Mueller Services Inc. - Insurance Loss Control Surveys

[Carlos Pineiro]

Well, everyone has their own opinions and view of the world, so there is no right and wrong when it comes to how one feels about their job, but this much is true: 1. No one can accurately assume anything about me, what I earn, how many times I have had to seek employment, or what the job market is in my area, because I dont talk about those specifics online. 2. If you dont like your job, you dont have to look for another one, you can just go online and complain about it. Some people here do that. 3. Sure it sucks when mileage rates go down, and I mentioned that in response to someone who brought it up first. Everyone has things about their job they dont like, that doesnt makebthem "disgruntled employees". I have yet to meet someone who likes absolutely everything about their job. I like my job. 4. Employers may make decisions that people dont like, but they have that right. No one is making people survey for mueller. If people want to complain, they have that right, too. And while certain employers can be critisized for underpaying people based on industry standards, they arent doing anything illegal, and they are not decieving people, except those who cant add and subtract to figure out their paychecks. If people want to come here to bitch, I can tell you as a NYMets fan that people on the Mets forums are experts in bitching about this team in forums since the internet was invented. The same thing applies: You may not like the way the Mets play ball, but no one is forcing you to be a fan. If people want to complain about how mueller pays people for the sake of complaining, go ahead, but if people say that they decieve people to make money, that is debatable, as well as illegal.

[Veteran Field Rep]

One of the by-products of a) being a veteran inspector, b) being affiliated with some vendors long enough to perceive lack of fee increases as a real problem, not just an annoyance...I learned long ago which "corners to cut" to stabilize my margins while still providing a quality, defect-free report to the client. Mueller and others would of course frown upon this strategy, but my skills are evolved enough to never have this be an issue.

I fully understand businesses working to maintain profit margins within a competitive industry during a particularly challenging economic climate, but I am absolutely baffled when a company doesn't institute across-the-board fee increases over a 7 or 8 year period; especially when the gross fees charged to the client HAVE HAD TO be increased several times in that period.

I have been on the corporate/admin/bureaucratic side of this business....NO ONE, ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET is charging clients "2005 fees" in 2013...it's simply not realistic that the vendor in turn expects the field staff to operate profitably under the same economic conditions.

[Kristi Silber]

" ...if people say that they decieve people to make money, that is debatable, as well as illegal"

Only if it's untrue! :cool:

Well said, Veteran! I wish I knew better what corners to cut without compromising the report. After 7 years it must be second nature. I would love to have that kind of knowledge and experience under my belt. Although, part of the fun of the job is seeing new things - strange little gadgets in old houses or whatever - does that become less common over the years?

BTW, as I understand it, most Mueller FRs are employees, and most are fee-based (though that may be changing?). I'm an employee. I'm not sure what the difference is - whether contractors don't go through the training? Maybe it's a different one. I don't know. It's odd.



I for one didn't come here to bitch about the company. I originally came to learn and talk to other FRs because I felt isolated as a newbie in the field. Then I became interested in what others had to say about Mueller; a range of views were presented, positive and negative. There were complaints, though, that came up over and over, not only about money - in fact, I think for many people the money itself isn't the root problem, it's that they feel unappreciated and taken advantage of. This is something the company could start to change at little cost, if only they had a little imagination. I believe they are making changes for the better. I would have loved some field training when I started; isn't that the norm now? And I have a manager an hour away!

Some people are venting because they are frustrated and feel isolated. Others talk about this stuff online as a way of trying to anonymously communicate to Mueller brass. Still others share their experiences for the benefit of potential FRs. It's not (always) a matter of simply complaining for the sake of complaining; for me it's about identifying what seem to be weaknesses in company policy in hopes that something is done about them, even if I'm gone before it happens.

If the complaints voiced here were enough to make everyone up and leave their job, half the fee-based FRs would be gone!


Here's a gripe, but it's a valid one and one that Mueller should take note of: there are so many new requirements for individual companies that it's getting hard to remember them all, and the way they are arranged on the tickets is inconsistent and makes no sense. This would result in increased errors, costly all around.

[Carlos Pineiro]

" ...if people say that they decieve people to make money, that is debatable, as well as illegal"

Only if it's untrue! :cool:

Well said, Veteran! I wish I knew better what corners to cut without compromising the report. After 7 years it must be second nature. I would love to have that kind of knowledge and experience under my belt. Although, part of the fun of the job is seeing new things - strange little gadgets in old houses or whatever - does that become less common over the years?

BTW, as I understand it, most Mueller FRs are employees, and most are fee-based (though that may be changing?). I'm an employee. I'm not sure what the difference is - whether contractors don't go through the training? Maybe it's a different one. I don't know. It's odd.



I for one didn't come here to bitch about the company. I originally came to learn and talk to other FRs because I felt isolated as a newbie in the field. Then I became interested in what others had to say about Mueller; a range of views were presented, positive and negative. There were complaints, though, that came up over and over, not only about money - in fact, I think for many people the money itself isn't the root problem, it's that they feel unappreciated and taken advantage of. This is something the company could start to change at little cost, if only they had a little imagination. I believe they are making changes for the better. I would have loved some field training when I started; isn't that the norm now? And I have a manager an hour away!

Some people are venting because they are frustrated and feel isolated. Others talk about this stuff online as a way of trying to anonymously communicate to Mueller brass. Still others share their experiences for the benefit of potential FRs. It's not (always) a matter of simply complaining for the sake of complaining; for me it's about identifying what seem to be weaknesses in company policy in hopes that something is done about them, even if I'm gone before it happens.

If the complaints voiced here were enough to make everyone up and leave their job, half the fee-based FRs would be gone!


Here's a gripe, but it's a valid one and one that Mueller should take note of: there are so many new requirements for individual companies that it's getting hard to remember them all, and the way they are arranged on the tickets is inconsistent and makes no sense. This would result in increased errors, costly all around.

It would be nice if there were less choices and forms were simpler.
Funny thing...whenever I get lazy and don't log drive time, I just go by google miles, which is easier, but I lose money. In the google world, the drive time is so fast, there's never any traffic, and you don't stop at red lights. Basically, it's like I clock out at red lights.

[Veteran Field Rep]

" ...if people say that they decieve people to make money, that is debatable, as well as illegal"

Only if it's untrue! :cool:

Well said, Veteran! I wish I knew better what corners to cut without compromising the report. After 7 years it must be second nature. I would love to have that kind of knowledge and experience under my belt. Although, part of the fun of the job is seeing new things - strange little gadgets in old houses or whatever - does that become less common over the years?



Here's a gripe, but it's a valid one and one that Mueller should take note of: there are so many new requirements for individual companies that it's getting hard to remember them all, and the way they are arranged on the tickets is inconsistent and makes no sense. This would result in increased errors, costly all around.

Kristi - that "7 years" I originally quoted...that's with one vendor. All told, I am 25+ years, 100,000 surveys done. Yeah, Ive seen all the industry changes, most of them good, not all of them benefiting the lowly field rep however....{sighs}

The main difference between the IC and the employee is the tax status of the employee, and the fact that employee "tops out" at whatever hourly rate he is afforded by the vendor. A contractor is topped out only by other logistical limitations such as area density and volume, and his/her own efficiency. {and driving habits of course!) For example, I did 12 reinspections for a national client in a dense urban setting this past summer. IN ONE HOUR. Several on the same street. That's $120 gross for that hour. That rate is impossible to sustain of course and represents the high range. I keep a lot of statistics and I would typically gross $75/hour after all is said and done. Then after all the "office admin", the net fee approximates half that....still not too shabby, but I was making more net fees per unit back in 2002, even with daily trips to CVS to process 35mm fotos! On a heavy Saturday, I would easily make $350-$400 in extra photo fees ALONE! Not any more. Since I departed from Mueller, my hourly rate and unit fees have increased 32%, although at admittedly lower volumes. This is supplemental income, so feeling fairly treated and having more time for a life are more important to me than gross income while miserable.

And yeah it does feel like you reach capacity on industry knowledge for the most part after so many years, unless something new comes along in the the way of building materials or techniques. The only real changes are the ever-increasing and myriad client requirements.
My favorite of all time: "LOOK IN WINDOWS IF NECESSARY TO CONFIRM OCCUPANCY"

:p

[Kristi Silber]

"LOOK IN WINDOWS IF NECESSARY TO CONFIRM OCCUPANCY"

Hee hee! That's excellent. My newest occupancy verification requirement is to take photos of every visible roof plane to look for hail damage.

Wow! 25 years. You are indeed a veteran FR! I'm sure things have changed a lot over the years. So is it generally true that these inspection/estimates are becoming more common?


"The main difference between the IC and the employee is the tax status of the employee, and the fact that employee "tops out" at whatever hourly rate he is afforded by the vendor. A contractor is topped out only by other logistical limitations such as area density and volume, and his/her own efficiency." (Veteran Field Rep)

I meant, I didn't know how ICs are distinguished from employees at Mueller. What determines who has the status of IC and who an employee?

I'm an employee, and I don't get an hourly, I top out as you describe for a contractor. I'm fee-based, piecemeal, whatever it's called. That's why I ask - what is different about the way you interact with Mueller from how I do? The IC/employee distinction is a legal one that determines tax status, it's not defined by it.

[Veteran Field Rep]

Wow! 25 years. You are indeed a veteran FR! I'm sure things have changed a lot over the years. So is it generally true that these inspection/estimates are becoming more common?


"The main difference between the IC and the employee is the tax status of the employee, and the fact that employee "tops out" at whatever hourly rate he is afforded by the vendor. A contractor is topped out only by other logistical limitations such as area density and volume, and his/her own efficiency." (Veteran Field Rep)

I meant, I didn't know how ICs are distinguished from employees at Mueller. What determines who has the status of IC and who an employee?

I'm an employee, and I don't get an hourly, I top out as you describe for a contractor. I'm fee-based, piecemeal, whatever it's called. That's why I ask - what is different about the way you interact with Mueller from how I do? The IC/employee distinction is a legal one that determines tax status, it's not defined by it.

Having not been anything other than an IC, I assume Mueller has more "control" over an employee administratively. Also, I am given a 1099 as an IC, and have no benefits. I imagine an employee may be restricted on doing inspections for competitors. During lean times in a down cycle, I was told that employees get "first dibs" on new assignments over ICs.

Biggest change from the underwriting side over the course of my career is that actual replacement cost metrics now take a back seat to hazards and conditions. There is enough municipal data available that an underwriting division doesn't need to pay a FR for on-site measurements; as long as Coverage A is materially correct (typical guideline = 90-95% accuracy), they need assurances on upkeep and common hazards. (decks, trees, dogs are currently "hot" industry topics). You can't tell if a homeowner is breeding Rottweilers from GoogleEarth or online municipal records, so, there will always be a need for on-site inspections services we provide. :D

[Robert Taylor]

I personally do not believe that Mueller is being deceptive, however there are times that communication could be improved. Some of the problems come from frequent changes in your supervisors and some can be attributed to the numerous changes that occur daily in the reporting requirements for each company that we do surveys for.

When I was hired I was promised an hourly wage, instead I was told I was a flat rate FR. This was contrary to what was in the agreement upon hiring. I was also promised a territory which would have allowed me a greater ability to conduct surveys closer to my office, however without any communication my supervisor changed my area which now results in a greater travel distance daily. As a result of being an flat rate FR, I spend more time on the road and more fuel and vehicle repair cost than what was promised.

I could have taken this as deceptive, or argued what was in the written agreement, however I have chosen to serve the territory I was given and after some time have seen some benefits related to the flat rate fees. Where it really hurts is the lack of increase in the flat rates over years of service. It also hurts when you are given the extras that are not normally in the exterior observation reports such as the Brush Supplements. These take substantial amount of time to do correctly and you are not compensated like the hourly FRs are.

Another problem that is common related to flat rate is the set amount per report, frequently you will see that rate decreased when your reports are assigned. You then have to call your supervisor and ask him to correct the amounts that are listed. If you fail to catch it prior to submitting the report you are paid the lesser fee. Are they being deceptive, don't believe so, I would believe that they have someone else in another area that is taking these surveys for less than what I am getting, and trust me the amounts that I am getting are low compared to other companies in my geographical area.

[Jim Starkey]

I personally do not believe that Mueller is being deceptive, however there are times that communication could be improved. Some of the problems come from frequent changes in your supervisors and some can be attributed to the numerous changes that occur daily in the reporting requirements for each company that we do surveys for.

When I was hired I was promised an hourly wage, instead I was told I was a flat rate FR. This was contrary to what was in the agreement upon hiring. I was also promised a territory which would have allowed me a greater ability to conduct surveys closer to my office, however without any communication my supervisor changed my area which now results in a greater travel distance daily. As a result of being an flat rate FR, I spend more time on the road and more fuel and vehicle repair cost than what was promised.

I could have taken this as deceptive, or argued what was in the written agreement, however I have chosen to serve the territory I was given and after some time have seen some benefits related to the flat rate fees. Where it really hurts is the lack of increase in the flat rates over years of service. It also hurts when you are given the extras that are not normally in the exterior observation reports such as the Brush Supplements. These take substantial amount of time to do correctly and you are not compensated like the hourly FRs are.

Another problem that is common related to flat rate is the set amount per report, frequently you will see that rate decreased when your reports are assigned. You then have to call your supervisor and ask him to correct the amounts that are listed. If you fail to catch it prior to submitting the report you are paid the lesser fee. Are they being deceptive, don't believe so, I would believe that they have someone else in another area that is taking these surveys for less than what I am getting, and trust me the amounts that I am getting are low compared to other companies in my geographical area.

If your not making money then quit and find something else or ask for what you need to make it worth your time and if you don't get it, quit.

Nobody makes anyone do the work but you. I'm personally not afraid to ask for more money if I feel its not worth it. I will also reject work I don't want due to how far it is etc. Send me work I will do or don't send me work period! If I can't make money doing the work, I'm way to lazy to do it for free. I need motivation, its pretty simple and that would be money!

[Carlos Pineiro]

Sorry some things seem to change for you, Robert. I dont know if it's because of your regional mgr, or corp policy. If a company has poor communication skills it's upbto their hr dept to improve that, but if people are purposely told something in an interview that they knew wouldn't be clearly understood, then that's classic bait and switch. I don't think mueller is the latter because it would be too obvious for little gain, poor ee relations as a common result.

It's difficult when there's the disconnect of your supervisor and employer being miles away from day 1. Miscommunication is so much easier when you have to rely on email and text for basically every communication. Phone calls dont even provide the human interaction the way in person hr does. After all that's why they call it hr.
I like the iphone / tablet software thing coming up. It's about time. The current ancient sketch tool and having to use IE to sketch is my biggest gripe. S l o w motion.

[Mister Nick]

I am a Mueller FR in a large midwestern city. I have read many of the posts here with interest and see that many people have the same issues that I do. I have already learned some things and think that sharing problems is a great way to discover solutions from each other. I will be posting more comments and sharing ideas that I have utilized to make this job easier. I welcome any and all requests, comments or questions and will gladly share what I have learned so that we can all be successful in this job. Looking forward to hearing from any and all of you.

[Carlos Pineiro]

I am a Mueller FR in a large midwestern city. I have read many of the posts here with interest and see that many people hhiave the same issues that I do. I have already learned some things and think that sharing problems is a great way to discover solutions from each other. I will be posting more comments and sharing ideas that I have utilized to make this job easier. I welcome any and all requests, comments or questions and will gladly share what I have learned so that we can all be successful in this job. Looking forward to hearing from any and all of you.
Hi Mr. Nick...welcome.
The best advice I have for making this job easier is to eliminate situations where you have to stop and think. For example: I never have to stop and think of which order to put photos because I always shoot in order and always the same direction (for me, that's counter clockwise). If I want to check if a room has a cath ceiling, one glance will tell me which pic because I know I started at the door and circled to the right when I was inside. I use preset stamps for everything, and have a second monitor as an extension space of the main monitor that I use as my pallette. The extension either has a photo I can look at of the house I am sketching or commenting on, and my stamps are comprehensive enough to cover everything. Roof moss is a list of 20 varying degrees of "x>1", x overall", so I just select the line then copy and drag to the other monitor with the form. The second monitor also has the source file of the photos for reference, which eliminates scrolling up and down to the photos in the case.

As far as forgetting key photos (who out there hasn't had to drive back out for a missing shot? LoL), I eliminate thinking there by keeping that routine as well. I always do the front shot before I sketch, I always do address # last, and always do roof ver right before address #. When you attach certain tasks to other tasks, they become a reflex which minimizes mistakes and eliminates over-thinking.

I use IE to sketch because I have to. I E is slow. I do all my sketches first, using the photo source file as a reference, then switch to chrome to fill out all the forms. If I could figurebout how to use the sketch tool in chrome I would save even more time, but unless I'm mistaken, the software doesnt work with other browsers.

When I'm making appointments, I personally like to shoot on particular days, so I tell the ph that "my days in the field are tuesday ad friday" or "I'll be in your area friday. Does that work for you?" This usually keeps people from asking about saturday or any other day. I also tell them that I can make an appointment for a specific time if they are the first house of the day, but if they want to do it in the afternoon then I will need a 1 hour window of time since I don't know how long the preceeding houses before them will take. This gives me flexibility, eliminates having to run yellow lights to rush to risks, and eliminates doubling back to areas just to make appointments. It also minimizes chances to be late since you have a window. If the ph can only do it on saturday on a break from work at 1pm, that's fine, but let THEM tell you that after offering your own preferred days and times.

Also, my camera is set to 4mp. Pics load fast enough while I'm filling out forms, but there's enough resolution to crop and enlarge on a photo editor if you forget a close-up. CP

[Carlos Pineiro]

PS...photoshop takes too long to load, so I use photoscape just for mueller. It opens quickly, and has the basic tools like crop and resize if you need to create a forgotten closeup. Google Maps is also very handy when sketching and you need to see the risk from above. CP

[Casey Jones]

Hello,

I'm also a field rep who has stumbled upon this forum. Which has eaten up alot of my time as I've read post after post. Some very interesting stuff here for sure. I'm sure I could learn alot from all of you. So, before I forget, I mind as well start by asking what you guys do to protect your papers when it's raining hard?

Besides that, I'd like to add my two cents also. The opinions on here are very diverse. Mostly, I try to respect everyone's opinion. And we all have a right to our own. There are a few people on here which I see things much different from. I don't agree at all with those slandering Mueller, and those putting the position of a field rep underneath that of a person flipping burgers. I've seen that quite a few times actually, a person (or persons), saying flipping burgers would be more productive and fair to them. Well my first statement to them is, you probably won't have a problem getting hired.

See, I see things different than most. While I appreciate those of you who care so much about our pay, and understand that when we do more, we deserve more compensation, I don't dismiss the fact that we don't have it so bad. First of all, I highly doubt any field reps went through a tough interview process. So basically, we walked on the job. Secondly, I'm reminded so much of the talks we have in my macroeconomics class (I'm a 28 year old back in college) where we compare the GDPs of our nation to other nations, and the spending power of our earnings compared to others. Not trying to get sentimental, but things could be ALOT worse! Most importantly, we chose this. Nobody put a gun to our head. I get that finding a job can be difficult. But if you're not happy, then do what you gotta do to get happy. Sorry to tell you, but blaming others for your circumstance is weak. Maybe you should start blaming the person in the mirror.

[Carlos Pineiro]

Hi Casey,
Firstly, I'll spare you the grateful dead jokes you have already heard, and if that's your real name, you have.

Some people vent about their jobs over a beer after work just for the sake of conversation, and some people are serious, cronic complainers about their job they will never do anything about. Not just mueller, but all jobs. Having been in the bar biz for 37 years, I know this to be true of all people in all occupations. I've heard them. The 1or2 dozen reps who post here out of the 1100 of us that exist is clearly not a representational sample, and it's obvious that staffing and budgets are different based on the locale, so it's apples and oranges all around.

The waterproof paper you want can be bought online. The name is Rite in the Rain, and a few vendors carry it. You can stand in the pouring rain and sketch ko prob. They sell special $5 pens (regular pens dont work) but pencils work fine. You cannot work rainy days without this paper, since shielding reg paper from the rain is stupifyingly hard, especially if it's windy. $30 for a box of 200 sheets sounds like a lot of $, until you are parking your car in the pouring rain then 7 cents sounds like nothing. :)

[Kristi Silber]

I don't complain about the pay per se, and I certainly don't come here in order to complain. People are missing the whole point with the "if you don't like it, leave" attitude. I like my job and the drawbacks aren't enough to make me leave. Every job has drawbacks. But whether someone likes a job is different from whether ones feels their employer treats employees effectively and fairly. Are there no such things as legitimate complaint and constructive criticism, or is it all just bitching and blaming? Even Carlos complains about the sketch tool. Some people write in this thread hoping management will read it - they're not idly complaining, they want to make a difference. Finally, as Carlos pointed out, everybody's experience of the job is different.

