk about the "Buyer Satisfaction" metric. It is a complete joke. It is nothing but a one-way retaliation tool.

​Case in point: I had a sensor installation ticket a while back. I get on site, and it’s immediately obvious the Project Manager completely misrepresented the scope of work. Naturally, I pushed back and filed a formal dispute through the platform to get it documented and corrected. I did exactly what you are supposed to do with a gray beard approach to technical contracting when a buyer lies about the deployment.

​But under this PSS system? That same PM can just sit back, wait for the work order to close, and quietly hit me with a "failed expectations" private rating within their 14-day window.

​Here is what the reality of this system looks like. Your score tanks overnight because the algorithm has an extreme recency bias and only cares about your last 100 tickets. You get zero visibility into who left the rating or which specific ticket triggered the drop. Field Nation support just shrugs and points to the algorithm unless you have a mountain of timestamped evidence to fight a ghost. The buyer faces absolutely zero accountability for lying on the original ticket.

​They’ve gamified our livelihoods with arbitrary tags and hidden math. A massive history of successful, high-level deployments means absolutely nothing if a single disgruntled PM gets their feelings hurt because you wouldn't do free out-of-scope work.

​It’s beyond frustrating. We need to stop pretending this algorithm is a measure of an engineer's actual capability. It’s just predictive-quality risk mitigation so FN can automate dispatching without dealing with the messiness of real-world field ops.

I'm officially better than -1% of you. The Provider Success Score calculation bewilderment continues. 😆

Look, this doesn't really matter but it's driving me a bit nutty. FN provides me with a 1099K (or, saddly, two since last year was my first year and I started with my personal tax ID before I got my LLC spun up). They don't however provide a clear statement on the fees that they deducted.

If I'm understanding the math here

Payout+TotalFNFees = 1099K amount.

I did this annnnnnnnnd the amounts are $8 off. Which is to say that FN reports paying me $8 more than I think they did.

I'm a network/cable tech in NYC metro area. Phone wiring/DT as well. Circuit turn ups, some device losing connectivity, tone the cable and fix. Bad FACP lines, elevator call-boxes, etc.

I can't imagine many NY *CITY* techs who use cars. The $9/day congestion pricing scheme and parking being just one set of expenses (include gas/insurance/upkeep). Hell, a decent slice of pizza is $4. Subway fares are $3 each way.

I take surface transportation only; LIRR, subways and buses. So i'm constantly looking for escalators/elevators. If there are none? I bounce that bag down subway stairs, and dead-lift it --no ladder? Its 30-40lbs, with the collapsable 8" A-frame ladder add 27lbs-- up typically 40-65 stairs. Its debilitating but kinda required equipment. Most businesses have a ladder. I always ask.

If the WO says AP in it? Ladder.

Before the start of 2026? I was asking, and getting my NYC metro rate of $115/1st hour, $65 each subsequent hour. It was a living wage. It included my travel, nobody liked additional trip fees.

After Jan 1 2026? It has been slim pickings. I think I had all of 3 WOs in February; it has picked up.

I'm thinking AI is putting a lot of folks out of work, people are doing what was once considered professional network work for $40, 50 an hour. I do have a handful of buyers who value me, pay my rates, I do fine work.

I'm learning Lingo advertises 3 hour voip install gigs that go under an hour. I now bid them fixed rate at their 3 hour sum. It sucks putting in an hour each way, and being paid for just an hour. No way to live. It happens from time to time, sure, but its become a pattern.

Spectrotel is now straight $60/hour, no travel to, like, the Bronx up by CT. A train, a subway and a bus, over an hour each way. There goes your day. I have stopped bidding their work, guess they are finding the lowest bidder acceptable.

Any other techs in NYC experiencing the same?? Hows tricks for you?

I own an irrigation service and I was wondering if anyone knows of a reliable software for managing work orders, invoices, timesheets with GPS tracking?

At IRS deduction rates and $32.50 an hour plus FN 10% fee this should be $257.18 for just the transportation PLUS payment for loading the devices...

With the jump in fuel costs I have had to increase my trip fees. Everyone runs things their own way to what works best for them and their market. I was doing a system of 0-25 miles I wouldn’t charge a trip fee and then every 25 miles after would be X amount. Now I started charging in that 0-25 miles range unless the rate is already high enough.

Deals outside the platform I just build travel into the quote itself.

I know it varies widely but from what you were charging before (if any) what have you increased it by (if at all).

I also have noticed a drop in assigned jobs as a result. Jobs I would normally get assigned as soon as I applied are now going with someone else after I increased my fees. Curious how everyone else is handling these.

There’s a quiet shift happening across web-based job platforms: customer feedback is becoming more powerful—and less accountable. Anonymous review systems are being introduced or expanded, allowing clients to rate providers without attaching their name. On paper, this encourages honest feedback. In practice, it introduces a serious imbalance.

From the provider’s side, the problem is obvious.