This thread is a good illustration of the result of the company's practices. What percent of posts are about how to do the job better, rather than faster or more easily? How many talk about cutting corners? Compare this thread with the rest in the forum, in which the overwhelming majority are about doing a job well, not simply getting it done. How many FRs take advantage of the knowledge here to learn to do their job more accurately? How many work mindlessly, doing things like adding all the numbers on "married" main breakers to find amperage, as our training tell us to do? How many consider their job important because of the safety issues they identify, or think about doing right by the homeowner and the insurer?

How many race through the job, ignoring whatever won't show at QA? Fudge the diagrams? Estimate large distances?

I think the root of many FR complaints isn't so much the pay as the fact that they feel they're being taken advantage of. It's also very impersonal, though it may be getting slightly better. People get tired of getting errors and never hearing any good things about their work. I've been an FR for 1 1/2 years and can count on one hand the times I've had good feedback (actually, my current manager is better that way).

I don't know how hard it is to get hired there now. When I applied the interview wasn't tough if you had the right experience and equipment. A lot depended on the practical exam, and I'm sure many didn't do too well. Then 30% didn't make it through training. I wouldn't say people waltz onto the job. It's not an easy thing to get the hang of.

[Carlos Pineiro]

Kristi made some excellent points. I think the "taken advantage of" aspect has a lot to do with the physical disconnect we have in our autonomous job. The good part is working without constant supervision micromanaging, the bad part is the lack of support when you need management and even if you reach them in 24hrs, they are not physically there to see and handle the aspects of your specific issue, so their response can be general, and maybe not helpful.
I also like the point Krisi made re posts here, and the lack of positive input. I try to include helpful tips whenever I post. I would also like to see more helpful posts here. And if there's another forum on the web where mueller people post other than IN.

[Casey Jones]

I don't complain about the pay per se, and I certainly don't come here in order to complain. People are missing the whole point with the "if you don't like it, leave" attitude. I like my job and the drawbacks aren't enough to make me leave. Every job has drawbacks. But whether someone likes a job is different from whether ones feels their employer treats employees effectively and fairly. Are there no such things as legitimate complaint and constructive criticism, or is it all just bitching and blaming? Even Carlos complains about the sketch tool. Some people write in this thread hoping management will read it - they're not idly complaining, they want to make a difference. Finally, as Carlos pointed out, everybody's experience of the job is different.

This thread is a good illustration of the result of the company's practices. What percent of posts are about how to do the job better, rather than faster or more easily? How many talk about cutting corners? Compare this thread with the rest in the forum, in which the overwhelming majority are about doing a job well, not simply getting it done. How many FRs take advantage of the knowledge here to learn to do their job more accurately? How many work mindlessly, doing things like adding all the numbers on "married" main breakers to find amperage, as our training tell us to do? How many consider their job important because of the safety issues they identify, or think about doing right by the homeowner and the insurer?

How many race through the job, ignoring whatever won't show at QA? Fudge the diagrams? Estimate large distances?

I think the root of many FR complaints isn't so much the pay as the fact that they feel they're being taken advantage of. It's also very impersonal, though it may be getting slightly better. People get tired of getting errors and never hearing any good things about their work. I've been an FR for 1 1/2 years and can count on one hand the times I've had good feedback (actually, my current manager is better that way).

I don't know how hard it is to get hired there now. When I applied the interview wasn't tough if you had the right experience and equipment. A lot depended on the practical exam, and I'm sure many didn't do too well. Then 30% didn't make it through training. I wouldn't say people waltz onto the job. It's not an easy thing to get the hang of.

I agree with alot you've said. And it's important people express their critisism in hopes higher ups see it. Otherwise things would be stagnant, with no development. And there is a fine line between constructive critism and bitching. My post was aimed more towards the ones I felt were bitching endlessly. The ones putting a fast food job above ours, and just putting down our jobs constantly. And I definatley agree with you about the feedback we recieve. This job is a different animal in that sense. Where we are rarely congratulated, but constantly reminded of our mistakes. That's something for sure the higher ups could improve upon. This job is impersonal period. Theres a great book called "the 7 habits of highly effective people," by Stephen Covey, which I believe any person in a management position should read. I disagree with you about the interview process though, I think the only reason 30% don't make it through training is probably laziness, and I still feel the majority of people with a decent work ethic can pretty much waltz on the job. Thats just my hypothesis though, I have nothing to back that up.

[Carlos Pineiro]

@casey...I disagree that the reason people dont make the cut is attributed to laziness. I am sure a significant number of people dont make it because they just dont want the job badly enough. Since the job doesnt pay bundles of money, one has to like the combined aspects of working outdoors, with the public, with houses, forms and driving. What I find interesting is that the things I just listed are all things people generally dislike, and this job is a collection of all of them. If one actually likes all those aspects (like me), this is a great job.
The lack of back-patting is relative to who your particular field manager is. I may not get much contact from corporate or my regional, but I do get support from my regional, who was originally a fr and has had a couple of doors slam in his face and a few days sketching on the cold and rain. It's easy to see a real disconnect, though, if I had a non-communative/unsupporting manager. If that were the case, I would probably be less motivated.

[Kristi Silber]

The training has changed a lot since I went through it, they totally reorganized it right after I graduated. Impossible to make generalizations about it, since it's still changing.

[Carlos Pineiro]

*"support from my field manager" I meant to say.

[Current FR]

I would like to clarify the pay structure:

You are either an employee or I.C. There is no other option. As an employee, everyone has a minimum set wage you can never fall below (regardless if hired hourly or fee based). For those hired hourly, your minimum threshold is typically at a higher amount than a fee based rep. If you are fee based, you want your threshold to be at a lower rate so you always make your fees. If you do not work efficiently, you will make your threshold. Even if you are hired hourly, you can still make the case fees which typically exceed what you are hired at.

Ex: hired at $12.00/hour, exterior survey case set at fee at $13.00.

If you can complete 1 exterior survey per hour (drive, field, online), you will make the higher amount at $13.00. If you take longer than an hour, you will make your hourly rate.

As an hourly employer, you should still make your case fees for the majority of your surveys. However, if your field or online time is too high, you will make the lower amount. In my area on average, I can complete 1.5 exteriors per hour (includes all time involved). I see about 20-25 cases per week in approximately a 35 mile radius.

The incentive for an hourly employees is to work efficiently to make the case fees.

My Manager sent me the expectations of
Exterior Diagram 15 minutes field 15 minutes upload
Interior 25 minutes field 25 minutes upload

I asked my Manager my stats so we could have an educated conversation abut my fees knowing my site and field times meet, and at times exceed, these expectations of the company.

Case fees are negotiable with your Manager - even if you are hourly. Do not complain about the pay if you do not understand it or have not asked for additional compensation first.

If you are fee based with a low minimum threshold (never below minimum wage), talk to your Manager about increasing your threshold.

Mueller does not have any intent to "take advantage" or "not pay someone for what their worth". In any business, companies have expectations and goals. it is up to the employee to hit or exceed these realistic expectations. If your Manager has not expressed what your expectations or goals should be, this is lack of communication and vision for both the employee and management.

[Carlos Pineiro]

Thank you, current. I knew how payroll works, but hesitated to discuss company policy specifics online. I am glad you did. Superb post.

[Veteran Field Rep]

A lot of the contributors here have valid points about the enjoyment level in this line of work, though its not for everyone. This cannot be understated, and the wages are clearly better than minimum wage alternatives in this economy.

To the point of some of the earlier comments regarding low fees - my main gripe was about the absolute lack of fee increase over an extended period of time (6 yrs, 15,000 surveys in my case) especially when overhead costs increased dramatically during this time frame. I cannot for the life of me imagine a situation where anyone should tolerate $0 increases from an employer over a 6 year period or proven performance...I wouldn't!

It's still early in the year, but my 1Q 2013 statistics have my average fee for all inspections at approx $22. When Mueller was my largest volume vendor, my average was closer to $15. I may gross less overall revenue in 2013, but the perception that my services seem genuinely valued goes a long way in keeping the fire burning.

[Kristi Silber]

"As an hourly employer, you should still make your case fees for the majority of your surveys. However, if your field or online time is too high, you will make the lower amount."

I assume you mean "hourly employee," but I still don't understand. Why would an hourly employee be making case fees at all? That's not an hourly wage then, and that's not how it was explained when it was offered to me.

We already talked in this thread about the base wage of fee-based employees, but it was a while ago and I still don't understand the details. What period do they take use to decide if you are making your base wage? It's certainly not case-by-case, where if you spend 2 hours on an exterior you'll make hourly. The average of a week? Three month running average? Why did my base wage decrease $2/hr when my manager changed? Why didn't they inform me when I was hired what the pay structure was? And then again when it changed? I was working there for months before anyone mentioned a base wage.

"Case fees are negotiable with your Manager - even if you are hourly. Do not complain about the pay if you do not understand it or have not asked for additional compensation first."

So once I've asked for more (which I have), then I've a right to complain? Or is there some other test I have to pass? Am I suppose to understand what they don't tell me in the first place?

You know what I'd like to complain about? I'd like to complain about the complaints about complainers.

"where we compare the GDPs of our nation to other nations, and the spending power of our earnings compared to others. Not trying to get sentimental, but things could be ALOT worse! Most importantly, we chose this. Nobody put a gun to our head. I get that finding a job can be difficult. But if you're not happy, then do what you gotta do to get happy. Sorry to tell you, but blaming others for your circumstance is weak. Maybe you should start blaming the person in the mirror."

Yes, certainly things could be worse. Things could always be economically worse if you compare Americans with the rest of the world's populace. You mentioned earning power; consider how much $100 bought 6 years ago, and how much it buys now. In another couple years? Then consider the fees Mueller charges the insurers. Do you think they don't change over 6 years? Or that they offer all these extras (photo tags, etc.) for free to all customers? True that we make more than burger flippers, but a 17-yr-old isn't going to be good at inspections; we should earn more. And who here is blaming Mueller for employing us? Those are the options we have over our circumstances: we work, or we don't. No all of us have no control over what they pay us, why would we blame ourselves for that? My point it, there have to be economic effects on the company to have so much employee disenfranchisement, even among those who like their jobs. High turnover, poor product. It could catch up with them, especially as the job market continues to improve.

Haven't you righteous guys learned yet through reading this thread that there are 1000+ Mueller FRs out there, all doing the same job, all experiencing it differently? Who are you to judge others for being dissatisfied with aspects of the job? One person could be making twice as much as another for the time they put into it, doing the exact same thing. This is a combination of factors beyond our control (territory, types of risks, hazards and cases, insurer requirements ), our own methods and abilities, and the tools we have. More powerful/faster/higher tech means less time, but bigger investment. I'm not going to buy a tablet unless I know it will pay off within a few months.

Concerning our pay, I think one should consider the importance of the job we perform, and how highly skilled it is. We are partly but also directly responsible for how much homeowners are going to pay in premiums. Our work, by identifying hazards, could save property or even lives. What we do is important, and it's quality is vital to the company.

Speaking for myself, I didn't find it difficult to get through the hiring and training process either, but once I was in the field it was a different story. Houses have all kinds of peculiarities. Lots of stuff out there different or absent from what's learned in the online training. There was no field training when I was hired. I felt overwhelmed and isolated. You don't just have to know/learn about houses, you have to regularly use (simple) math, and it helps to have a good spatial aptitude. People and phone skills are good, organization, efficiency, ability to work independently, detail-oriented...this job is not for everyone. I think they lose a lot of people early on.

The skills and our role in producing a quality product add up to employment that should have decent, fair compensation, especially when there are no benefits. I have no figure in mind, and I'm satisfied with my pay at the moment. But who wants to be making less and less indefinitely? That's what people don't like. In a job where efficiency is everything, there is no time to squeeze things in; if more demands are made, your time gets longer.

But it's not all about money anyway, it's about how FRs perceive the company. Field managers aside, our interaction with Mueller, instead of making us feel that our job is important and that we are valued, is almost always about what we do wrong - and they do it consistently, endlessly (how many jobs are there that list and keep statistics on every little mistake you make? How many jobs will change your work to cause a mistake, and not give you opportunity to correct it?). We get no recognition, not even a Happy New Years mass email. Our masters are faceless, the whole company structure an enigma, we are but the interchangeable rivets holding it all together.

When I say these things, it is for a reason. It's not a personal, it's about how I believe a lot of FRs feel, even if they don't think about it in such terms. I've talked to quite a few less publicly. For better or worse, I'm using my real name here, and have already gotten Mueller's attention drawn to me in this forum. But I think it's important for the brass to know what many FR's think, so they consider where they might cost-effectively improve their practices to make us all a little more loyal and willing to put the effort into doing the job well, and stay with it. It's good management.

[Veteran Field Rep]

But it's not all about money anyway, it's about how FRs perceive the company. Field managers aside, our interaction with Mueller, instead of making us feel that our job is important and that we are valued, is almost always about what we do wrong - and they do it consistently, endlessly (how many jobs are there that list and keep statistics on every little mistake you make? How many jobs will change your work to cause a mistake, and not give you opportunity to correct it?). We get no recognition, not even a Happy New Years mass email. Our masters are faceless, the whole company structure an enigma, we are but the interchangeable rivets holding it all together.

When I say these things, it is for a reason. It's not a personal, it's about how I believe a lot of FRs feel, even if they don't think about it in such terms. I've talked to quite a few less publicly. For better or worse, I'm using my real name here, and have already gotten Mueller's attention drawn to me in this forum. But I think it's important for the brass to know what many FR's think, so they consider where they might cost-effectively improve their practices to make us all a little more loyal and willing to put the effort into doing the job well, and stay with it. It's good management.

Kristi - I feel your pain, and its unfortunately par for the course when you're dealing with a privately owned industry monopoly that does a lot of things right, but has some serious flaws in its business model.

I have picked up some of my revenue slack with smaller regionalized vendors, with fees averaging $15-$20 for simple exteriors, extra $ for extra photos, extra $ for each additional supplement on encounter, a fee for non-locates, missed appointments, gasoline surcharges to the client commensurate with local rates per gallon.

These companies embrace the partnership between FR and Home Office.

The way it should be....

[FrankEStein]

Hi everyone. I found this thread recently and have been checking out the postings now and then and thought I'd say hello. I started doing work for Mueller the beginning of this year and am still debating if the job is worth it or not, lol.

[Carlos Pineiro]

Hi Frank,
Just curious...why is it taking 5 months to decide if a job is worth it? If you were still unsure after a couple of weeks, that would be one thing, but haven't you done a few hundred houses already?

[Robert Taylor]

Knowing that most Mueller Reps are paid by the hour, I am interested in hearing from those who are given a flat rate when conducting inspections. Specifically how you handle the extras that Mueller has added to your inspection without any compensation. For example Brush Reports, Extra Photos, 3 day turnaround reports etc... that are added to your reports without any type of reimbursement. As an hourly employee I would assume that the extra time is added to the pay, however as a flat rate FR, you get the bottom line that is offered by Mueller.

I ask the question due to the fact that other companies pay an additional fee for most of these items, however under the "Flat Rate" that Mueller is using it pays big dividends to Mueller while leaving the FR holding the bag.

For example in the past an average 7 to 10 day turnaround time was given for certain reports. Currently those reports have been reduced to a 3 day turnaround. If you have an area that requires you to travel any distance, this means rather than taking one trip a week to accomplish the inspections, you are now taking two or more. As a result you are loosing any cost savings due to the extra time and gas that you have to expend.

Love to hear how Flat Raters handle some of the cases assigned to them. Thanks

[Veteran Field Rep]

Knowing that most Mueller Reps are paid by the hour, I am interested in hearing from those who are given a flat rate when conducting inspections. Specifically how you handle the extras that Mueller has added to your inspection without any compensation. For example Brush Reports, Extra Photos, 3 day turnaround reports etc... that are added to your reports without any type of reimbursement. As an hourly employee I would assume that the extra time is added to the pay, however as a flat rate FR, you get the bottom line that is offered by Mueller.

I ask the question due to the fact that other companies pay an additional fee for most of these items, however under the "Flat Rate" that Mueller is using it pays big dividends to Mueller while leaving the FR holding the bag.

Love to hear how Flat Raters handle some of the cases assigned to them. Thanks

There is no mutually-agreeable solution to the problem, unfortunately, no magic to make the situation less than what it is for the FR.

My constant frustration-laden emails to Muell-Aid swilling management over the years regarding this very issue turned into thinly veiled sarcasm, ultimately creating an ever-widening gulf that resulted in a parting of the ways.

The concept of the FR constantly being put in a position to reduce his / her margins so company principals could increase their own profits was an affront to my business acumen. This remains the most egregious of several flaws in the Mueller business model as I have alluded to in prior threads.

Seems to me the only was this approach can be sustainable in the long haul is with "a field rep on every corner", which will create significant training, supervision, and product quality issues. And as the economy slowly improves, that same $10 per hour for the back office QC jobs will lure even less qualified candidates than on staff at present.

When insurance underwriting clients eventually sign their contracts with quality competitors willing to embrace a more equitable profit-sharing partnership with their field force, quality, veteran inspectors like myself will be waiting in the wings as independent contractors on their payroll.

[Kristi Silber]

I'm wondering if they're pinching the employment budget now because they're putting the money into expansion. They're opening (or have opened) a second office in Boise, and they seem to be taking a less point source management approach: I've now got a mgr within an hour, which is kind of heartening. They're spending more on training. There was no field component when I was trained. The first time I had anyone ostensibly training me (really it was to check up on the FRs), I'd been there a year.

As to Robert's question: The only way the additional work could end up affecting how much we make per case is if we went below the base wage.

I'm going to explain this idea thoroughly here just for those who are confused by past posts. This is how I'm paid, and I think it's pretty common, although others have different arrangements.

Every finished case gets a flat fee. The fees are added for the week, then $0.40 for every mile driven subtracted from that (and added back at the end, untaxed). What's left is gross income.

All minutes are scrupulously recorded and added over the course of a week. If the gross per hour worked is less than base wage, the company kicks in enough to make it up.

This means that you can drive 100 miles and work 3 hours on an exterior, far below min. wage for that case, but if you make it up during the rest of the week you won't get paid extra for it (depending on your manager). And unless the extra requirements mean you work below your base wage, you don't get paid for the added time spent on them.


I stumbled on a trio of ads on Craigslist calling for Mueller FRs here in MN, two in suburban counties, one more rural. The suburban ones were paid according to fees, and the rural was hourly. Makes sense.


　

A question is for the strictly hourly workers: what about mistakes? You must be paid even when something goes wrong, which naturally it does sometimes. Are you hassled about it?


A question for those who've worked at Mueller for a while: does anyone get the feeling QA is getting more picky, or observant or something? I've been looking at linked cases completed in the last few years, and they're full of carelessness and mistakes - mistakes that can be seen by looking at the photos. Yet they'll even point out imaginary mistakes in mine! Gotta be good to do that.

[Carlos Pineiro]

Hi Kristi, I'm glad you are getting a new mgr. Hopefully more good things come your way. Re: your payroll comments, I dont want to discuss you nor I here specifically, so I guess this is rhetorical, but regardless of the amount of driving, arent wage people always on the clock? $.41 per hour is mileage, but if one is clocked in, they are getting paid whether they are sketching or driving. If they dont make the case fee, the Mueller contribution assures the fr they will get at least their base wage. Assuming that is true, knowing that no matter what comes down, one is being paid their base hourly wage for the hours they put in, the wage they agreed to when they accepted the position, what's the conflict?

My base wage is $xx per hour. Some weeks, I exceed that by up to $4 more per hour by doing enough houses close together to have my case pay exceed the hourly. Some weeks, the hourly doesnt even make the case number, but the m contribution supplements that, assuring I get my minimum base wage. My income is either my agreed base, or more.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi Kristi, I'm glad you are getting a new mgr. Hopefully more good things come your way. Re: your payroll comments, I dont want to discuss you nor I here specifically, so I guess this is rhetorical, but regardless of the amount of driving, arent wage people always on the clock? $.41 per hour is mileage, but if one is clocked in, they are getting paid whether they are sketching or driving. If they dont make the case fee, the Mueller contribution assures the fr they will get at least their base wage. Assuming that is true, knowing that no matter what comes down, one is being paid their base hourly wage for the hours they put in, the wage they agreed to when they accepted the position, what's the conflict?

My base wage is $xx per hour. Some weeks, I exceed that by up to $4 more per hour by doing enough houses close together to have my case pay exceed the hourly. Some weeks, the hourly doesnt even make the case number, but the m contribution supplements that, assuring I get my minimum base wage. My income is either my agreed base, or more.

[Kristi Silber]

I'm not sure what you mean by conflict. As I said, people have different agreements, though yours is similar to the one I work under. I don't get paid for mileage (which I believe is $0.40 [or 0.41?] per mile driven, not an hourly addition). That can add up. I never agreed to any base wage because it was never discussed with me, not when I was hired and not when it was lowered by $2/hr. (I don't understand why, but some weeks I made less than my "base wage.") Yes, times are reported and normally I make more than my base wage through my cases. An example: for a minute, to simplify things, say I always make more than my base wage through my fees - we can ignore that aspect. Under normal circumstances I do 10 cases in 10 hours and make $200 (just an example, remember). But say one of those cases is very hard to find, and 3 start asking for roof photos and photo labels, so that it takes me 15 hours to do those same ten cases. Through no fault of my own, the income I make for the time I put in drops from $20/hr to $13/hr. This is not the same as a straight hourly wage, in which someone would get $X/hr. regardless of how long it took or what the case fees are. Is this the conflict (difference) you're talking about? I guess I don't understand.

[Joseph Dalessio]

To me the epitome of the absurdness that is the Mueller pay structure is the Lender surveys. They pay $6 for one of those. Let's think about this for a moment - a basic occupancy verification also pays $6 - supposedly (see my previous post about this not even being true), all you have to do for an occupancy verification is find out if anyone is living there - knock on the door, take a walk around the outside, grab a few pictures, and be done.

For the lender surveys you still have to walk around the outside, take all those same exterior pictures, but then you also have to open a lockbox, go inside, and photograph every single room, as well as photograph everything inside and out that is wrong with the house, and fill out more forms. Yet, for some reason, both of those pay the same.

Either we are meant to believe that they should both take the same amount of time (which will never happen, as you have to do interior and exterior for the lenders), Mueller's sales staff are incapable of making a sale that will make a profit while not throwing FR's under the bus, or Mueller is making a killing on these by paying their staff next to nothing (for the time involved). It must be either the second or third option - both of which involve screwing over field staff.

Again (before Carlos jumps on me for this), I understand that if someone is not happy with their pay, they are free to leave and find other opportunities. That's not what I'm trying to get at here - I'm merely pointing out the odd discrepancies in the pay structure (commercial surveys would be another post entirely!), and the way that this company seems to drive so hard at the bottom line, regardless of the way their staff feel (we could also get into how they give zero raises despite quality or quantity of work, or even taking inflation into account).

[Roadie]

Even more absurd is that an Exterior (No Diagram or R/C) pays $13. The Occupancy Verification is the same thing as an exterior but only pays $6. Soon there won't be any Exterior (No Diagram or R/C)'s because they'll figure out that they can get the same thing for $6.

These days, if I get an Occupancy Verification, I knock on the door, look in the window, check the meter, photo the front and back and that's it. No hazard photos because if they want a full exterior, they need to request a full exterior and pay for it, plain and simple.

Then there's the Exterior (Diagram and R/C) where you now have to take measurements and do a diagram and a replacement cost calculation, and for all that extra work you get all of $2 more.

I get a lot of $1,300,000 Exterior (Diagram and R/C)'s where just measuring the house can take 20 minutes and another 20+ minutes for the diagram.

By the way Joseph, don't worry about Carlos. He's obviously Mueller Management sent to do damage control.

3, 2, 1, GO! .........counting the minutes before Carlos comes to tell us how wrong we are.....

[Veteran Field Rep]

......Mueller's sales staff are incapable of making a sale that will make a profit while not throwing FR's under the bus, or Mueller is making a killing on these by paying their staff next to nothing (for the time involved). It must be either the second or third option - both of which involve screwing over field staff.

Again (before Carlos jumps on me for this), I understand that if someone is not happy with their pay, they are free to leave and find other opportunities. That's not what I'm trying to get at here - I'm merely pointing out the odd discrepancies in the pay structure (commercial surveys would be another post entirely!), and the way that this company seems to drive so hard at the bottom line, regardless of the way their staff feel (we could also get into how they give zero raises despite quality or quantity of work, or even taking inflation into account).

After 14,000+ surveys over 6 years, I'm forced to presume that Mueller sales force / account managers have NEVER worked in the field, as it would be inhuman to have any degree of field experience yet be complicit w/ current rate structures and lack of fees despite service increases.

Time and again, I brought to attention of management the "abuse" of contracted services by the clients ordering $13 exteriors on multi-million $ homes with elaborate footprints. On occasion, I was provided with a $5 fee increase on these to offset the 1+ hours expended. Net pay after travel and time was probably $12-13...which Mueller management would argue is GOOD MONEY. I had dialogue with a regional supervisor and almost had a stroke when he intimated that $20/hr was "good money." This is when I started to get handle on the perspective of those who choose to swill the Muell-aid. $40K annually is NOT "good money" in most of the Western hemisphere, unless you are 24 yrs old.

With this myopic view of the economic realities we are all facing, the egregious lack of equity and fairness starts to make a lot of sense.

[Kristi Silber]

Wow lender surveys only pay $6?! That is crazy! What are they thinking? I haven't gotten any yet, and now I'm glad.

Roadie seems to get higher-than-average fees. I knew some do - is it according to cost of living, or low density areas with more driving? How do you get away with not dealing with hazards? I would think QA would get on your case.

My pet peeve lately is "lifting" shingles on roofs. Evidently a few shingles that have edges a 1/4" higher than the rest makes the roof a hazard. That's ridiculous. There isn't a perfect roof out there. A brand new roof will be worse than that before it's had a chance to heat. So we then have to take extra photos and often label them, all so the underwriter can look at the photos and say it's ridiculous, or have the poor homeowner pay the price in higher premiums. Lifting shingles isn't even described in the exterior training module as a hazard.

[Current FR]

Im baffled at all of the inaccuracies I read about Mueller in this forum. This is a 50/50 blame on the management not expressing to the FRs the expectations/ correct data and the FRs for not asking management questions and addressing concerns.

LPS cases requiring interior access are not the same pay as Occupancy surveys. LPS surveys requiring interior access and additional photos are the same compensation as an Exterior Diagram. If it is not, I would discuss with your Manager.

The LPS Occupancy surveys are exactly that - occupancy checks. You don't even have to get out of your vehicle if the home appears occupied. Take 3 photos and your on your way. If it is unoccupied, verify by knocking on the door and take 5-7 photos. These surveys take no more than 5 minutes. The original fee was lower than I liked and I spoke to my Manager about matching the Occupancy Verification surveys case fees.

An Exterior No Diagram takes 5 minutes as well. Again, these are treated identical to Occupancy surveys. Knock on the door to verify occupancy, check for hazards, and your on your way.

More than likely you were hired as a part time employee. This seems to be the vast trend. You should not expect to make $30k or $40k a year working part time. Are you kidding me- $20/hour part time IS good money regardless of your age. This position does not require a 4-year degree (yes, I have one). List another position where you can make $20+/hour part time and create your own work schedule without higher education.

This position is not difficult: simply look for items listed on the Mueller Hazards Guideline, take basic photos, ask interview questions, and draw a footprint of the home. You should not expect your pay to be as high as an Appraiser or Home Inspector as our reports are not that detailed and require a lower skill set.

If you are part time and out in the field more than 3x a week, again, you aren't maximizing your income. I average 25-30 hours/week with approximately 40% of my workload being appointments. I rarely am in the field more than 3 days.

The company does give raises. In my scenario my stats were inline or exceeded some of the expectations of the company. I imagine this played a large factor. If your stats do not support a raise, I doubt you will get one. In my previous employment positions, I have not worked for a company who would call me up out of the blue and give me a raise. I wouldn't expect Mueller to do so; if you do not ask, you will not receive.

Routing your week efficiently will maximize your income. If you struggle with routing or scheduling appointments effectively, you will not make as much as you could. Often I schedule my appts a week out to get more in the area. If I do not have any cases in a particular area I'm traveling to, I ask my Manager to check for more in that area before traveling. Majority of the time, I end up with additional cases this way and maximize my time. We receive ample time to complete these surveys and should utilize the entire time frame to maximize our schedule.

My Current and previous Managers all had field experience. It is inaccurate and uneducated to state they do not understand the position of a FR.

Positive things I have seen lately to make us better FRs and a better company:
-More positive email communication from my Manager
-Field training. Recently, I went out for a day with a local trainer. I picked up good tips from our day together such as marking 4 feet from the bottom of my measuring wheel up so I could easily measure drop off hazards instead of using a measuring tape.

Things I would like to see improved:
-Would like to meet with my actual Manager although she is many States away.
-Quicker QA processing. Seems to be extremely slow as of lately for surveys to be completed or rejected.
-Condensed forms/tickets

It may be perceived Carlos works for Mueller Management (maybe??) because he is a satisfied employee. Majority of the time, unsatisfied employees are the ones who make the loudest noise and tend to flock together.

I would like to see more ideas shared on this site of how to improve as FRs.- which is why I originally sought out this site. If anyone has cheat sheets or tips (such as the measuring wheel tip above), please share!

[Joseph Dalessio]

LPS cases requiring interior access are not the same pay as Occupancy surveys. LPS surveys requiring interior access and additional photos are the same compensation as an Exterior Diagram. If it is not, I would discuss with your Manager.

I can assure you, I received $6 for an interior LPS. I'm thinking it's not just a mistake that they gave that.


An Exterior No Diagram takes 5 minutes as well. Again, these are treated identical to Occupancy surveys. Knock on the door to verify occupancy, check for hazards, and your on your way.

And yet we receive half as much for the occupancy.

[New PT Ins Insp]

While I am not an employee of them I do have a little info directly from them as far os some of their policies.

"Description:

Inspectors are expected to be professional, organized and motivated individuals. Each inspector is responsible for making their own schedule and completing reports in the time line given. Reports consist of having to take photographs, measurements, and observations regarding the condition of homes. After a report is completed in the field the photographs and measurements are submitted online. Inspectors are expected to schedule appointments between other non-appointment cases and map out their route as efficiently as possible. During the average day an inspector will complete 5 to 15 reports in the field over the course of 4 to 8 hours. Within 24 hours the reports must be submitted with the appropriate photos and information. Driving is a large aspect of this position. You must be willing to travel to all parts of your territory.

Training:

The paid training program consists of independent reading, self administered tests, and web conference training sessions. All training is paid at $10/hour. Once training is completed your pay will average what was listed in the job advertisement.

On average the training takes between 40 to 50 hours which is expected to be completed within a 2 week time frame. At the conclusion of training you will be required to complete 3 sample reports. You must have 3 houses (yours, friends, families or neighbors) that you are able to go to more than once to complete the sample reports. If you do not have 3 houses available then you will not be able to complete the training. Upon accurate completion of these sample reports the inspector will be assigned a manager and will begin receiving live reports.

Compensation:

Mueller pays on a weekly basis for all completed cases. Direct deposit is strongly encouraged to ensure that you receive your pay in a timely manner. As we are located in Western New York, a check could take many days to reach someone in another part of the country.

We DO NOT pay mileage in addition to your fees. Mueller only pays a flat fee (or piece rate) for each report that is fully completed and submitted via Mueller’s website. The fees are designed to include both pay and business expenses. Fees are based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, report type, distance from a field representative’s location, and workload. The fees are determined and maintained by the manager. Averages will be discussed during your interview. These fees will depend on the inspector's personal efficiency, work territory and performance.

Inspectors are asked to report the miles traveled and work time spent for every completed report. We multiply the miles traveled by a mileage rate of $.40 to produce a mileage expense sum. The mileage portion of the total fees is paid to you in the same paycheck, but is not subject to taxation."

Flat fee would be fine, but don't call it an "Hourly wage" Of course that would mean that you would have to have 1099 it.

I may try them out and see how they are. The $10 for training is a bit low. and it really would depend on what they are giving as a Flat fee

[Kristi Silber]

All that sounds very familiar except the last paragraph. This was of particular interest to me:

"'Fees are based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, report type, distance from a field representative’s location, and workload. The fees are determined and maintained by the manager.'"

So indeed the fees are determined by the managers! There was plenty of evidence for it, but I'd never seen it in writing (in a Mueller document).

"Flat fee would be fine, but don't call it an "Hourly wage" Of course that would mean that you would have to have 1099 it" (New PT Ins Insp)

1099 would be for independent contractors, but most Mueller FRs are employees. Our income is reported on W-2s as wages, and pay stubs show an hourly wage. It's a strange, convoluted system. When FRs talk about their hourly earnings, often they are using it as a method of comparison. If job hunting, for example, it makes no sense to compare one job that pays $15/hr. and another that pays $26/case. Because we (ostensibly) record our times spent working, converting the fee-based wages to an hourly average is straightforward.


Current FR: You are making the mistake so many others have made (including me): you assume that your experience reflects everybody else's. This is simply untrue, for reasons I've already outlined. The information about managers determining fees shows that it's not Mueller as a whole that gives raises. Many organizations do have policies in place that determine when and under what circumstances raises are given; this eliminates the potential for bias and corruption at the managerial level. We are at the mercy of whatever manager we happen to get, and in some cases a change in manager can mean a decrease in income. You should consider yourself lucky.

[Veteran Field Rep]

Current FR: You are making the mistake so many others have made (including me): you assume that your experience reflects everybody else's. This is simply untrue, for reasons I've already outlined. The information about managers determining fees shows that it's not Mueller as a whole that gives raises. Many organizations do have policies in place that determine when and under what circumstances raises are given; this eliminates the potential for bias and corruption at the managerial level. We are at the mercy of whatever manager we happen to get, and in some cases a change in manager can mean a decrease in income. You should consider yourself lucky.

I'm sure Mueller sr management has protocols on the RANGES of acceptable fees for the report types. The Regional Managers are provided an operating "budget" for their areas, the performance which determines a significant part of their income. Thus, they are paid based on the profitability of their region which creates an obvious conflict of interest with the very fees they are allowing each FR. The Mgr's salary and expenses as well as some allocated Home Office Overhead (how do we think the $10/hr QA reps are paid?) need to be offset by the margins on the inspections before the breakeven point. Thus, for example, if gross revenue for Mueller is $40 on an Exterior, the $27 profit offsets the overhead expenses and provides profit allowance, at the expense of the lowly FR who has earned a mere $13 for the same survey for the past 8 years, while making all this possible.


Gosh, to which side to you think they prefer to keep the scales tipped?!

[New PT Ins Insp]

Kristi .... My point of Hourly -> Flat rate is that that is a Pure LIE to say that they pay "Hourly " as they do not. as that would change every week.

They pay by the Piece work, period. So don't call it one thing if it is truly another thing.

I know what a 1099 is, that is for and IC.

Well I did the Telephone Interview... but it really was NOT that. He could not answer ANY of my questions and said that would be something the area manager would go over. Had no idea what my "area" would be either.
He just asked me all sorts of questions that I could have done on line instead of making me call between 9a-Noon !!! ah, hello I do work. it was a waste of a 1/2 hour.
How many hours a day could you work, how often do you check e-mails(all day long, I am at a computer), do you have a smartphone (i do not)
He asked me if I would be able to Haul and use a 10 foot (or maybe it was 20 foot) Ladder . I said NO. I am guessing that they want to pay pennies for an Appraisers work. And that is NOT on the ad !

The e-mail said that there was nothing open in my area. and to reapply in 6 months .
I am not sure what they are looking for.

Anyone else know a company in the Massachusetts area ?
Or maybe a Library book or free online class for this type of job ?

I was planning on doing their free classes and then also apply to other companies

[New PT Ins Insp]

double post

[Kristi Silber]

"Kristi .... My point of Hourly -> Flat rate is that that is a Pure LIE to say that they pay "Hourly " as they do not. as that would change every week.

They pay by the Piece work, period. So don't call it one thing if it is truly another thing."

PT Ins Insp: I hope you aren't calling me a liar. What makes you think you know so much about the company? Some people are paid an hourly wage. Most aren't. I never said everyone was. But even those paid flat fees do talk about how much they make an hour, on average.

To my knowledge, Mueller doesn't do appraisals, if what you mean by appraisal is an estimate of market value.

Lots of luck with the job search.

[New PT Ins Insp]

Take a Chill.
I am not calling you a LIAR. Re read what I originally wrote, I am talking about the Company, not you personally.


They told me they pay Hourly, but they pay by the piece ... So you can't say they pay an hourly wage but get paid different hourly wages each day .... get what i am saying ????

Sorry I did say Appraisals, my mistake.

I guess my point of the Ladder would be ... if you want a HOME INSPECTION, then hire one.... that is now what they are looking for. Or at least that is my understanding.
A Home Inspection, by a LIC Inspector is a $450 job. no way am I getting on a ladder for pennies... see what I am saying ?

I still would love to do this job. I have the perfect setup for it.
Too bad.

[Kristi Silber]

Since you directly quote Mueller saying they pay a flat fee per case, what else are we to think but that you are talking about the way pay is discussed in the forum? There isn't anything in your post suggesting you're talking about what Mueller is saying. The ads say an average hourly rate. How else are they supposed to put it? "$26/case" means nothing to someone who doesn't know how long a case may take. And the case rates vary. I don't think they want current FRs knowing some are getting more per case than others.

[Don Graves]

Mueller has reached out to me to interview for the FR position in AZ. Before I get involved in the whole process with them, I just want to find out if being a 1099 IC is an option with them. I have read several posts on here that say that for the most part, they are W-2 Employees. For the most part would indicate that there are exceptions, but I haven't seen anyone clearly state that there are cases where there are 1099 IC opportunities are available.

[Kristi Silber]

When I started about 20 months ago there were ICs, but I don't know if that's now the case. At any rate, you should really ask them if it's an option, not us. Even if there are ICs, they might want an employee in your area, for whatever reason.

Interesting that they "reached out" to you! I wonder how they found you.

[New PT Ins Insp]

Is this an In person interview or the "telephone" interview ?
I was told there was just the Telephone interview.
When I had the Telephone Int, they guy could not answer ANY of my questions. Even the most simple.
It was just a pre-script of questions.
GL

Let us know how it goes.

[Don Graves]

Kristi, I may have worded it in a way to make you believe something other than what I meant. What I meant by "reached out to me" was that I had planted a seed with them previously, and they have now reached out by replying to me. I'm just hoping that they can work with me in an IC mode, because I don't think I'm really interested in being an employee for anyone at this point. Thanks for the response!

[Kristi Silber]

I see.

PT Ins Insp - did they tell you at one point they paid hourly, then at a different one that they paid flat fees? I just remembered something. At few weeks ago I saw three ads on Craigslist for Mueller FRs in MN. Two of them said flat rate, and the third, which was more rural, said an hourly wage. So they do in some cases pay an hourly. I'm pretty sure there has been someone posting here who says they get an hourly wage, and I was offered an hourly rather than the flat fee earlier this year. It's possible your recruiter (interviewer) didn't know what the ad you responded to said, or something. He/she also wouldn't know your territory, as your manager would have to work that out after you were hired based on where you live and the other FRs around you. Even your pay would be worked out with by manager, not the recruiters. The ladder question could be standard, just so they know whether you might be able to do roof inspections, which is a specialized type of inspection that most FRs don't do. There are a bunch of different kinds of inspections.

These recruiters are based in NY, and most of what they do is interview. They have their list of questions to get through and try to work as quickly as possible. Mueller is all about speed. Once they decide they want you, they will answer your questions - well, some of them.

.............................
Things are changing. They just inaugurated a monthly newsletter, which includes a way for FRs to ask questions, offer tips, and make comments. It's a good thing, and long overdue, but better late than never. I have to hand it to them, they are trying to make improvements on many fronts.