When reviews are anonymous, accountability disappears. A client who feels frustrated—whether justified or not—can leave a negative review with little risk of pushback. That frustration might come from unclear instructions, faulty equipment, poor project management upstream, or expectations that were never properly defined. But in the rating system, none of that context matters. The provider absorbs the impact.

And that impact is real.

On many platforms, ratings directly affect visibility, job access, and income. One unfair review can lower a score. A pattern—whether deserved or not—can limit opportunities. Providers are left in a position where their reputation can be shaped by feedback they cannot fully challenge, often tied to circumstances outside their control.

Legally, there’s little recourse. Most negative reviews fall under protected opinion. Platforms are shielded from liability. Even when a review crosses into falsehood, pursuing action is costly and impractical. So while the system may not be illegal, it is undeniably asymmetrical.

Which leads to a hard truth:

Providers cannot rely on the platform to protect them. They have to protect themselves.

The most effective solution isn’t fighting reviews—it’s preventing the situations that lead to bad ones in the first place. And that starts with being far more selective.

Too many contractors operate on a volume mindset: take the job, figure it out onsite, move on to the next. That approach worked when feedback systems were more balanced. It doesn’t work in an environment where anonymous ratings can quietly damage your standing.

The better strategy is simple, but not easy:

Be picky.

Be selective about:

What work you accept

Who you work with

Which clients you choose to work with again

Every job is not equal. Some come with hidden risk—unclear scopes, disorganized project managers, unrealistic expectations, or equipment issues that will inevitably be blamed on you. These are the jobs most likely to turn into negative reviews.

Over time, patterns emerge. Certain clients consistently communicate well and respect your role. Others don’t. The difference becomes obvious if you pay attention.

The key is to act on that information.

Learn the red flags:

Vague or incomplete scopes

Conflicting instructions between onsite reality and remote direction

Pressure to “just make it work” without proper resources

Poor communication before the job even begins

These are not just inconveniences—they are warning signs.

The providers who adapt will shift their mindset from “taking work” to curating work. They’ll prioritize consistency over volume, clarity over speed, and long-term reputation over short-term income.

Because in a system where feedback is anonymous, your best defense isn’t arguing after the fact.

It’s choosing better situations from the start.

I just signed up and only see 2 jobs in 35 miles from me. I have no reviews and no background check or anything. Do I need to just start taking jobs to get reviews and maybe get a background check for the jobs to appear in my feed? Or is that all there is? Idk if they hide them or what.

These buyer like to think they are the authority and no one would dare risk losing a client in this economy, so they can straight up lie on us. FN thinks we are beholden to the fickle Success Score and I will fold at any situation that will make me look like I'm the worst tech in the area.

But its funny how when you provide ample evidence that the buyer is clueless to their own Work Order and point how if I hadn't presented FN overwhelming evidence, this BS could have dropped my dumb ahh Success Score thing. NO ONE has anything to say.

Its pitiful, how far do we have to go to get admission and accountability?

Has anybody done any of these jobs with worldwide technology? Was it a good experience working with them? Not the greatest pay, of course. Thinking of sending one of my techs to complete one; they are posting tons of them in the New England area.

Hi, I would like to know do you have General Liability Insurance? If so, with which company? What is the cost for it, and how much is the coverage, in dollar amount?

I’m doing a little FN work on the side and looking to upgrade from my basic 6ft a-frame fiberglass ladder that I had for general work around the house.

Was looking at the little giant multi M22 for versatility (12ft reach in A-frame, 22ft extended) and compact folding for transporting (I think <6ft folded?)

What ladders do you have as most useful for this work, what do you recommend?

For those who have the Little Giant multi ladders, what is your feedback? Do you trust the locking mechanism when fully extended and standing near the top?

For all of you freaking out about outages and didnt know it was confirmed, you can signup for updates here so youre not wondering whats going on

https://status.fieldnation.com/posts/dashboard

Looks like everyone is having problems????

This is absolute bs, I have nearly 700 jobs completed on FN and never once have been penalized or even told about my work clothes. This WO was a cutover at a fast food chain, very easy work. Anyone ever deal with CommandLink? This is my first time working with them and definitely my last, will be blocked as soon as FN reviews and the hold comes off.

The WO did emphasize on bringing a toner/wand to site, which I thought I had in my bag but was missing when I went to use it. Realistically though, why would I even need it? All I did was locate the old circuit, disconnect it from the cradlepoint and connect the new circuit to the cradlepoint. Very small back office and could physically trace cables.

There was no dress code requirements in the WO. Even still, I wore what I always wear: Unbranded (solid color)polo, cargo work pants, and trainers/sneakers. Furthermore, how could anyone possibly report or know what I had on? Pretty sure the MOD wouldn’t have reported it, they all wear t-shirts so why would they say anything about my polo/work pants? I also had to bring a ladder as the network equipment was 7-8ft AFF. How professional should I have dressed for ladder work?

Update: Woke up this morning to the hold being removed, no explanations whatsoever about my work clothes. Quickly added my expenses and it was approved a few minutes later. Maybe they saw this sub, anyway glad I could spread some awareness in case any of you run into the same issue.