[Walt Anderson]

Hello Fellow Mueller Reps! I stumbled onto this forum...not sure how but here I am. I was actually doing some online research into what the current advertised pay rate was for Mueller FR's in different markets. I have been a part time employee rep for nearly 3 years and questioning why, despite my increasing skill level in accomplishing my surveys, I am unable to coax a higher hourly pay rate from Mueller. After reading through the many postings on this forum I am learning that Mueller apparently has quite diverse employment and contracting arrangements depending on locale. I am considered rural, often putting on up to 650 miles a week. This means that regardless of my efficiency in completing the various types of surveys there is no way that efficiency will enable me to earn more than the set rate at which I was hired. Enjoy the work but think I am worth a lot more than I am being paid. :confused:

[John Walker]

Would like to share my experience working for Mueller as an IC; no longer with the company. For legal purposes, I will not name any employees or persons currently with Mueller, or no longer with the company. There will be those here, posting on this forum that will insinuate I am a disgruntled employee looking to take free shots at Mueller- this is not the case. Just want to share my experiences with everyone, both good and bad.

I was taken on initially as an IC; not sure if Mueller still hires IC's. From an experience standpoint- I have done contract work for several companies, and have probably completed at least 10,000 individual field reports of all shapes and sizes: basic exteriors, exteriors with diagrams, full interiors, many HVR's (in the 3+million range in NY/NJ/CT), commercials, etc. I didn't come to work for Mueller "green" as they say.

That being said- I found many helpful managers, and district/area heads who were always willing to go out of their way to assist the FR's. Anyone that has done this type of work will know, there are always issues that arise in the field- and usually, the FR wants to get them taken care of that day, while they are in the area- so they don't have to come back. I always found that most of the time, the managers and district/area heads were willing to assist right away- as best they could (FR's will know things like wrong addresses, wrong phone numbers, policies that have been cancelled that the FR doesn't know about, new risks that the FR cannot locate due to the subdivision/risk not coming up on the GPS, etc.- ALL of these things have happened to every FR at one time or another). Regarding the issue of fees being paid- to keep the long story short as they say- if a FR is working in an area they are somewhat familiar with, with cases not too spread out (I realize this isn't always true out West, or Mid-West, or in very rural areas)- and the volume of work is there, yes- a FR can make a decent supplemental income doing this. Of course, that also requires better than average computer skills (no, you don't need to know how to program a NASA rocket to do this work). Which leads me to my next point- issues.

All FR's at one point or another will go through the requires online seminars, which are usually run by the QA heads. QA, for those not familiar with them- they are the people reviewing the cases that the FR's submit. Generally they are reviewing the cases, and garnering their information predominantly by looking at the photos the FR's submits. Anyone that has downloaded a photo knows that the lower quality (megapixel) a photo is, the harder it becomes to see detail in that photo- and the details, or hazards that are present in a photo is what QA is looking for. Depending on what the extent of the hazard is (water on the floor next to a furnace, buckled roof, aggressive dog, etc.) some insurance companies can actually cancel someone's policy.

The main issue I had while with Mueller (I am positive someone will weigh in on this) is that there were many times QA would reject a case that I submitted, when there was no hazard present. I have spoken to current and past employees regarding this- and every single one of them is in agreement on this. I have had QA reject a case where there is a very large tree- clearly in the background of the photo, no where near the risk in question- because they've assumed the tree branches are "over" the risk. I've also had a manager side with QA because I questioned a rejection; the rejection was a plastic bucket (drip bucket) near the furnace. This bucket according to the manager was "combustible". Not true, by itself; if there were a gas can next to it, maybe. QA seems to have a "quota" to meet, and regardless of how perfect I, or other FR's thought their reports were- some were always rejected.

Last, and largest issue I had- with a manager (who is no longer a manager). One would assume a manager would, and should know more than QA, and the Field Representatives. One could be wrong on that, big-time. While working a very large risk (5000+SF), I diagrammed the very elaborate layout to perfection. After submitting the case- it was rejected due to QA stating the diagram was wrong. I contacted my manager- and pointed out to him/her that according to Mueller's own website- and the tutorial for diagramming and the rules on that- my diagram was accurate, and QA was indeed wrong. Manager said they would check on it, so I resubmitted the case with a note to QA- specifically pointing out to them where to find the diagramming rules, and the reason my diagram was accurate. Case came back again- rejected with the standard lines of "please contact your manager if you do not understand how to correct the issue".

After more than 2 months- and not being paid for this report- my manager (who was now no longer a regional manager) contacted me, and stated "Yes. You were correct, I am sorry".
That's it. To this day, the tutorial on the Mueller site has not been changed/corrected, so any new FR's that go through the training- and follow Mueller's guidelines/standards on how to diagram a risk- prepare to have your cases rejected.

In summary- no, though it may sound like it- I do not harbor any ill will towards Mueller. I do appreciate the opportunity they gave me, but just wanted to point out my experiences with them.

- - - Updated - - -

[Kristi Silber]

What was the diagramming disagreement, for future reference? I've had some of those myself. Some situations aren't addressed by the training at all.

I've had several instances of QA changing the siding type. Sometimes they call it an error, sometimes they don't and I only find out they've done so when they send it back about an unrelated error. It makes me wonder how often they've changed the siding type without my knowledge. The training modules are outdated and incomplete.

[John Walker]

What was the diagramming disagreement, for future reference? I've had some of those myself. Some situations aren't addressed by the training at all.

I've had several instances of QA changing the siding type. Sometimes they call it an error, sometimes they don't and I only find out they've done so when they send it back about an unrelated error. It makes me wonder how often they've changed the siding type without my knowledge. The training modules are outdated and incomplete.

If you inbox me I will elaborate. Do not want to get into this further here for fear of legal repercussions, hope you understand

[Robert Taylor]

I believe that anyone working for Mueller has had multiple experiences with QA that raise the eyebrow now and then. For example I conducted a survey on a risk and I could not enter the rear yard due to 2 extremely aggressive pit bulls that wanted an early lunch. Luckily there was a chain link fence where I could get an angle shot of the rear section, however not a full and complete shot showing the entire section. I noted in the narrative that access could not be gained due to the dogs and no one being home. QA returned report stating that I needed a better photo and to enter the yard to obtain the photo: Needless to say it was sent back to QA again describing in detail the reason I was unable to do what they wanted. Now two returns from QA affect your monthly percentage when QA had already been informed of the reason.

The other thing that is extremely aggravating is Muellers way of docking you on Allstate Urban cases. You are given 3 days to get the inspection done (which is one of the shortest in the industry). When you turn in your assignment on time, QA has an additional 3 days to review the case. If for some reason QA returns the case, then you are docked showing that it was not turned in on time, despite the fact the case was submitted within the guidelines that you have been given.

I think it is fair to say that QA and pay are the two biggest issues that affect those who work with Mueller.

[Veteran Field Rep]

I think it is fair to say that QA and pay are the two biggest issues that affect those who work with Mueller.

Don't get me going on the QA anecdotes!

- I have some territory in semi-rural areas. My stock comment is "No hydrants in area. Fires handled by tanker trucks..." The QA rejected with the comment: "...Photos of alternative water source needed..." mmmOKaaayyyyy

- A large % of my rejections for for 'missing address verification photos', even though the report was of the interior / HVD variety, where it was clear I spent considerably time INSIDE the insured's house.

- I endured several 'rogue' QA reps during my tenure, who were allowed to remain employed YEARS after I brought serious concerns to management, including fabricating guidelines for case rejection (e.g. front/rear photos needed on outbuildings), insisting I recontact a policyholder to arrange a second search for water supply line in 200 yr old house with no basement lighting, and constant rejections insisting I return to a property to take separate photo of gate lock prohibiting yard access. It was only after an embarrassing email chain that the QA rep initiated the day he was dragged out that management communicated back to me and apologized for the unprofessional behavior...(that I had endured for 4 yrs +/- already)

- Many archived reports attached to a new request showed egregious seams in the QA process, with obvious hazards completely missed,

QA reps are $10/hr, untrained clerical staff, going through client-specific checklists, never having set foot on an insureds property. I sarcastically offered to provide "common sense' webinars to the QA staff over the years, politely declined by whatever management at the time. QA have their own rejection statistics just like the field staff, and are graded accordingly. Thus, a QA rep beefing up his/her percentages is in direct conflict with the FR trying to keep his rejection percentages down.

Let's face it, conceptually, the QA process is for everyone's benefit, no doubt about it. Like most things Mueller-related, its the execution that's seriously lacking.

[George Navarro]

Good day Inspectors! I was asked by Mueller Inspections to train online, for lease vehicle inspections. After, completing the training, I was advised that Mueller would compensate me $20.00 per inspection, Oh Brother!! I replied. I told them that at $40.00 an inspection it might be equitable, no deal. Not surprised either. Mueller can only be described as VERY GREEDY, do you agree?

- - - Updated - - -

Good day Inspectors! I was asked by Mueller Inspections to train online, for lease vehicle inspections. After, completing the training, I was advised that Mueller would compensate me $20.00 per inspection, Oh Brother!! I replied. I told them that at $40.00 an inspection it might be equitable, no deal. Not surprised either. Mueller can only be described as VERY GREEDY, do you agree?

[Veteran Field Rep]

- - - Updated - - -

Good day Inspectors! I was asked by Mueller Inspections to train online, for lease vehicle inspections. After, completing the training, I was advised that Mueller would compensate me $20.00 per inspection, Oh Brother!! I replied. I told them that at $40.00 an inspection it might be equitable, no deal. Not surprised either. Mueller can only be described as VERY GREEDY, do you agree?

Not sure if it is so much greed as it is an outrageous disconnect from the economic realities for the 2013 field rep. I knew the end was near for me when a Regional Supervisor blurted out that $20 an hour was 'good money'....like Ive said before, maybe in Albany NY it is, but not in CT, and not in most of this great country I'm sure.

Is it better than min wage? Yes. Is it better than fast food wages? Yes.

But for a seasoned professional with a mortgage, a run rate equating to $41K a year is disassociated from sensibility. I refuse to work for hourly wages with any of my accounts. My effective gross hourly rate based on flat fees in relatively dense suburban settings: $90 /hr. Enough said.

[Robert Taylor]

I must say the more time that I put into the field with Mueller, the more I see a lack of professionalism on the part of some of the QA, training and some supervision. I have had a number of incidents where Mueller hourly employees had made outrageous claims that were totally untrue. I find frequently they will jump to conclusion and make statements that cannot be supported by facts. When the goods are out on the table and you show their assumptions were wrong, you never get an apology, or we messed up, sorry about how this was handled etc...

If a FR were to treat the clients the way Mueller treats the FRs on various issues, I am sure that your supervisor would remove you immediately by stating it is a requirement that you maintain professionalism at all times in the field. Wouldn't it be nice to have it going both ways. Wouldn't it be nice if your supervisor would take serious input about the fees that you are being paid and relate those to management. How long has it been since you as a FR have seen a cost of living increase. Gas is nearly at 4.00 a gallon and the wages have not increased to absorb the cost associated with this.

I can equate the Field Reps with the local paper boy. If the presses break down the carrier gets an ear full why the paper is late. If the customer fails to remove his paper from his porch when it was delivered dry and leaves the paper out for several days and then rains, its the paperboy who gets the complaint. If the paperboy has a 100 percent delivery rate and never misses a customer, however some greedy neighbor steals the paper, the carrier gets the complaint and probably will not get a tip at Christmas.

I work with several other companies and have excellent relationships with each of them. Mueller is the only one that is so anal retentive that makes the job so much more difficult.

[Joseph Dalessio]

I would be curious to hear (via private message) some of the other companies people here are doing work for. I would certainly be interested in seeing if they had openings, and finding out what sort of compensation they offer. Some of the companies I have looked into seem to offer very similar rates to Mueller, and I'm wondering if I'm just looking in the wrong places. Would be much appreciated!

[Kristi Silber]

No one here has mentioned a monthly statistical review, so I'm guessing it's a trial thing in my area. You can PM me if you want more info.

Anyway, I have a few questions for everyone, and I'd be much obliged if some of you might humor me with honest answers..

I'd like to know more about people's reporting habits. My case times average 132% of the standard for the type (occ. ver. = 16 min., ext. no diag.= 16, ext. =30, int/ext =45, HV =90) and I wonder why. I report hazards in 67% of my cases, and that makes a difference, but not that much.

Do you report every minute of desk time? That would include not only data entry, phone calls, mapping, etc., but also purchasing equipment and supplies, communicating with manager and QA, any online research (I don't know how much others do, but I do quite a lot on my own time just because I'm curious), sharpening pencils, anything related to the job.

And would you count stopping for gas in drive time? How many of you just accept the Google ideals?

Those of you writing anonymously (or not!) - do you estimate distances when sketching a risk? How long? I'm not interested in how many people bend the rules, but in how those with more experience are able to cut their times. I estimate up to about 5', having ascertained that I can do it reliably, but with experience that will change.

Do the times (16/16/30/45/90) seem reasonable?

And you could please remind me how long you've been an FR?

I appreciate any input you all have!


*Oh, and this is an unrelated question: can anybody recommend a good camera for the job, something in the $200-350 range? Wide angle, good zoom, quick on and quick photos, sturdy?

[Joseph Dalessio]

No one here has mentioned a monthly statistical review, so I'm guessing it's a trial thing in my area. You can PM me if you want more info.

Anyway, I have a few questions for everyone, and I'd be much obliged if some of you might humor me with honest answers..

I'd like to know more about people's reporting habits. My case times average 132% of the standard for the type (occ. ver. = 16 min., ext. no diag.= 16, ext. =30, int/ext =45, HV =90) and I wonder why. I report hazards in 67% of my cases, and that makes a difference, but not that much.

Do you report every minute of desk time? That would include not only data entry, phone calls, mapping, etc., but also purchasing equipment and supplies, communicating with manager and QA, any online research (I don't know how much others do, but I do quite a lot on my own time just because I'm curious), sharpening pencils, anything related to the job.

And would you count stopping for gas in drive time? How many of you just accept the Google ideals?

Those of you writing anonymously (or not!) - do you estimate distances when sketching a risk? How long? I'm not interested in how many people bend the rules, but in how those with more experience are able to cut their times. I estimate up to about 5', having ascertained that I can do it reliably, but with experience that will change.

Do the times (16/16/30/45/90) seem reasonable?

And you could please remind me how long you've been an FR?

I appreciate any input you all have!


*Oh, and this is an unrelated question: can anybody recommend a good camera for the job, something in the $200-350 range? Wide angle, good zoom, quick on and quick photos, sturdy?

I report every minute - time printing, mapping, phone calls, etc. I also include time stopping for gas. I rarely estimate distances - maybe if it's 3' or less I will, other than that, I just measure it. I think the times (16/16/30/45/90) varies from a little bit optimistic to wildly unrealistic (are those times on site + desk time?). I don't know where you found your stats, but I just went through my last weeks payroll and calculated a few by hand ( all are on site+drive+desk) - ext no diag were taking roughly 25 minutes, ext and diag were taking about 38, and int/ext about 68.

I've been doing this a bit over 5 years, and I'm sure my times vary quite a bit week by week, depending on how far I need to drive.

[Veteran Field Rep]

I've been doing this a bit over 5 years, and I'm sure my times vary quite a bit week by week, depending on how far I need to drive.

You guys are killing me! I've never been 'hourly' so can only estimate my times, but in a lot of the dense suburban areas in my territory, I can easily get to 6-8 exteriors an hour, just street and travel time. I always admin time at additional 40-50% of street time, so the total for 6-8 exteriors is pushing 1.5 hours in these locales. If you rough an exterior at $15 each (non Mueller rates!), I'm grossing in the range of $50-$70 per hour, excludes expenses and gas. You can see why a lot of my posts have regarded no pay increases over years and years of service. Obviously, appointment based surveys take longer to complete, and fees are higher, but generally, the exterior onlys have higher profit margins. I do have some less suburban territory where I can only get to 4 per hour, less profitable, but still reasonable.

Some of my vendors order condition checks which entail quick walk around, couple photos... done. The admin on these is merely uploading, fill out a quick form...maybe 2 minutes each. High profitability, again non-Mueller work.

Biggest short cut I can suggest is using local tax records for risk diagrams, but you need a comfort level the local assessor is reasonably accurate - not always the case! For towns without online records, measuring wheel is the standard. Also need to be aware of additions not yet records locally. The industry underwriting clients generally have up to a 10% +/- allowable range on diagram accuracy, a point which is NOT communicated to the field rep.

I am in process of utilizing sophisticated laser technology to measure houses at behest of one of my business peers; supposedly can measure a standard house in seconds. I have to train myself the next opportunity I get, will pass along my findings!

[Kristi Silber]

Thank you both! I appreciate it much.

Veteran Field Rep, I'd be very happy to be making as much as you! Even $20/hr doesn't sound bad to me. " I've never been 'hourly' so can only estimate my times," I'm not hourly, either, but all times get reported - didn't you have to do the same?

I don't think could ever do 6-8 exteriors in an hour, especially including drive time. Some days just driving between 8 exteriors takes an hour total. Territory makes such a big difference!

Using tax records from the assessor...do you mean there are online sketches, or only numbers? I've found that tax data for square footage is WAY off in Minneapolis; though it's not too bad in a couple of the suburbs, generally it can't be relied on at all. Mueller training says, I believe, they want SF within 5%.

"Sophisticated laser technology"? What do you mean by this? I use a laser measurer. It's very handy and accurate, although on sunny days or over long distance it can be hard to see and line up the spot, and there's not always something to bounce it off of. If you brace the arm holding it to keep it steady, you can sometimes use just a thin bit of trim, like the channel that holds the ends of vinyl siding. Often I'll measure to something like a downspout that's near a corner then just add the extra foot or whatever. Usually my diagrams balance pretty well. I switched back to a wheel for a while and didn't like it. My measurer also can compute distances measured indirectly, using the Pythagorean Theorem (a2+b2=c2). You take a measurement at a right angle to a wall (=a, one leg of the triangle), and then standing in the same spot take another measurement at an acute angle to the wall (=c, the hypotenuse). The gadget will calculate the distance between the two points on the wall (=b). I don't use that function much, since getting the right angle a bit off will mess up the measurement.

The 16/16/30/45/90 times are for desk plus site, not including drive time. Each of my managers has sent them to me at some point, saying they were "average." I pointed out each time that it's ridiculous to say that's average: averages are never nice round numbers like that, plus the times haven't increase with the increasing requirements. Turns out they are arbitrary goals set by the company, and are actually below average for Mueller FRs.

The other stats I posted were from the monthly review I mentioned that's being done on a trial basis. I'd rather not go into it in a public forum due to concerns Mueller might have about privacy (for whatever reason), but if Mueller FRs want to know more they can PM me.

No one has mentioned the new newsletter. I think it's a good step. The company isn't perfect, but it's making some positive changes.

[Veteran Field Rep]

Thank you both! I appreciate it much.

Veteran Field Rep, I'd be very happy to be making as much as you! Even $20/hr doesn't sound bad to me. " I've never been 'hourly' so can only estimate my times," I'm not hourly, either, but all times get reported - didn't you have to do the same?

I don't think could ever do 6-8 exteriors in an hour, especially including drive time. Some days just driving between 8 exteriors takes an hour total. Territory makes such a big difference!

Using tax records from the assessor...do you mean there are online sketches, or only numbers? I've found that tax data for square footage is WAY off in Minneapolis; though it's not too bad in a couple of the suburbs, generally it can't be relied on at all. Mueller training says, I believe, they want SF within 5%.

"Sophisticated laser technology"? What do you mean by this?



Kristi - as flat-rate IC, time I spent on individual inspection is immaterial to the vendor. If I take 5 minutes, or 5 hours to complete a survey, the fee is the same. Thus, its in the best interests of my profit margins to expedite each survey; this is why the growing add-ons (address photos, telephone log, labeling photos, extra forms, diagram OB's etc etc) without additional compensation irked me over the years.

I think my all-time record is 14 surveys in one hour. Condition checks only, dense urban inner city area, with 2-3 on each of a couple streets!

Most municipalities around here have actual online sketches for each structure in the tax base. Some are cruder than others, but most are very usable and spot-on for accuracy. If I go out with a full clipboard (35-40 surveys) and most are exteriors, the online records saves me about 2 hours measure time I estimate.

"sophisticated" is my own terminology on the laser. I've had one sitting here that cost about $20 a few years ago, but I found it crude and never developed any expertise with it. Ive got one now thats >$100, and is supposedly extremely efficient once the user gets the hang of it. I still will utilize municipal records for most of my sketches, but the laser will be a great backup for those areas without public records, or new construction homes w elaborate footprints.

Re Mueller newsletter, until they address issues with QA, static inspection fees, and increasing client demands, that's all just a 'warm and fuzzy', which doesnt pay the bills!

[Kristi Silber]

Oh, I see, I forgot you were an IC, if you said so before. I'm flat rate, too, but as employees we still record times. I have no idea why they push so hard when it comes to times. Maybe they want the average wage when converted to hourly to be high, or they want us to do more surveys? So much depends on experience, knowledge, territory, personal "style" of doing a survey - and online assessor resources! Wow, not having to measure some of these crazy new suburban houses would take 90% off the site time.

I agree to some extent about the newsletter. But I also think it's important for the company to make some connection with employees when we're so spread out. It was a year before I met face-to-face a single person who worked there. There's a sense of isolation, especially when you're new. The newsletter also has a link that provides opportunity to make comments or ask questions of the management.

[Veteran Field Rep]

Oh, I see, I forgot you were an IC, if you said so before. I'm flat rate, too, but as employees we still record times. I have no idea why they push so hard when it comes to times. Maybe they want the average wage when converted to hourly to be high, or they want us to do more surveys? So much depends on experience, knowledge, territory, personal "style" of doing a survey - and online assessor resources! Wow, not having to measure some of these crazy new suburban houses would take 90% off the site time.

I agree to some extent about the newsletter. But I also think it's important for the company to make some connection with employees when we're so spread out. It was a year before I met face-to-face a single person who worked there. There's a sense of isolation, especially when you're new. The newsletter also has a link that provides opportunity to make comments or ask questions of the management.

We'll see how that whole "newsletter" thing works out for the field force. I do hope it' s viewed as a positive thing and makes things easy for you along the way.

However....from my perspective, the same "management" culture you are refreshingly optimistic about repeatedly either put their heads in the sand or threw up their arms whenever I mentioned fees vs. service increases to each of about 10 different managers over 6 years and 12,000 surveys.

This is the same management that ignored my pleas to revise an early E&H document that offered choices of <100A, >100A service. Period. I chose one or the other on a home that had EXACTLY 100A service, and there was a policy cancellation complaint. Only THEN was the form modified, but only after I was forced to take the E&H modules before any new work was assigned.

These guys hear what they want to hear, nothing else. Its something in the Muell-aid these guys swill apparently.

[Kristi Silber]

Oh, I wouldn't say I'm optimistic! I am keenly aware of the company's shortcomings. But I used my real name, and currently work there AND my name has been brought to their attention before through this forum (completely different topic and thread, a member I'm not fond of reported me to the management for posting photos). So I'm a little reticent in my critiques, shall we say, or at least try to say positive things sometimes.

I like my job most of the time. I do think their pay scheme is just plain wrong, especially if what I hear is true about managers handling a pool of money to dole out as they see fit (huge oversimplification there!), creating a major conflict of interest. It's ridiculous that someone can work there for 6 years, with the cases getting more demanding and time-consuming, and have no increase in fees. It's just wrong to have one's effective income (allowing for inflation, rising gas prices, etc.) decrease over time when the company is doing well (their body of FRs grows 15% every year). Or to have one's base wage DROP $2/hr without any notice or reason, like mine did, just because I got a new manager. There are times when base wage matters, though not often.

And no benefits, of course.

The way it's all set up, with pressure to go faster, they are encouraging people to lie and cut corners. I would think they want people to do a good job! Their only measure of quality is how many errors we get, and that's a pretty poor measure.

[Robert Taylor]

It's ridiculous that someone can work there for 6 years, with the cases getting more demanding and time-consuming, and have no increase in fees. It's just wrong to have one's effective income (allowing for inflation, rising gas prices, etc.) decrease over time when the company is doing well (their body of FRs grows 15% every year). Or to have one's base wage DROP $2/hr without any notice or reason, like mine did, just because I got a new manager. There are times when base wage matters, though not often.

And no benefits, of course.

The way it's all set up, with pressure to go faster, they are encouraging people to lie and cut corners. I would think they want people to do a good job! Their only measure of quality is how many errors we get, and that's a pretty poor measure.

I totally agree with the pressure to go faster means that FR's will find ways to cut corners, especially when there is no additional compensation. I would hope that those managers that read this see that the bread and butter of the company is telling you that modifications need to be made. When you have happy employees, they are more likely to do a better job and verbally praise the company, and as a result more business This benefits everyone, including the customers.

As I look at the difference between Mueller reports and the other companies that I work for, I find Mueller takes double to triple the time that the other reports take. (Same or less pay by Mueller) Simplicity is the key that works for most companies. There are many things that are duplicate in the reports that could removed and reduce the time that it takes to complete the reports. Lets hope that someone in a position to make changes reads the comments and actually makes an effort to review what we are being forced to do. Example 3 day turnarounds for Allstate means that the FR is being hurried to get reports done and as a result more likely to make mistakes. It reflects poorly on Mueller and the F.R.

[John Walker]

Kristi- agree with Robert about the use of a laser. In 10+ years in this industry, I couldn't tell you the last time I actually used a physical wheel to measure any risk. There are so many advantages to using a reliable laser- and virtually no disadvantages. I have used a Hilti PD-30 for years, and love it. It can add, subtract distances- do room dimensions, measure ceiling heights (think High Value reports with that- can you imagine using a dirty wheel inside someone's nice home, or trying to use a tape measure to get a cathedral ceiling height?) get volumes and areas, etc. It uses 2 AA batteries, and it does not drain battery power at all- even in severely cold weather. While it does take some getting used to- once you become proficient using one, you'll wonder why you didn't use one sooner. One question I always get asked, by a friend who is a wheel user- how to deal with the sun?? Well- most (80+%) risks are fairly simple to diagram- meaning, some variation of squares/rectangles. Meaning- 2 of the dimensions are usually the same. In these cases, you only have to measure 2 sides; and, regardless of what time of day it is, 2 sides of the risk are not going to be in the sun. Also- with a wheel, think of just how close you can get to some of the risks that have nice landscaping, etc. Not very. Laser? Just shoot it off a gutter, or if there's another house next door- that juts out- hit that with the laser, walk to the end of your risk, and subtract. Very easy and always accurate. In addition- think how many times it gets windy, you're out surveying, and you struggle to hold onto the clipboard, and the forms; having a laser on your belt is 1 less thing you have to carry. ;)

[Kristi Silber]

Oh, I know about lasers, I use one myself! Mine's a Bosch. Maybe you missed my little blurb, or thought someone else wrote it.

I hated carrying a wheel around. For a while I used a tape measure, but that's a pain.

I'd be thrilled if 80% of my risks were plain squares or rectangles. Maybe 30% have one side I don't have to measure. In some of my territory (new outer suburban developments not in my GPS or on the map) it's standard to have 7-10 components. The ones I really hate are angled. At the other end of the spectrum I have one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city, full of old houses with lots of hazards, but at least they're easier to measure.

[Robert Taylor]

Does anyone know what Mueller charges its customers (insurance companies) for occupancy verification, exterior with diagram and high value. As I review my costs to conduct inspections, gasoline and the corresponding times for reports (and I am a very good typist) I believe that the venture with this company is no longer in a positive profit margin that makes sense. While I understand that they have to hire managers, QA and clerical personnel, I also understand that most FR's receive poor compensation compared to other companies offering similar work.

I am also interested in when you were hired or placed as an independent contractor if Mueller provided you with some highly exaggerated claims that you would be making to get you to come on board or any other claims during the hiring process that were not met or ignored. I am trying to get an understanding if this is an isolated thing or if it is common practice

And lastly if I read most of the posts correctly, it appears that there is a high turnover rate with managers. I am curious if you have encountered issues where you have brought a concern to a manager regarding conduct on the part of personnel from Mueller (non field reps) and if the problems were corrected or just ignored because you are just a Field Rep.

[Joseph Dalessio]

Does anyone know what Mueller charges its customers (insurance companies) for occupancy verification, exterior with diagram and high value. As I review my costs to conduct inspections, gasoline and the corresponding times for reports (and I am a very good typist) I believe that the venture with this company is no longer in a positive profit margin that makes sense. While I understand that they have to hire managers, QA and clerical personnel, I also understand that most FR's receive poor compensation compared to other companies offering similar work.

I am also interested in when you were hired or placed as an independent contractor if Mueller provided you with some highly exaggerated claims that you would be making to get you to come on board or any other claims during the hiring process that were not met or ignored. I am trying to get an understanding if this is an isolated thing or if it is common practice

And lastly if I read most of the posts correctly, it appears that there is a high turnover rate with managers. I am curious if you have encountered issues where you have brought a concern to a manager regarding conduct on the part of personnel from Mueller (non field reps) and if the problems were corrected or just ignored because you are just a Field Rep.

If I had to guess, I would say their profit margin probably varies with the report type. I say that mostly because I have a hard time believing they are only charging twice as much for a full interior/exterior as just an exterior. I also think they are probably making a killing on high values and commercial inspections - I mean, come one - paying an inspector 40-something bucks for a full commercial inspection with all of the pictures, on site time, and write up time involved? I would be shocked if they weren't charging insurance companies at least $200-$300 for a commercial inspection. Whether or not they are using those to make up for the lower cost ones, I have no idea.

Either way, I can't see their turnover rates (both managers and field reps) lowering just because they started putting out a monthly newsletter (really? drinking water helps when working outside in the heat? who would have thought!) - if they want to retain good workers, they need to compensate them fairly from the start, and offer increased fees as time goes on (assuming the FR is doing a proper job), and the cost of living increases. We get performance evaluations, but we don't get the raise that normally accompanies a good evaluation. Go figure.

[Kristi Silber]

I'm pretty sure the fees charged insurers also varies with the company. One that has a whole lot of business to offer Mueller will get a better deal than a small insurer that only pays for 500reports/month. Mueller may also sweeten the deal by adding "extras" like tagged photos to get and keep clients. Keep in mind that Mueller is competing with other firms for insurers' business. One way they can undercut others' bids is by paying low fees to FRs.

The newsletter will not determine staffing, no, but I think it's possible it could improve company loyalty and morale. Probably not so much for those who've been FRs for years, but I remember when I started I really felt isolated and unappreciated, a cog in the machine. I would have liked even to be able to see what my manager looked like, make him more human (now there are photos on the new site). I think it does make a psychological difference just to be acknowledged as part of the company as a whole, at least for some people. It's different for those posting here at the moment because they have been around a while, are used to things, and have other more pressing concerns.

Just having a place to comment apart from one's manager is a good thing, I think...although it's hard to say how seriously they take them.

[Robert Taylor]

While seeking answers to the treatment of field reps, this forum has been a great asset. It shows that the company receives a failing grade in how it treats and compensates the field rep. I also found a site that has as many pages as this forum, however it covers some interesting facts regarding employees who have worked or are working for the company and how they rate Mueller. It also gives some good insight:

Mueller Services Jobs | Glassdoor (http://www.glassdoor.com/Job/Mueller-Services-Jobs-E272289.htm)

[Kristi Silber]

I've been active in this thread for almost 2 years now, and there have been quite a few people who've posted who are very happy with how much they make, and are generally positive about the company. Most recognize that it isn't perfect, but then, no employer (or employee, for that matter) is.

I found the Glass Door site quite a while ago. As an experiment I plugged in some other companies for comparison. Many didn't do particularly well, even those that are well-known as good employers. Carlos suggested that people who are unhappy are more likely to post comments, and I think there's some truth to that.

As I've said before, I like my job. The amount I make, converted to an hourly wage, isn't much, but that is to some extent my doing. My style isn't to race through cases, and that makes a difference. So does experience. However, the lack of fee increase is definitely a problem.

I just want to be fair, try to give a somewhat balanced picture to potential employees. They should ask during the interview whether there will ever be a pay increase, and see what the interviewer says. Probably that it's something to discuss with the manager once hired!

I think it's interesting looking at the advertisements for FR jobs. In some ads FRs are said to average $12-13/hr. In others, "our reps make an average of $15 per hour with a very achievable $18-$20 per hour for motivated employees." So are they just pulling these averages out of a hat, or does it depend on location? I suppose the latter. FRs in areas with higher cost of living get higher fees.

[Current FR]

I feel as though I read this forum seeking for tips and ideas to Improve at this position, and I find myself reading through threads of inaccurate information and feeling the need to clarify so many things.

I will spare a lot of comments, in particular about pay (read my previous posts about how compensation works) but instead would like to share what the ideal times are per survey type- provided by my Manager.

In order to achieve 115% or the ideal range for a FR to maximize efficiency:


· Exterior No Diagram (Short): 8 minutes field, 8 minutes web


· Exterior w/ Diagram (Full): 15 minutes field, 15 minutes web


· Interior/Exterior: 22 minutes field, 22 minutes web


· High Value: 60 minutes field, 60 minutes web

These are average, very realistic times. For a newbie fresh out of training? No. For someone with 6+ months experience? Yes.

The exterior No diagrams a.k.a. Occupancy surveys are very easy.

One common mistake for all surveys is taking too many photos not listed under photo requirements or the hazard sheet. This adds unnecessary time to site and web times. Stick to the stamp and photo requirements.

Do I nickel and dime the company to sharpen my pencil, fill up my car with gas, or run to Staples for paper? No. This is not a time clock punching position and its main perk is flexibility. There is give & take. If you want to be compensated to be prepared to work, get a salary job.
I set my own schedule, get my work done on time, and have the freedom and flexibility to do the minuscule tasks as I am out and about doing personal things.

Do I keep track of mapping and printing my tickets? Yes.

I am excited for the new Phoenix Sketch to see how it operates and to replace Rapid Sketch. I am also thrilled for the program to become fully functional in Google Chrome. It is a lot quicker than IE when uploading photos.

[Current FR]

[QUOTE=Robert Taylor;229745]While seeking answers to the treatment of field reps, this forum has been a great asset. It shows that the company receives a failing grade in how it treats and compensates the field rep. I also found a site that has as many pages as this forum, however it covers some interesting facts regarding employees who have worked or are working for the company and how they rate Mueller. It also gives some good insight:
-------------------------

You should not form your opinions about the company, compensation, etc based upon these forums/threads but instead based upon your own experiences. If you read every bad review about a product before buying it, you would never spend a dime. Keep in mind - unhappy employees voice their opinions much louder than a happy one.

[John Walker]

Regarding the "times" mentioned in the above post- not sure what types of risks you were surveying, but here on the East Coast- NY/NJ area, where the coastal areas routinely have residences that are 5000sf+ (and NOT considered HVR's)- I personally don't consider Mueller's times as very realistic. I could provide numerous examples of multi-level risks, with large angled decking, overhangs, etc.- not even a FR with 5+ years experience (or 10+ in my case) can accurately diagram a 5000+ SF risk, and draw the diagram in 15 minutes. If you are getting these risks surveyed in 15 minutes, you are severely cutting corners, and likely making mistakes.

[Current FR]

Regarding the "times" mentioned in the above post- not sure what types of risks you were surveying, but here on the East Coast- NY/NJ area, where the coastal areas routinely have residences that are 5000sf+ (and NOT considered HVR's)- I personally don't consider Mueller's times as very realistic. I could provide numerous examples of multi-level risks, with large angled decking, overhangs, etc.- not even a FR with 5+ years experience (or 10+ in my case) can accurately diagram a 5000+ SF risk, and draw the diagram in 15 minutes. If you are getting these risks surveyed in 15 minutes, you are severely cutting corners, and likely making mistakes.

-----------
John,

i do not cut corners and take pride in the quality reports I provide. I have been out in the field with my Manager and a local trainer - so I can assure you I have an efficient procedure in place.


if you read above in my original post, these are average times. There are occasional homes on the Coast that do take longer than usual, but there are also times I receive simple homes that don't take as long.

To be clear, the times listed above are from my Manager for ideal efficiency. These are not my personal #s although I do fall within the range.

[Kristi Silber]

[QUOTE=Robert Taylor;229745]While seeking answers to the treatment of field reps, this forum has been a great asset. It shows that the company receives a failing grade in how it treats and compensates the field rep. I also found a site that has as many pages as this forum, however it covers some interesting facts regarding employees who have worked or are working for the company and how they rate Mueller. It also gives some good insight:
-------------------------

You should not form your opinions about the company, compensation, etc based upon these forums/threads but instead based upon your own experiences. If you read every bad review about a product before buying it, you would never spend a dime. Keep in mind - unhappy employees voice their opinions much louder than a happy one.

If that's the case, why should people listen to you?

Those times may be average and realistic for some, but not for others; I don't believe they are company-wide averages. That's why they call them "goals."

If you are not reporting time for everything you do in the course of the job, your minutes are not accurate. I suspect that is a great source of error in their "statistics."

[Current FR]

[QUOTE=Current FR;230109]

If that's the case, why should people listen to you?

Those times may be average and realistic for some, but not for others; I don't believe they are company-wide averages. That's why they call them "goals."

If you are not reporting time for everything you do in the course of the job, your minutes are not accurate. I suspect that is a great source of error in their "statistics."

-----------

I am not stating that you should listen to me. I am simply sharing information supplied by my Manager as the communication is fantastic and has been well above par from previous Managers. I feel company-wide there is great disconnect and lack of communication between Managers and Field Reps.

I think most field reps are hired and blindly put into the field with lack of direction. The information I provide should help clarify a lot of misconceptions. It appears, and in my personal experience, not all Managers take the necessary time to provide answers and/or the field reps don't approach Managers with their concerns.

[Robert Taylor]

[QUOTE=Kristi Silber;230219]

-----------
I feel company-wide there is great disconnect and lack of communication between Managers and Field Reps.

I think most field reps are hired and blindly put into the field with lack of direction. It appears, and in my personal experience, not all Managers take the necessary time to provide answers and/or the field reps don't approach Managers with their concerns.

Its nice to hear that you have a manager who is connected, it would be good to hear that about all managers. I can assure you that there are those managers when you ask a question either directly or through email you receive a snide reply back which sets a negative stage where a FR will avoid asking questions in the future. This is counterproductive for everyone involved. Those who oversee the managers do not query the FR's to see how responsive the managers are or ask what could be improved.

While you mention many of the benefits, I believe most FR agree they like the job, they like the benefits of setting their own schedules etc... The one thing that you hear constantly is the lack of compensation compared to other companies. Happy FR's do better jobs, speak highly of the company and generally do better in the field and with their reports.

If you only work for Mueller then the compensation might be okay. My experience has been other companies pay you for your time when you are making repeated calls to individuals attempting to schedule interior inspections. After x amount of times and contact with the agent you are reimbursed for your time when you cannot schedule the appointment In doing larger risks, many companies pay you x-amount when you exceed say 4000 sf and add additional payment due to the size of the risk. When you exceed the 50 mile radius for inspections, you are compensated appropriately. While I like working for Mueller there is still areas of improvement that could be made, and very likely these forums would have very few visitors posting concerns about the operation of the company. Maybe its time for Mueller to do a survey of the field reps and see how the majority feel they are treated by the company, managers etc.. This would give those in power an understanding of how the FRs perceive their treatment and even offer solutions to problems that have plagued the company.

[Jim Starkey]

[QUOTE=Current FR;230220]

Its nice to hear that you have a manager who is connected, it would be good to hear that about all managers. I can assure you that there are those managers when you ask a question either directly or through email you receive a snide reply back which sets a negative stage where a FR will avoid asking questions in the future. This is counterproductive for everyone involved. Those who oversee the managers do not query the FR's to see how responsive the managers are or ask what could be improved.

While you mention many of the benefits, I believe most FR agree they like the job, they like the benefits of setting their own schedules etc... The one thing that you hear constantly is the lack of compensation compared to other companies. Happy FR's do better jobs, speak highly of the company and generally do better in the field and with their reports.

If you only work for Mueller then the compensation might be okay. My experience has been other companies pay you for your time when you are making repeated calls to individuals attempting to schedule interior inspections. After x amount of times and contact with the agent you are reimbursed for your time when you cannot schedule the appointment In doing larger risks, many companies pay you x-amount when you exceed say 4000 sf and add additional payment due to the size of the risk. When you exceed the 50 mile radius for inspections, you are compensated appropriately. While I like working for Mueller there is still areas of improvement that could be made, and very likely these forums would have very few visitors posting concerns about the operation of the company. Maybe its time for Mueller to do a survey of the field reps and see how the majority feel they are treated by the company, managers etc.. This would give those in power an understanding of how the FRs perceive their treatment and even offer solutions to problems that have plagued the company.


I haven't read all of this stuff as there is way too much but I write down every second I spend working on any case including phone calls, drive time, time on site etc. I then bill them for that time and get reimbursed for mileage. Is it great money that will make me rich? NO, but its better then working at most part time jobs that pay less and you have to drive on your dime to and fro and work a set schedule. If you aren't happy then leave its that simple. I have been with Mueller for right at 3 years now and its a great part time job I can work as much or as little as I like on the days I choose to work at the times I choose. What's not to like about that? Its perfect for the right person.