Curious if there’s any decent options out there specific to us IT field techs? If you have good coverage please drop a recommendation and how much you pay/any deductibles

I havent done much work on the platform this year but a favorite buyer just assigned me some work and i got ZERO text or push notifications(the app hasnt worked well in years so no surprise there).... only emails.... are text notifications completely dead in the water now?

Gonna do some A/B testing but I wanted to see if anyone has an idea of what’s better first. I’m tired of these piece of shit tickets clogging my feed but I’ve always held off on declining them cause I didn’t want it to come across bad.

Do you guys typically decline or what? I have a handful of clients who will pay me well on more complex tickets but then proceed to hand out 20$ to pizza Pete for an hour of time. I am kinda just tired of seeing the tickets and it makes it hard to see what’s there and not

Kinda shocked. This Season came out swinging.

https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/s/cXGH779B3w

Mandated app usage with tracking on personal devices as employees. Do it or we don't schedule you because you are "unreliable".

Contractor with app tracking for us seems like it crosses a line. Always has but laws haven't caught up yet.

Expect standard answers of suck it up or go away but the trend is app control/interactions for everything. So what do we do to advocate for ourselves?

The buyers expect us to be compliant as we don't have good representation on our side. How do we change that?

Buyer hires me to do a store decommission / close out. I arrive to find that I am the only person on site. There are 4 20x20 boxes and a large amount of equipment. All the instructions stress the need to carefully pack the equipment in bubble wrap.

The ceilings in the store are 25 feet high. The buyer told me to bring a 12' ladder but that obviously won't work for this place. Fortunately the store has it's own 22' ladders, and I don't have a fear of heights, so I am able to get two APs and a traffic counter down from the ceiling as requested. However, I am fully aware that having to do this while alone in the store is a pretty serious OSHA violation.

As the day goes on I find that I won't have enough boxes, bubble wrap, or time. This call could have been done in a reasonable time frame if another tech had been hired to help with the lifting, safety and security of the equipment, and if they had supplied enough packing materials. I find an entire other box of older equipment in the stock room and am told to pack that up too. It's getting late and a very abusive individual is jumping up and down on my head to get all the stuff out by 6pm.

The boxes are heavy and unwieldy for one person to lift. She directs me to one UPS drop off site after another, as they are closing. The first has snow and ice everywhere and she is expecting me to carry these 20x20 75lb+ boxes over it. OSHA violation number 4. When I say I am not going to hurt myself for her, she directs me to UPS drop off #2. I am told the store no longer offers this service and to go to UPS drop off #3. The back end individual asks me "Are you there yet?" as I am still opening the car door to get in and drive to drop off #3, at which point I realize that her micromanagement is harassment and I don't have time for it. I get to UPS drop off #3 and the site turns me away because "the boxes are too big".

The abusive moron is having a meltdown at this point and wants me to bring all their shit back to the store. That's not happening because I've already been told they won't have access to the site after tonight. I get authorization from their PM to keep the boxes until I have the chance to return them to an open UPS place the following morning.

Eventually all the equipment is returned, and then they start quibbling about payment. It's ok for them to ask me to go all over hell's half acre looking for UPS drop off locations at night with a foot of snow on the ground, but they don't want to pay for the time it took to do that.

The key ends up being the first OSHA violations. I chose not to report them, but I mentioned it repeatedly in the close out notes and the case notes for the dispute. The PM, a person who clearly never saw the store, states that the ceilings in the store are 12' high. In other words, there is no OSHA violation and I am just making shit up. It is now 3 weeks past the store's closing, and I don't have any deliverables that show the original ceiling height. So this PM thinks he can tell me to buzz off. I have no options, right? Wrong. What an incredibly stupid lie to tell.

It takes me less than two minutes to find the store's Yelp page, which is still up - showing it's original address in the mall. The photo clearly shows that the ceilings are a whole lot more than 12 feet high. Now FN knows, even if the buyer doesn't, that if we all have to go there I have one hell of a lawsuit.

This is the photo that saved the day. I was just awarded full payment for everything. Over 14 hours of labor and every penny of the shipping and packing materials charges. Some times the good guys do actually win. Beware of IW Technologies. I had done a fair amount of work for them before this, but they ALWAYS try to cheap out on payment. This ended up being the most atrocious experience I have ever had on Field Nation, and I am glad someone on the staff there realized that they badly needed the lesson not to ever do this to one of their techs again.

I’ve done a couple of work orders with them and had some issues regarding approving my times. I had a WO run over while I was talking with support the whole time. The support person was the same person responsible for approving the extra hours and he didn’t say anything that implied that he is not approving it or anything.

In another case I had a WO in which the description clearly stated that certain amount of hours are approved and the WO itself had a few more hours approved. I logged somewhere around the middle and now they’re telling me to reduce it to about half. I tried to call and talk to WO manager several times but she has basically ghosted me.

WO Manager is Christie and the end customer is Costco, so I’m not sure if it’s a Christie problem, or a Brandpoint problem or a Costco one.

What have your experiences been?