[Lucas Dayvolt]

I have been reading the above posts, and I know this is slightly diverting from what you guys are talking about, but I want to put in my imput.

I started 3 weeks ago, and I like the job, sometimes appointments are a hassle, but it usually can be resolved with a little detective work... (Phone numbers, no-answers, etc.)

Seeing as I have a small budget every month, I seem to be content with it...Considering the work I have been getting. I run a decent car, so gas isnt a HUGE problem, it's still a pain in the rear though...

Training was...Well, it was like high school, only instead of getting by with a D, you need an A to move on. The one-on-one training was pretty good. They paid for lodging and did compensate the gas going to-and-from the training site. Trainer was VERY nice. I couldnt have asked for anyone else to train, manager came down to meet me as well. She was also nice. Seemed like she wanted to help rather than hurt, didnt seem like she was just here because of her job, if that makes any sense.

They dont reimburse mileage, though they deduct it from checks and give it back, so it is non-taxable. I havent had many problems with going into "funky" neighborhoods, though I am not intimidated by those neighborhoods...So that really isnt a problem for me.

I've been completing exteriors in about 13 minutes, and INT/EXTs in about 25 minutes...My time has been improving over the 3 weeks. I havent done any commercials, it's been strictly residentials, mainly EXTs and OCCs, some INT/EXTs...Nothing other than those though.

Pay is 6/13/26 for me. (Occupancy/EXTs/INT-EXTS) My cases have been gradually growing (Started as 11, jumped to 18, jumped to 27...We'll see tomorrow how many I get) but the work for me is fun. I started with no experience, and so far it's been very educational for me, just how homes are built in general.

Figuring out materials/types isnt too bad, you can usually tell when the houses are built in my area just by looking at them (They seem to have 3 big groups...The 1920's-40's, the 1970's, and the 2000's...Not a whole lot in between), the only pains I have had are all the complex houses, with 23 bay windows, 17 different shape variations for one side, and 3 stories that have to be diagrammed as such, though it hasnt been a HUGE pain, but it's something I am getting used to.

QA....Dont even get me started.


Long story short, it seems like it's just time management that is key in all these. I havent had any frustrations or any bad experiences yet, and I am still learning. Definitely beats the Pizza job I used to have...

[Robert Taylor]

[QUOTE=Robert Taylor;230224]


I write down every second I spend working on any case including phone calls, drive time, time on site etc. I then bill them for that time and get reimbursed for mileage. Is it great money that will make me rich? No

Jim for those working a hourly rate it is probably is pretty good. For those working a flat rate, you do not get to charge for everything. You pay for gas, maintenance and repairs out of your own pocket.(No mileage reimbursement) In doing reports the standard report gives you x dollars. Mueller then adds brush supplements and other additional requests on your inspection without any compensation to pay for the additional time that you are you spend in the field collecting the information or importing it into the report.

[Current FR]

[QUOTE=Jim Starkey;230234]

Jim for those working a hourly rate it is probably is pretty good. For those working a flat rate, you do not get to charge for everything. You pay for gas, maintenance and repairs out of your own pocket.(No mileage reimbursement) In doing reports the standard report gives you x dollars. Mueller then adds brush supplements and other additional requests on your inspection without any compensation to pay for the additional time that you are you spend in the field collecting the information or importing it into the report.


----------

Just to be clear, you are referring to compensation as if you were an Independent Contractor. If you are fee based, you still have non-taxable mileage (whichiswhy you report it with each survey)and have an hourly rate (also known as a minimum threshold -an hourly rate you will never make less than). The idea of being fee based, you should never hit your minimum threshold unless you take too long on surveys.

In a nutshell, there are 3 ways to be hired:
*Hourly - but can still make case fees. Typically when hired hourly, you live in a rural area and have a lot of drive time and have a slimer chance of making fees.
*Fee based with minimum threshold
*IC

- - - Updated - - -


I have been reading the above posts, and I know this is slightly diverting from what you guys are talking about, but I want to put in my imput.

I started 3 weeks ago, and I like the job, sometimes appointments are a hassle, but it usually can be resolved with a little detective work... (Phone numbers, no-answers, etc.)

Seeing as I have a small budget every month, I seem to be content with it...Considering the work I have been getting. I run a decent car, so gas isnt a HUGE problem, it's still a pain in the rear though...

Training was...Well, it was like high school, only instead of getting by with a D, you need an A to move on. The one-on-one training was pretty good. They paid for lodging and did compensate the gas going to-and-from the training site. Trainer was VERY nice. I couldnt have asked for anyone else to train, manager came down to meet me as well. She was also nice. Seemed like she wanted to help rather than hurt, didnt seem like she was just here because of her job, if that makes any sense.

They dont reimburse mileage, though they deduct it from checks and give it back, so it is non-taxable. I havent had many problems with going into "funky" neighborhoods, though I am not intimidated by those neighborhoods...So that really isnt a problem for me.

I've been completing exteriors in about 13 minutes, and INT/EXTs in about 25 minutes...My time has been improving over the 3 weeks. I havent done any commercials, it's been strictly residentials, mainly EXTs and OCCs, some INT/EXTs...Nothing other than those though.

Pay is 6/13/26 for me. (Occupancy/EXTs/INT-EXTS) My cases have been gradually growing (Started as 11, jumped to 18, jumped to 27...We'll see tomorrow how many I get) but the work for me is fun. I started with no experience, and so far it's been very educational for me, just how homes are built in general.

Figuring out materials/types isnt too bad, you can usually tell when the houses are built in my area just by looking at them (They seem to have 3 big groups...The 1920's-40's, the 1970's, and the 2000's...Not a whole lot in between), the only pains I have had are all the complex houses, with 23 bay windows, 17 different shape variations for one side, and 3 stories that have to be diagrammed as such, though it hasnt been a HUGE pain, but it's something I am getting used to.

QA....Dont even get me started.


Long story short, it seems like it's just time management that is key in all these. I havent had any frustrations or any bad experiences yet, and I am still learning. Definitely beats the Pizza job I used to have...



------------

Thank you for sharing your experiences and insight. I hope as a new rep you learn ways to become a better FR through tips on this site. Please feel free to share any tips you have found that work well for you when completing surveys.

- - - Updated - - -

Has anyone utilized PhoenixMobile yet? What are your thoughts? I have played around with the program, but there is a learning curve!

[Joseph Dalessio]

[QUOTE=Robert Taylor;230312]

- - - Updated - - -

Has anyone utilized PhoenixMobile yet? What are your thoughts? I have played around with the program, but there is a learning curve!


I gave it a try - wasn't overly impressed, but at least it's not a big step back! I love that once it's actually rolled out in my cases, I'll be able to use Chrome 100%, but other than that, I don't think it's any quicker to use. I was hoping they would fix some of the quirks with the old one, such as labels not being centered (save time dragging them around), or possibly make it smart enough to automatically delete overlapping dimension numbers. I'm also not a big fan of having to type the numbers for angles, but I'm sure I'll get over that. I think they didn't really intend to make it quicker to use on a PC - it's squarely aimed at being used on a mobile device, which seems like it would still be rather clunky to use in the field.

[Current FR]

[QUOTE=Current FR;230335]


I gave it a try - wasn't overly impressed, but at least it's not a big step back! I love that once it's actually rolled out in my cases, I'll be able to use Chrome 100%, but other than that, I don't think it's any quicker to use. I was hoping they would fix some of the quirks with the old one, such as labels not being centered (save time dragging them around), or possibly make it smart enough to automatically delete overlapping dimension numbers. I'm also not a big fan of having to type the numbers for angles, but I'm sure I'll get over that. I think they didn't really intend to make it quicker to use on a PC - it's squarely aimed at being used on a mobile device, which seems like it would still be rather clunky to use in the field.

------------
I read Field reps have been using PhoenixMobile as a test product in the field for the past few months. Hopefully the quirks are worked out for the most part before being fully released with the forms.

I am also pleased to ditch IE and work solely in Chrome. It will save some time as Chrome uploads photos quicker anyhow. Have you completed the PhoenixSketch training module yet?

[Mike Eastie]

Not sure if it is so much greed as it is an outrageous disconnect from the economic realities for the 2013 field rep. I knew the end was near for me when a Regional Supervisor blurted out that $20 an hour was 'good money'....like Ive said before, maybe in Albany NY it is, but not in CT, and not in most of this great country I'm sure.

Is it better than min wage? Yes. Is it better than fast food wages? Yes.

But for a seasoned professional with a mortgage, a run rate equating to $41K a year is disassociated from sensibility. I refuse to work for hourly wages with any of my accounts. My effective gross hourly rate based on flat fees in relatively dense suburban settings: $90 /hr. Enough said.

I am also in New England. Has this spring and summer been slower than usual for work? It has been for me, and certainly not because of my stats. Thanks

[Scott Dirk]

How do folks feel about getting no compensation whatsoever for a close out? It's extremely costly to expend time, gas, and wear and tear on my vehicle only to have the policyholder decline the survey, advise that they've switched insurance carriers, or arrive at a property under construction, etc.

[FrankEStein]

I am also in New England. Has this spring and summer been slower than usual for work? It has been for me, and certainly not because of my stats. Thanks Hi Mike; Feel free to email me, I'm in the northeast area as well. FES852 at the yahooooo email address, lol.

[Jim Starkey]

How do folks feel about getting no compensation whatsoever for a close out? It's extremely costly to expend time, gas, and wear and tear on my vehicle only to have the policyholder decline the survey, advise that they've switched insurance carriers, or arrive at a property under construction, etc.

I add the time to another job if I have too I don't work for free, sorry but use your brain my friend.

[Scott Dirk]

I add the time to another job if I have too I don't work for free, sorry but use your brain my friend.

I get paid by the completed case, not by the time that I have worked.

[Jim Starkey]

I get paid by the completed case, not by the time that I have worked.

Why would you do that? I would expect you eat a lot of time by doing that. I get paid by the hour and miles driven so if I drive a lot and get to a large house that takes a lone while I get paid for my time. You should talk to them about changing the way they pay you. I would never do it that way as I'm in a rural area and have lots of drive time involved and miles. I surely wouldn't stick around if It was any other way its barely worth it the way I get paid.

[Robert Taylor]

How do folks feel about getting no compensation whatsoever for a close out? It's extremely costly to expend time, gas, and wear and tear on my vehicle only to have the policyholder decline the survey, advise that they've switched insurance carriers, or arrive at a property under construction, etc.

Scott: I think that many are extremely frustrated with Mueller's lack of compensation in these incidents. I know that after spending considerable amount of time making calls to insured, agent, driving to risk to see if I could get an answer, I had to close out a case. Being a flat rater, I do not get compensated for anything and cannot attach it to other cases as some have recommended. Mueller is the only company that I work for that refuses to pay you for doing business and only compensates you when the case is completed. I have gone the rounds with the manager who literally gets angry if you question him about compensation on these issues. I also like it when you refuse a case when you will take a hit financially. Example. One case in queue, have to drive 25 miles one way for a 6.00 compensation. Time and gas do not add up to making this worth the time to complete. Times limits are also imposed so you cannot leave it for a week when other work comes in. Just look at how much gas costs and the lack of increasing your wages or flat rate fees to correspond.

[Jim Starkey]

Scott: I think that many are extremely frustrated with Mueller's lack of compensation in these incidents. I know that after spending considerable amount of time making calls to insured, agent, driving to risk to see if I could get an answer, I had to close out a case. Being a flat rater, I do not get compensated for anything and cannot attach it to other cases as some have recommended. Mueller is the only company that I work for that refuses to pay you for doing business and only compensates you when the case is completed. I have gone the rounds with the manager who literally gets angry if you question him about compensation on these issues. I also like it when you refuse a case when you will take a hit financially. Example. One case in queue, have to drive 25 miles one way for a 6.00 compensation. Time and gas do not add up to making this worth the time to complete. Times limits are also imposed so you cannot leave it for a week when other work comes in. Just look at how much gas costs and the lack of increasing your wages or flat rate fees to correspond.

There are two simple fixes for this problem. 1 go to an hourly + mileage field rep or 2. Quit. You guys act like your imprisoned and have to do this work whether you like it or not but guess what? You don't. QUIT if you don't like it!

[Robert Taylor]

I was hired as an hourly, however Mueller did the switcheroo without any notification and shoved the flat rate despite the contract that was signed. Tried that it did not work. And in reference to just quitting, I believe that is the easy way out. We are trying to make things better by discussing issues and going through management to enact a positive working environment. I am glad that you are happy with your situation with Mueller, however its easy to say just quit. Its even easier when you are not having some of the issues that others are describing.

[Anonymous FR]

Speaking as someone who has worked for Mueller for over 4 years, I can tell you that some of the information in this thread is excellent, while some is quite inaccurate. I really like some of the time saving pointers, but the pay structure is widely misunderstood.

Mueller has both I/C's and employees. I/C's can negotiate their own case fees and get no mileage deduction. Case fees are typically up to a few dollars more for I/C's than for employees to compensate for this. I/C requirements vary by state. All employees are technically fee based with a minimum hourly rate. Those who think of themselves as "fee based" typically have a lower hourly minimum. In all cases as an employee, you will receive the greater of your total fees for the week (after mileage is deducted), or your hours reported multiplied by your minimum hourly rate. Your hourly rate is calculated AFTER mileage is deducted from your total fees. Mileage is NOT added back. If your case fees more than cover your mileage and your minimum hourly rate, you get a "Production Bonus". If your case fees are not enough to cover your minimum hourly rate and mileage, you must be paid a "Mueller Contribution". An example illustrates this best:

Total weekly case fees: $300.00
Mileage: -$50.00
Net Case Fees: $250.00

Other Expenses?? Subtract here to see your actual hourly rate!

Sample 1:

Hours reported: 15
Hourly rate calculated: $16.67 (Net case fees divided by hours reported)

If you were promised $15.00/hr for 15 hours worked, you would normally gross $225.00. For this sample, you would receive $225.00 based on your hours (regular), plus a production bonus of $25.00, totaling your net case fees (gross earnings) of $250.00.

Sample 2:

Hours reported: 20
Hourly rate calculated: $12.50

If you were promised the same $15.00 per hour and worked 20 hours, your gross earnings must be $300.00. For this sample, you would receive your $250.00 for net case fees (regular) plus a Mueller contribution of $50.00 to total the $300.00 gross earnings that you were promised.

Obviously, the lower the hourly rate you are promised, the more often you will receive a "production bonus", and the less likely you will require a contribution. You will also note that the more efficient Field Representative in this example makes more per hour, but grosses less overall for the same amount of cases. If you are wise, you will make sure to deduct the cost of all of the expenses that you are not reimbursed for that Mueller claims are included in the case fees such as paper, ink, camera batteries, high speed internet, cell phone, and wear and tear on all of your equipment, when you use this equation. Once that is done, most FR's will realize that they are actually making a lot less per hour than they thought.

Your job satisfaction with Mueller will depend on your territory, your manager, your minimum hourly rate, and your need to feel appreciated. As an employee, the case fees are the same for most FR's, no matter where you live. If you service an area where there are a lot of tract homes in a small geographical area, and you receive a nice mix of cases, you may be able to make a decent hourly wage. If you have to do a lot of driving, or have mostly appointment cases for companies with lots of extra requirements such as USAA, you will make less per hour based on the total case fees. Given the same hourly rate of pay, those in sparsely populated rural areas, or areas with a good number of large, custom homes will generally require more Mueller Contributions and be pressured more than those in densely populated areas with cookie cutter homes, because the extra time and mileage required to complete cases means that they cost Mueller more per case.

By the way, making a decent wage and meeting expectations at Mueller just got harder, as all of the fees have recently been reduced for new FR's only. Exteriors are now $11, Interiors $22, and Exteriors with no diagrams $8. This means in order to make the same hourly rate, new FR's must go even faster than the existing FR's. The web times and field times expected by Mueller per case, as quoted on this site are just that, Mueller's expectations, not historical averages. They represent the most optimistic completion time possible for a case, not the most realistic. For a variety of reasons, the majority of FR's do not meet these time expectations, and many must be paid additional money above their case fees to get their minimum hourly rate. Many feel pressured to cut corners, or not report all of their time in order to keep their jobs.

Pressure from management has been increasing in order to lower costs. If you are recording times beyond Mueller's expectations, and you are not yet receiving pressure, you probably will be soon. Mueller is on a cost cutting mission that will eventually be felt by all. At some point soon everyone will be expected to own a mobile device to do cases in the field. Once those using mobile devices in the field start posting overall faster times, Mueller will lower their time expectations (and possibly the fees) for all FR's accordingly. The new sketch tool is not better or faster, it was just changed so it will work with the mobile application. It has limitations that will frustrate experienced FR's.

From what I have seen, Mueller is not doing anything illegal, but they do foster an environment where they expect a lot and give absolutely nothing in return but criticism - errors, rejections, complaints, and pressure to be more efficient in everything you do. (QA is a story for another day.) In the years that I have worked for Mueller, they have increased the amount of work and time required to complete cases substantially, and never once raised the case fees. Photo labeling, extra diagrams, and various supplements have all been added since I started for no additional fee. More extra work is on the way, gas prices and other expenses keep going up, and yet the case fees have just been cut.

If you work and live in an area where Mueller's formula works for you, then go for it! You will get paid faithfully every week as shown, and have a flexible part-time job that you may even enjoy. Just don't expect any loyalty, appreciation or raises in return. There is an FR on every corner, and they are more than happy to replace you with someone who will get lower fees. The rest of us will decide that this job is not worth the pay, and this company just doesn't care, and we will find employment elsewhere. Mueller's revolving door will keep spinning, as long as there are employees willing to walk through it.

Armed and educated with the facts, we can all make the decision that is best for us!

[Roadie]

Very nice post Anonymous FR

I’ve been with Mueller now for over 2 years after shutting down my construction company of 30 years due to the bad economy. After shutting down my business, I was without employment for about a year when I saw an ad for Mueller on Craig’s List. I took the opportunity because I had become very used to a life without the restraints of a 9 to 5 job. And while I’ve always understood the pay structure at Mueller, I too have seen the decreased fees and increased work requirements. I’m on my 5th manager now (who is actually very good). I live in an area where there is nothing but cows and corn so I accept work in 6 counties in 2 states to be able to get enough cases.

I Travel an average of 600 miles per week. I get a lot of USAA appointment cases and everyone around here has a wood stove. Many of the exterior cases I get are complex houses valued between $600,000 to $1,300,000 so between drive time, measuring, diagramming, and report writing, I could spend 1.5 to 2 hours on those reports. I’ve tried the Monday, Wednesday, Friday “on the road” and Tuesday, Thursday “in the office” method as others have suggested, but with all the appointment cases I get, that method has not worked for me because the policy holders call and complain that I’m inflexible and then Mueller calls and says that there are 6 work days that should be utilized to make the appointments. I’ve also never reported my actual times to keep below the radar.

I went out a few weeks ago and got my first smart phone (OK, you can laugh) thinking that I could save some time with this new Phoenix Mobile only to find out it is not compatible with Android smart phones. And yes, Phoenix Sketch is such a downgrade from Rapid Sketch. Pure crap! I actually own the full version of Rapid Sketch. It’s an awesome sketch tool and I use it for commercial inspections I get from another vendor. Too bad Mueller did away with it.

THIS SECTION IS FOR MUELLER: Since I’m sure Mueller management reads this thread, I’m going to post some things about other vendors that I get inspection requests from.


I get commercial inspection requests from another vendor who pays $75 to $125 per inspection.
Another vendor has a fee structure based on 4 “Areas”. Area 1 is for densely populated cities and pays less due to less travel and easy diagramming. The fees increase as they move to Area 4 which is remote locations with lots of travel and complex diagramming.
Another vendor pays additional fee for wood burning supplement for both interior and exterior inspections - $16.
Another vendor pays $55 for interior/exterior inspections.
Another vendor pays $90-$120 for high value inspections.
Another vendor pays $3 for a close-out and $9 to $13 for a close-out with a field visit, and another pays $20 for a non-productive report..
With the other vendors, I have access to the Quality Control representatives via email, phone, and even cell phone. Many times, they will call me with a question before rejecting. We work as a team and many have worked in the field for tens of years and actually know what they are doing. I rarely get rejections with them.
The other vendors do not have this convoluted rejection/completion/overdue system which is pointless because you're scores are based on unqualified QA, and policy holders who don't call you back or are never going to let you in the house anyway.
With the other vendors, it is not uncommon for me to get unsolicited emails letting me know that I'm doing a good job.


There is one vendor that has an awesome report writing system that requires no redundant data entry and when you "save" the diagram, all the square footage for the house, decks, porches, etc., are instantly calculated, totaled, and entered into the RCT forms. You can literally do a high value report in 15-20 minutes, an interior/exterior can be done in less than 10 minutes, and an exterior can be done in less than 5.

For those of you Mueller reps who are discouraged, just know that there are other vendors out there and the ones that I get work from are national.

With that said, I’m going to follow up on a much earlier post I made in which I stated that working with Mueller was part of an overall plan to ultimately get my NJ State Home Inspectors license. The process in NJ is lengthy and expensive which includes a mandatory 140 hour in-class course, 40 hours of supervised non-paid home inspections with a NJ licensed and State approved home inspector, and passing the National Home Inspectors exam (brutal exam even with 32 years in construction).

I am proud to say that after 6 months and about & $8000 in expenses, I have acquired my NJ Home Inspection license. I will be able to do an inspection which may typically take 2+ hours plus another 2 hours for the report and charge on average about $500 per inspection which is average for NJ. Ultimately, I would love to market and grow my business to the point where I could do at least one per day and phase out Mueller, but until that time, I will be here.

[Anonymous FR]

Very nice post Anonymous FR

I’ve been with Mueller now for over 2 years after shutting down my construction company of 30 years due to the bad economy. After shutting down my business, I was without employment for about a year when I saw an ad for Mueller on Craig’s List. I took the opportunity because I had become very used to a life without the restraints of a 9 to 5 job. And while I’ve always understood the pay structure at Mueller, I too have seen the decreased fees and increased work requirements. I’m on my 5th manager now (who is actually very good). I live in an area where there is nothing but cows and corn so I accept work in 6 counties in 2 states to be able to get enough cases.

I Travel an average of 600 miles per week. I get a lot of USAA appointment cases and everyone around here has a wood stove. Many of the exterior cases I get are complex houses valued between $600,000 to $1,300,000 so between drive time, measuring, diagramming, and report writing, I could spend 1.5 to 2 hours on those reports. I’ve tried the Monday, Wednesday, Friday “on the road” and Tuesday and Thursday “in the office” method as others have suggested, but with all the appointment cases I get, that method has not worked for me because the policy holders call and complain that I’m inflexible and then Mueller calls and says that there are 6 work days that should be utilized to make the appointments. I’ve also never reported my actual times to keep below the radar.

I went out a few weeks ago and got my first smart phone (OK, you can laugh) thinking that I could save some time with this new Phoenix Mobile only to find out it is not compatible with Android smart phones. And yes, Phoenix Sketch is such a downgrade from Rapid Sketch. Pure crap! I actually own the full version of Rapid Sketch. It’s an awesome sketch tool and I use it for commercial inspections I get from another vendor. Too bad Mueller did away with it.

THIS SECTION IS FOR MUELLER: Since I’m sure Mueller management reads this thread, I’m going to post some things about other vendors that I get inspection requests from.


I get commercial inspection requests from another vendor who pays $75 to $125 per inspection.
Another vendor has a fee structure based on 4 “Areas”. Area 1 is for densely populated cities and pays less due to less travel and easy diagramming. The fees increase as they move to Area 4 which is remote locations with lots of travel and complex diagramming.
Another vendor pays additional fee for wood burning supplement for both interior and exterior inspections - $16.
Another vendor pays $55 for interior/exterior inspections.
Another vendor pays $90-$120 for high value inspections.
Another vendor pays $3 for a close-out and $9 to $13 for a close-out with a field visit, and another pays $20 for a non-productive report..
With the other vendors, I have access to the Quality Control representatives via email, phone, and even cell phone. Many times, they will call me with a question before rejecting. We work as a team and many have worked in the field for tens of years and actually know what they are doing. I rarely get rejections.
The other vendors do not have this convoluted rejection/completion/overdue system which is pointless because you're scores are based on unqualified QA, and policy holders who don't call you back or are never going to let you in the house anyway.
With the other vendors, it is not uncommon for me to get unsolicited emails letting me know that I'm doing a good job.


There is one vendor that has an awesome report writing system that requires no redundant data entry and when you "save" the diagram, all the square footage for the house, decks, porches, etc., are instantly calculated, totaled, and entered into the RCT forms. You can literally do a high value report in 15-20 minutes, an interior/exterior can be done in less than 10 minutes, and an exterior can be done in less than 5.

For those of you Mueller reps who are discouraged, just know that there are other vendors out there and the ones that I get work from are national.

With that said, I’m going to follow up on a much earlier post I made in which I stated that working with Mueller was part of an overall plan to ultimately get my NJ State Home Inspectors license. The process in NJ is lengthy and expensive which includes a mandatory 140 hour in-class course, 40 hours of supervised non-paid home inspections with a NJ licensed and State approved home inspector, and passing the National Home Inspectors exam (brutal exam even with 32 years in construction).

I am proud to say that after 6 months and about & $8000 in expenses, I have acquired my NJ Home Inspection license. I will be able to do an inspection which may typically take 2+ hours plus another 2 hours for the report and charge on average about $500 per inspection which is average for NJ. Ultimately, I would love to market grow my business to the point where I could do at least one per day and phase out Mueller, but until that time, I will be here.

Congratulations Roadie! Sounds like you are on to bigger and better things!

[Joseph Dalessio]

Some good new posts here. I had no idea they dropped the new FR fees down to 11 for ext and 22 for int - that's a bit (a lot?) absurd. Where are those extra profits going? Or has Mueller been loosing money on the 13/26 fee structure for the past 5-10 years?

Roadie, what are some of those other vendors you mention? Feel free to PM me if you want - I'm a bit curious as to how they are paying better, while still remaining competitive with a company like Mueller (who is apparently just trying to undercut everyone else).

[Mueller Field Rep NY]

Hi! I am a newbie! Made it through the training, and was supposed to meet with my manager for training, but he called 30 mins prior to our meeting to cancel. Boo! Will be going out tomorrow for the first time to do some exteriors. I have read the great advice on using a routing software, and doing cases that are in the same area. I appreciate all of the knowledge. Any other helpful tactics and advice are much appreciated!!

Here is to a good week!:D

[John Walker]

Some good new posts here. I had no idea they dropped the new FR fees down to 11 for ext and 22 for int - that's a bit (a lot?) absurd. Where are those extra profits going? Or has Mueller been loosing money on the 13/26 fee structure for the past 5-10 years?

Roadie, what are some of those other vendors you mention? Feel free to PM me if you want - I'm a bit curious as to how they are paying better, while still remaining competitive with a company like Mueller (who is apparently just trying to undercut everyone else).


Sorry, but very misleading Roadie.
By "other vendors", Roadie is referring to banks, mortgage lendors, etc.- NOT companies that do risk replacement assessment, such as Mueller. There are exactly zero companies that would pay the rates Roadie mentioned, in the same business as Mueller. I know, because I have done the work he mentioned.
Should also point out- you won't get that type of work without continuing education, a real estate salesperson license (yes, that's what some of the lendors require to conduct their "inspections"), etc. Not the training that Mueller, or other similar companies provide.

[Roadie]

Sorry, but very misleading Roadie.
By "other vendors", Roadie is referring to banks, mortgage lendors, etc.- NOT companies that do risk replacement assessment, such as Mueller. There are exactly zero companies that would pay the rates Roadie mentioned, in the same business as Mueller. I know, because I have done the work he mentioned.
Should also point out- you won't get that type of work without continuing education, a real estate salesperson license (yes, that's what some of the lendors require to conduct their "inspections"), etc. Not the training that Mueller, or other similar companies provide.

Actually John, I'm not referring to banks, mortgage lenders, etc. By "other vendors", I mean other companies that are doing exactly what Mueller is doing. Risk management, loss control, replacement cost valuations. They're just more efficient and pay more.

As far as continuing education, it's no more than Mueller. The exception is the one vendor that I get work from that only does commercial inspections. They require that you have a substantial knowledge pertaining to commercial underwriting.

[Robert Taylor]

Actually John, I'm not referring to banks, mortgage lenders, etc. By "other vendors", I mean other companies that are doing exactly what Mueller is doing. Risk management, loss control, replacement cost valuations. They're just more efficient and pay more.

As far as continuing education, it's no more than Mueller. The exception is the one vendor that I get work from that only does commercial inspections. They require that you have a substantial knowledge pertaining to commercial underwriting.

I agree with Roadie, I too work for other companies that pay much better for the same work and and often tell you that you do a good job. I never hear anything positive from Mueller, despite the fact that all of my reports are on time, I do good work in the field, etc... I believe that this is one of the biggest complaints from the FR's dealing with Mueller. They continue to pack on more and more work without proper compensation. An example for those who work Allstate Urban cases. FR's are now told that they have only 3 days to get into the field, conduct the inspections and return them. If for some reason QA does not evaluate your report within their time frame, then it comes back on the FR as being late, despite the fact that you did it on time. Mueller does not pay any extra when they have dropped the standard time frame to a Rush Service. Imagine going into any other "Professional" office and demanding that they do Rush service on anything. Immediately you are tacked on with a Rush Fee generally 25.00 or more for that service. Mueller does not compensate the FR for the reduction in time.

The other companies that I work for would never think of putting that type of burden on their field reps. They know that this causes problems, reports are done in haste and often are returned with errors. Mueller on the other hand is more concerned with keeping the contract with Allstate instead of thinking or implementing other ways that would keep the client happy, make sure the FRs and QA have ample time to do a correct job and then everyone wins., Instead Mueller continues to implement policies on Allstate that did not work in the past, are not working now and probably will not work in the future. They continue to make the same mistakes over and over again.

There is pressure being placed on the Regional guys and gals to keep this contract. When their past changes did not work, then they implement these half baked ideas to keep their bosses happy. Your managers will force feed you saying this will help you when in reality it only helps make money for Mueller. We are supposed to be a team and without the basic principals of teamwork, you will continue to have complaints and people will leave. You will hire less than qualified individuals and the reports that you receive will show that.

I give you an example of Mueller vs. another company. I get paid the same amount on an exterior/diagram with Mueller as I receive for what is termed a drive by. This is taking a couple of photos of a risk and then writing a small report. Do not have to get out of the car unless I decide it is warranted. Report takes less than 1/2 the time Mueller requires. When I make phone calls to schedule an interior and make 4 to 5 calls to the owner and then the agent I get paid what a standard exterior/diagram would pay, but Mueller says it doesn't matter we are not going to pay you unless you actually manage to make an appointment. Under the laws in my State this is work that is performed and compensation is required for any work that you do for the company. It might be legal in New York, but in many States they are violating State Statute and screwing the FR for doing their work.

Until they totally revamp their outdated computer system, understand that FRs need proper training, implement a standard policy book that can be taken into the field and used as a reference, Mueller will continue to loose contracts with the various vendors and stay at the bottom of the list when it is compared to other professional firms.

[Scott Dirk]

A physical comprehensive reference guide with a detailed index would be extremely helpful. I'd be more efficient and submit less mistakes if one was provided to field reps. More sample diagrams would also be useful.

[Mary Ann McQuade]

Hi! I am a newbie! Made it through the training, and was supposed to meet with my manager for training, but he called 30 mins prior to our meeting to cancel. Boo! Will be going out tomorrow for the first time to do some exteriors. I have read the great advice on using a routing software, and doing cases that are in the same area. I appreciate all of the knowledge. Any other helpful tactics and advice are much appreciated!!

Here is to a good week!:D

I am still in my 1st week of training, breezed through all the modules but am having a heck of a time with the 14th module. Will get some sleep and attack it in the morning. Maybe I'm just overloaded with info :p.

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

HEY ALL SORRY REAL BUSY--WILL GET BACK ON CVF
I am still in my 1st week of training, breezed through all the modules but am having a heck of a time with the 14th module. Will get some sleep and attack it in the morning. Maybe I'm just overloaded with info :p.

[Stephen Masek]

How much is Mueller getting from the insurance companies for the various categories of inspections? I wonder how they pay / handle areas such as southern California where just travel to and from a property could consume half a day?

[mortalone]

Hello all, I am new to the thread so forgive me if some of these have been addressed elsewhere, I came across an opportunity listed on Craigslist for Mueller. I'm in the kind of situation currently where even though the pay seems likely to be low, it's an opportunity i will most like pursue. On first impression, I like two key points. One, I'd be an employee so they'd be deducting taxes, medicare, etc. The second is the degree of flexibility in terms of the actual hours I would need to work, which would help juggle around caring for my toddler and returning to school. What i'd like to know, if anyone can help is how flexible the hours are, can I work as little as ten to fifteen hours? The ad indicates 20 - 25. I have another part time position that I'm hoping will pick up in volume and the pay is a lot better than I could hope from Mueller, but having 2 part time positions would be ideal at this point. Finally, what about vacation time? We have a trip coming up in November that I will need a week off for, I'd prefer to apply and get started beforehand, but i'm leary of asking for vacation within the first 6 months of employment anywhere. Appreicate any help or thoughts anyone is willing to provide!

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[Anonymous FR]

Hello all, I am new to the thread so forgive me if some of these have been addressed elsewhere, I came across an opportunity listed on Craigslist for Mueller. I'm in the kind of situation currently where even though the pay seems likely to be low, it's an opportunity i will most like pursue. On first impression, I like two key points. One, I'd be an employee so they'd be deducting taxes, medicare, etc. The second is the degree of flexibility in terms of the actual hours I would need to work, which would help juggle around caring for my toddler and returning to school. What i'd like to know, if anyone can help is how flexible the hours are, can I work as little as ten to fifteen hours? The ad indicates 20 - 25. I have another part time position that I'm hoping will pick up in volume and the pay is a lot better than I could hope from Mueller, but having 2 part time positions would be ideal at this point. Finally, what about vacation time? We have a trip coming up in November that I will need a week off for, I'd prefer to apply and get started beforehand, but i'm leary of asking for vacation within the first 6 months of employment anywhere. Appreicate any help or thoughts anyone is willing to provide!

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This job is usually very flexible, which is really the only good thing about it. It will all depend on your manager and their needs and coverage in the area you will be servicing. Time off is typically not a problem. Keep in mind though that it takes two to three weeks to get through training, which will require you to be available without interruption, or you will be automatically washed out. Make sure to tell your manager about your vacation when you interview with them, so they can work around it. Also, be sure to ask exactly how you will be paid, how many cases a week you can expect, and where those cases will be located. Do the math for yourself and understand that no mater what they tell you, you may not make much more than minimum wage after expenses, depending on the area you will service.

[mortalone]

Thanks for your reply! I'm curious, does the field and data work need to happen i sequence, or can i have multiple field visits and do the data entry work at another time or day even? I have a few hours in the early morning, 5am till about 8am, when i could do all the uploads of pictures and data entry,but that would likely not be a good time to make an appointment or go to a home/structure. On the other hand I have a few solid hours in the afternoon on at least two days a week. If the turnaround time doesn't have to be 24 hours, i can see doing the data in the mornings and the field work when i have time in the afternoon. If it can be worked this way, I could likely meet the hourly demands and above, just not sure how flexible "flexible" really means.

[Anonymous FR]

Thanks for your reply! I'm curious, does the field and data work need to happen i sequence, or can i have multiple field visits and do the data entry work at another time or day even? I have a few hours in the early morning, 5am till about 8am, when i could do all the uploads of pictures and data entry,but that would likely not be a good time to make an appointment or go to a home/structure. On the other hand I have a few solid hours in the afternoon on at least two days a week. If the turnaround time doesn't have to be 24 hours, i can see doing the data in the mornings and the field work when i have time in the afternoon. If it can be worked this way, I could likely meet the hourly demands and above, just not sure how flexible "flexible" really means.

Field work can be done Monday through Saturday from 9 am to sundown. Online work can be done 24 hours a day seven days a week. They will tell you they want the reports done within 24 hours of the field work, however you actually have until the report is due. They give you ten days for an exterior report, and 17 for an appointment case. A few cases have a 48 hour turn around time. You may or may not see these in your area.

[Anonymous FR]

Field work can be done Monday through Saturday from 9 am to sundown. Online work can be done 24 hours a day seven days a week. They will tell you they want the reports done within 24 hours of the field work, however you actually have until the report is due. They give you ten days for an exterior report, and 17 for an appointment case. A few cases have a 48 hour turn around time. You may or may not see these in your area.

Also, in order to be efficient, you will need to do as many cases as you can each time you leave your house. It is best to have a block of at least 4 hours available to do field work. Too many trips to and from your home will not be acceptable to your manager.

[mortalone]

Also, in order to be efficient, you will need to do as many cases as you can each time you leave your house. It is best to have a block of at least 4 hours available to do field work. Too many trips to and from your home will not be acceptable to your manager.


I can understand about efficiency, especially since they don't reimburse much if anything for gas. How would they know if I'm making too many trips too and from my home? Is there some kind of logging that needs to be done with times, etc?

[Anonymous FR]

I can understand about efficiency, especially since they don't reimburse much if anything for gas. How would they know if I'm making too many trips too and from my home? Is there some kind of logging that needs to be done with times, etc?

On each case you report the date the field work was done, the miles driven, and the time spent in the field and on the website. Manager's get weekly payroll reports showing this data for all of the cases you submit, plus a daily exceptions report that shows anything that is outside of the expected guidelines for time and mileage.

[Mike Eastie]

Have you seen the increase in USAA interior reports? More info now required with no increase in pay. What other companies do this type of work?

[Joseph Dalessio]

Have you seen the increase in USAA interior reports? More info now required with no increase in pay.

The trend of increased workload for surveys with no increase in pay (or a decrease, for new reps apparently) has been ongoing for some time now. It really is a shame, since I actually enjoy doing this type of work, but I'm only willing to do it for low pay for so long. I wish I knew somewhere else that payed better and appreciated quality work.

[Kristi Silber]

USAA requirements are nothin' compared to the new ones for 3 companies I won't name here. Unbelievable. Worse than High Values.

I don't know about you, but this isn't the way I'm paid....



In all cases as an employee, you will receive the greater of your total fees for the week (after mileage is deducted), or your hours reported multiplied by your minimum hourly rate. Your hourly rate is calculated AFTER mileage is deducted from your total fees. Mileage is NOT added back. What do you mean? You're getting paid less the more you drive??? That would be highly unusual. Besides, some people are in fact reimbursed for mileage; it depends on where you live. If your case fees more than cover your mileage and your minimum hourly rate, you get a "Production Bonus". If your case fees are not enough to cover your minimum hourly rate and mileage, you must be paid a "Mueller Contribution". An example illustrates this best:

Total weekly case fees: $300.00
Mileage: -$50.00
Net Case Fees: $250.00 This is GROSS after the mileage is taken out. Net is after they are added back in (untaxed) and taxes, social security, etc. is taken out.

Other Expenses?? Subtract here to see your actual hourly rate!

Sample 1:

Hours reported: 15
Hourly rate calculated: $16.67 (Net case fees divided by hours reported)

If you were promised $15.00/hr for 15 hours worked, you would normally gross $225.00. For this sample, you would receive $225.00 based on your hours (regular), plus a production bonus of $25.00, totaling your net case fees (gross earnings) of $250.00.
Net and gross don't have anything to do with whether there's a production bonus or Mueller contribution - that's the adjusted pay. Gross is total pay less mileage. Net is gross minus taxes plus the amount that was removed for mileage. This is the way it's calculated for tax purposes, and that's the way it is on the pay stubs. Mine, anyway.

Sample 2:

Hours reported: 20
Hourly rate calculated: $12.50

If you were promised the same $15.00 per hour and worked 20 hours, your gross earnings must be $300.00. For this sample, you would receive your $250.00 for net case fees (regular) plus a Mueller contribution of $50.00 to total the $300.00 gross earnings that you were promised.

Obviously, the lower the hourly rate you are promised, the more often you will receive a "production bonus", and the less likely you will require a contribution. You will also note that the more efficient Field Representative in this example makes more per hour, but grosses less overall for the same amount of cases. If you are wise, you will make sure to deduct the cost of all of the expenses that you are not reimbursed for that Mueller claims are included in the case fees such as paper, ink, camera batteries, high speed internet, cell phone, and wear and tear on all of your equipment, when you use this equation. Once that is done, most FR's will realize that they are actually making a lot less per hour than they thought.

[Anonymous FR]

USAA requirements are nothin' compared to the new ones for 3 companies I won't name here. Unbelievable. Worse than High Values.

I don't know about you, but this isn't the way I'm paid....


Then please share how you ARE paid Kristi. To the best of my knowledge, if you are an employee, this is the only way you are paid. If you are an IC, then of course you just get the case fees. I do not want to be argumentative, but I was a manager, and I had to explain how the pay works to FR's many times. Saw their pay stubs. Did the math.

Mueller is a master at manipulating numbers and keeping their employees in the dark in order to achieve their goals. You will never win with them. Mueller wins, employees lose, every time. Stay if you must, but please do yourself a favor and look for other employment. This company will eventually chew you up and spit you out!

[Kristi Silber]

My quibble was with your terminology, not about the general idea. You were using the terms "gross" and "net" wrong. And in your calculation mileage was never added back.

Example

case fees = $170
time worked = 15 hours
mileage at $0.40/mi = $20 deduction
income = $170-$20 = $150
realized hourly wage = $10/hr
if the base wage is $12/hr, the company adds enough to make up the difference
company contribution = $30
adjusted income =$150 + $30 = $180 gross
assume 10% taxes, SSA, etc. = $18
$180 - $18 + $20 mileage "reimbursement" = $188 net


Just clarifying the terms, since that's how it appears on our pay stubs. So you were a manager? Interesting. That's a perspective we haven't seen around here!

[Anonymous FR]

My quibble was with your terminology, not about the general idea. You were using the terms "gross" and "net" wrong. And in your calculation mileage was never added back.

Example

case fees = $170
time worked = 15 hours
mileage at $0.40/mi = $20 deduction
income = $170-$20 = $150
realized hourly wage = $10/hr
if the base wage is $12/hr, the company adds enough to make up the difference
company contribution = $30
adjusted income =$150 + $30 = $180 gross
assume 10% taxes, SSA, etc. = $18


180 - $18 + $20 mileage "reimbursement" = $188 net


Just clarifying the terms, since that's how it appears on our pay stubs. So you were a manager? Interesting. That's a perspective we haven't seen around here!


I followed you right up until the end. Mileage is not added back in, at least not in my state. That's why I hesitate to call it a reimbursement. Yes, I was a FR for several years and then I did field training and management. If anyone has questions about how things work, I am happy to answer!

[Kristi Silber]

Mileage not added back in? But that makes absolutely no sense! That would mean that the more you travel, the less you are paid! That couldn't be legal.

It's not obvious from the check stubs, but the

net pay (take-home) =

gross pay + the mileage "reimbursement" amount listed under "Deductions" - taxes

(So, the bottom lines from top section + the middle section - lower section on the right side of the pay stubs)

IF there is no income for training or whatever, the
gross pay + mileage = case fees.

It's extremely confusing seeing that negative number for "mileage reimbursement" listed under "Deductions"! And they don't show it being added back in anywhere. Very weird. If you do the calculations, though, it works - at least on my stubs.

[Anonymous FR]

IF there is no income for training or whatever, the
gross pay + mileage = case fees.

Exactly! Mueller expects the case fees to cover time and mileage. If everyone receives the same case fees, then those that do more driving require more Mueller Contributions to make their hourly rate. These FR's cost Mueller more money and often more pressure is put on them to work faster to make up for it. That is why I say that your territory will determine whether or not you will be happy working for Mueller. In my mind, this cost should be passed on to the customer. If they want a report done out in the middle of nowhere, they should be charged more. Cases should have different fees and time service requirements depending on whether they are urban, rural, or remote. This is not the case for most customers.

[Robert Taylor]

[QUOTE= Mueller is a master at manipulating numbers and keeping their employees in the dark in order to achieve their goals. You will never win with them. ![/QUOTE]

You are absolutely right about the treatment of the employees and I.C. personnel. It is a smoke and mirror type act. Think about how many times the survey reports have changed in just the last year, let alone two years. They have never found a consistent and easy way to work the program and keep it functional. They are changing on a weekly basis. Some are sent with directions, others you go in to write a report and find an entirely new section that you have to complete and wonder is this going to come back because there was no training and QA will send anything back it does not understand.

Mueller needs to learn that the FRs are the first line of defense for the company. If they are happy, they spread the good word. If they are unhappy and see that consistent efforts in the field are only met by poor wages and complaints, they will look elsewhere. From a business stance this makes no sense. Mueller actually spends more in the initial training phase for employees compared to other companies. However if they do not look at the FR as an investment, they are doomed to fail.

I would be curious to hear from other FRs some of the absurd things that have been returned by QA.

I had a report returned because there was a political sign in the front yard and QA who did not look closely at the photo thought it was a for sale sign. When you get a return your supervisor doesn't care if it is legitimate or not. Mueller does not allow a challenge of a return. As a result this affects your monthly totals. If an employee were to be released as a result of scores that are not legitimate, I would imagine it could come back to haunt them in the form of a civil action against the company. I hope that they can change, but have seen too much to have any hope of that occurring

[Anonymous FR]

Mueller needs to learn that the FRs are the first line of defense for the company. If they are happy, they spread the good word. If they are unhappy and see that consistent efforts in the field are only met by poor wages and complaints, they will look elsewhere. From a business stance this makes no sense. Mueller actually spends more in the initial training phase for employees compared to other companies. However if they do not look at the FR as an investment, they are doomed to fail.

I would be curious to hear from other FRs some of the absurd things that have been returned by QA.


You hit the nail on the head! It seems pretty simple, but Mueller just doesn't get it.

Don't even get me started on QA! It is not that manager's don't care about rejections, it is just that they have no power to do anything about them. Your stats are also your manager's stats, so believe me, they care. The problem is we are told not to question QA and to be supportive of them with the FR's. QA has 6 minutes or less to review a case and they are paid on production just like FR's. Their pay is low and they have no field experience. The turnover is as bad as it is for FR's and FR management. There is no quality there. Oh, the QA stories I could tell!

[Mike Eastie]

Mueller needs to learn that the FRs are the first line of defense for the company. If they are happy, they spread the good word. If they are unhappy and see that consistent efforts in the field are only met by poor wages and complaints, they will look elsewhere. From a business stance this makes no sense. Mueller actually spends more in the initial training phase for employees compared to other companies. However if they do not look at the FR as an investment, they are doomed to fail.

I would be curious to hear from other FRs some of the absurd things that have been returned by QA.


You hit the nail on the head! It seems pretty simple, but Mueller just doesn't get it.

Don't even get me started on QA! It is not that manager's don't care about rejections, it is just that they have no power to do anything about them. Your stats are also your manager's stats, so believe me, they care. The problem is we are told not to question QA and to be supportive of them with the FR's. QA has 6 minutes or less to review a case and they are paid on production just like FR's. Their pay is low and they have no field experience. The turnover is as bad as it is for FR's and FR management. There is no quality there. Oh, the QA stories I could tell!

QA seems to nee to find petty things in order to validate their jobs. Questioning the lack of certain photos when the stamp does not require the in question photo, and then adding it to your error list is ridiculous. QA people seem to have little idea of what is important and what is not needed.

[Johnathan buchanan]

Hi guys great info here! I currently have a contract with a large competitor of Mueller. The company lost there contracts in my state (NC) so I've been having to drive and stay out of state. I'm currently only doing 250 to 300 homes a month where as in NC I was doing around 450. These are a mix of photos only and exterior sketch.

I applied with Mueller and spoke with a rep earlier this year. They told me flat out I was not qualified.....LOL. I was under the impression that it was because of availability in my area (Charlotte). Anyways does anyone here know a way I can get in contact with the South East regional manager? Distance in not really an issue for me with in reason.

Thanks for any help!!

[Mike Eastie]

Hi guys great info here! I currently have a contract with a large competitor of Mueller. The company lost there contracts in my state (NC) so I've been having to drive and stay out of state. I'm currently only doing 250 to 300 homes a month where as in NC I was doing around 450. These are a mix of photos only and exterior sketch.

I applied with Mueller and spoke with a rep earlier this year. They told me flat out I was not qualified.....LOL. I was under the impression that it was because of availability in my area (Charlotte). Anyways does anyone here know a way I can get in contact with the South East regional manager? Distance in not really an issue for me with in reason.

Thanks for any help!!
I live in the northeast and was wondering what are some of the companies that are Muellers competition for this type of work?

[Joseph Dalessio]

I live in the northeast and was wondering what are some of the companies that are Muellers competition for this type of work?

I've been trying to figure that same thing out - I keep seeing people mention that there are competing companies that pay better, and have an easier to use submission system, but no one will mention what those companies are.

[Mister Fieldrep]

If anyone has questions about how things work, I am happy to answer!

Anonymous FR, I would like to know if as a manager for Mueller, do you have any info on how Mueller bills a client. For instance, with one company I work for, I get paid extra for any supplements that are added, such as a wood stove supplement and I am sure the company is charging the client for this. Does Mueller charge the clients for added supplements or other additional add-ons (photo descriptions, additional photos, etc), pocketing the extra fees and not passing anything on to the field reps? Or does Mueller promise the client anything they want just to get the contract and stick it to the field reps with more work for the same pay. Just wondering if you had any insight on the subject.

[Anonymous FR]

Anonymous FR, I would like to know if as a manager for Mueller, do you have any info on how Mueller bills a client. For instance, with one company I work for, I get paid extra for any supplements that are added, such as a wood stove supplement and I am sure the company is charging the client for this. Does Mueller charge the clients for added supplements or other additional add-ons (photo descriptions, additional photos, etc), pocketing the extra fees and not passing anything on to the field reps? Or does Mueller promise the client anything they want just to get the contract and stick it to the field reps with more work for the same pay. Just wondering if you had any insight on the subject.

Believe it or not, this information is not discussed openly with the regional managers. We are only responsible for the cost of Field Representatives. This is a company that tells you only the minimum you need to know to do your job, because if you knew everything you would likely not want to work there anymore. From what I observed, some of both was going on. In most cases, I think that Mueller is not charging their customers for extras and the salespeople make deals that Field Services has trouble delivering. I believe that there should be a tiered billing system based on the location of a case - urban, rural and remote, and that all extra forms/supplements should have an additional fee billed to the customer and paid to the FR's. We all know this does not happen.

[Carlos Pineiro]

Hi everybody, hope you are enjoying winter. I haven't been here in a half year since I shut off notifications, but they're back on.
The conversation over the last 6 months seems to revolve around identifying, analyzing, discussing, criticizing, and explaining compensation. Hopefully this subject will wear itself out. Holy crap. Jeezus. If you don't understand payroll, email your manager, payroll, or even hr. There are employees there who will explain your pay. For people here to discuss everything from conspiracy theories to inaccurate posts is silly. We are not supposed to discuss payroll specifics online, so people who do either don't care about their employer's reaction to rule breaking, a disgruntled employee who might post anything that pops into their head, or someone who either just got hired or doesn't work for the company.

This is silly, and it's been a message board clusterflip since this website opened. If you have payroll questions this is the wrong place if you are looking for dependable, accurate information.

I am an hourly employee. I am on the clock when I am mapping, printing, sketching, driving, typing. Period. If I drive 300 miles, do one house, and go home after 8 hours on the road, I get paid my hourly rate. The mileage is backed out only to identify how many actual miles, but to ensure that that amount is not taxed.

In the end, all that matters is this: 1. I look at the total hours I worked for mueller doing anything. I look at my gross pay, and divide by the hours I clocked in. The number that comes up is either my hourly wage, or more. Everything else is meaningless. If you think you are not getting compensated enough, that might be a valid complaint. Your choices are to ask for more pay or quit. Getting payroll advice in this thread from posters who could be anybody with any agenda is silly. Contact your employer.

On another subject (yes!) I have been sketching houses for almost 2 years and have knocked on over 2000 doors. The job is continually getting easier, as anything does with practice. That makes it more fun. I no longer rack my brain trying to remember a boat load of technical info, it is as second nature as decidingnwjhich pedal is the gas pedal when the light turns green.

Part of the reason I am more relaxed in the field is this: 1. I have created redundant systems for everything. I have 2 garmins, 2 laptops complete with sketch software etc. I have an extra wheel in the trunk, extra pens, extra waterproof paper, a backup camera, and a cigarette case with backup batteries for everything. Every one of the items above have failed at one point or another, but I just kept working on the other laptop or changed batteries or grabbed another pen. I didn't miss a beat b/c I was as prepared as a boy scout. If you plan on doing this job, redundant equipment is essential for peace of mind.

Dressing right for the weather helps make the job fun. I work in freezing rain, oblivious to the elements. Its not rocket science, its called wearing the right clothes. I actually like rainy days sometimes b/c it means less traffic in my area.

When I call for appointments, I always start with, "I plan to be in your area on Wednesday and Friday. Which day would be better for you?" It allows you to take control while giving the impression that the PH is making the choices. I have done hundreds of interiors and high values this way and only 3 people wanted to do it some other day.

QA is not the bad guy. These are employeesnlike us doing a job with deadlines like us. They have access to earlier reports and photos (perhaps only with mgmt involvement), so if they suggest that its 1.5C instead of your reported 1C, maybe they are looking at an old case which shows that upper window better. QA rejections are not personal. QA people are human and also make mistakes. I just try to learn from them.

All companies will change how they operate to achieve their goals. If a customer suddenly wants all photos tagged. It might mean you are clocking in another minute. Nobody will tell you to work off the clock if they are law abiding. If you are an IC and you don't like the extra demands for the same rate, complain to Mueller or quit taking their jobs. Those are your only real choices.

To the newbies: Did you ever have to learn something that takes practice? Bartending? Basketball? Guitar? This job, like those things, really only pays off after you practice it long enough that you can just instantly, reflexively pop out the correct answer. Until you find that groove, it will seem like a lot of work for the money. After you reach a point where sketching is as easy as driving a car, you will cross that threshold where you find yourself saying "easy money today" after what seems like a short day. The value in your paycheck doesn't magically appear on day one, just like the first time you waited tables or played basketball. If you are committed to a job and don't expect instant gratification you will succeed. If you have questions for me, and don't want to post online, priv msg me. Good luck, and remember that unoccupied risks with little fences also sometimes have doggie doors in back. :D

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Hi everybody, hope you are enjoying winter. I haven't been here in a half year since I shut off notifications, but they're back on.
The conversation over the last 6 months seems to revolve around identifying, analyzing, discussing, criticizing, and explaining compensation. Hopefully this subject will wear itself out. Holy crap. Jeezus. If you don't understand payroll, email your manager, payroll, or even hr. There are employees there who will explain your pay. For people here to discuss everything from conspiracy theories to inaccurate posts is silly. We are not supposed to discuss payroll specifics online, so people who do either don't care about their employer's reaction to rule breaking, a disgruntled employee who might post anything that pops into their head, or someone who either just got hired or doesn't work for the company.

This is silly, and it's been a message board clusterflip since this website opened. If you have payroll questions this is the wrong place if you are looking for dependable, accurate information.

I am an hourly employee. I am on the clock when I am mapping, printing, sketching, driving, typing. Period. If I drive 300 miles, do one house, and go home after 8 hours on the road, I get paid my hourly rate. The mileage is backed out only to identify how many actual miles, but to ensure that that amount is not taxed.

In the end, all that matters is this: 1. I look at the total hours I worked for mueller doing anything. I look at my gross pay, and divide by the hours I clocked in. The number that comes up is either my hourly wage, or more. Everything else is meaningless. If you think you are not getting compensated enough, that might be a valid complaint. Your choices are to ask for more pay or quit. Getting payroll advice in this thread from posters who could be anybody with any agenda is silly. Contact your employer.

On another subject (yes!) I have been sketching houses for almost 2 years and have knocked on over 2000 doors. The job is continually getting easier, as anything does with practice. That makes it more fun. I no longer rack my brain trying to remember a boat load of technical info, it is as second nature as decidingnwjhich pedal is the gas pedal when the light turns green.

Part of the reason I am more relaxed in the field is this: 1. I have created redundant systems for everything. I have 2 garmins, 2 laptops complete with sketch software etc. I have an extra wheel in the trunk, extra pens, extra waterproof paper, a backup camera, and a cigarette case with backup batteries for everything. Every one of the items above have failed at one point or another, but I just kept working on the other laptop or changed batteries or grabbed another pen. I didn't miss a beat b/c I was as prepared as a boy scout. If you plan on doing this job, redundant equipment is essential for peace of mind.

Dressing right for the weather helps make the job fun. I work in freezing rain, oblivious to the elements. Its not rocket science, its called wearing the right clothes. I actually like rainy days sometimes b/c it means less traffic in my area.

When I call for appointments, I always start with, "I plan to be in your area on Wednesday and Friday. Which day would be better for you?" It allows you to take control while giving the impression that the PH is making the choices. I have done hundreds of interiors and high values this way and only 3 people wanted to do it some other day.

QA is not the bad guy. These are employeesnlike us doing a job with deadlines like us. They have access to earlier reports and photos (perhaps only with mgmt involvement), so if they suggest that its 1.5C instead of your reported 1C, maybe they are looking at an old case which shows that upper window better. QA rejections are not personal. QA people are human and also make mistakes. I just try to learn from them.

All companies will change how they operate to achieve their goals. If a customer suddenly wants all photos tagged. It might mean you are clocking in another minute. Nobody will tell you to work off the clock if they are law abiding. If you are an IC and you don't like the extra demands for the same rate, complain to Mueller or quit taking their jobs. Those are your only real choices.

To the newbies: Did you ever have to learn something that takes practice? Bartending? Basketball? Guitar? This job, like those things, really only pays off after you practice it long enough that you can just instantly, reflexively pop out the correct answer. Until you find that groove, it will seem like a lot of work for the money. After you reach a point where sketching is as easy as driving a car, you will cross that threshold where you find yourself saying "easy money today" after what seems like a short day. The value in your paycheck doesn't magically appear on day one, just like the first time you waited tables or played basketball. If you are committed to a job and don't expect instant gratification you will succeed. If you have questions for me, and don't want to post online, priv msg me. Good luck, and remember that unoccupied risks with little fences also sometimes have doggie doors in back. :D

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Hi everybody, hope you are enjoying winter. I haven't been here in a half year since I shut off notifications, but they're back on.
The conversation over the last 6 months seems to revolve around identifying, analyzing, discussing, criticizing, and explaining compensation. Hopefully this subject will wear itself out. Holy crap. Jeezus. If you don't understand payroll, email your manager, payroll, or even hr. There are employees there who will explain your pay. For people here to discuss everything from conspiracy theories to inaccurate posts is silly. We are not supposed to discuss payroll specifics online, so people who do either don't care about their employer's reaction to rule breaking, a disgruntled employee who might post anything that pops into their head, or someone who either just got hired or doesn't work for the company.

This is silly, and it's been a message board clusterflip since this website opened. If you have payroll questions this is the wrong place if you are looking for dependable, accurate information.

I am an hourly employee. I am on the clock when I am mapping, printing, sketching, driving, typing. Period. If I drive 300 miles, do one house, and go home after 8 hours on the road, I get paid my hourly rate. The mileage is backed out only to identify how many actual miles, but to ensure that that amount is not taxed.

In the end, all that matters is this: 1. I look at the total hours I worked for mueller doing anything. I look at my gross pay, and divide by the hours I clocked in. The number that comes up is either my hourly wage, or more. Everything else is meaningless. If you think you are not getting compensated enough, that might be a valid complaint. Your choices are to ask for more pay or quit. Getting payroll advice in this thread from posters who could be anybody with any agenda is silly. Contact your employer.

On another subject (yes!) I have been sketching houses for almost 2 years and have knocked on over 2000 doors. The job is continually getting easier, as anything does with practice. That makes it more fun. I no longer rack my brain trying to remember a boat load of technical info, it is as second nature as decidingnwjhich pedal is the gas pedal when the light turns green.

Part of the reason I am more relaxed in the field is this: 1. I have created redundant systems for everything. I have 2 garmins, 2 laptops complete with sketch software etc. I have an extra wheel in the trunk, extra pens, extra waterproof paper, a backup camera, and a cigarette case with backup batteries for everything. Every one of the items above have failed at one point or another, but I just kept working on the other laptop or changed batteries or grabbed another pen. I didn't miss a beat b/c I was as prepared as a boy scout. If you plan on doing this job, redundant equipment is essential for peace of mind.

Dressing right for the weather helps make the job fun. I work in freezing rain, oblivious to the elements. Its not rocket science, its called wearing the right clothes. I actually like rainy days sometimes b/c it means less traffic in my area.

When I call for appointments, I always start with, "I plan to be in your area on Wednesday and Friday. Which day would be better for you?" It allows you to take control while giving the impression that the PH is making the choices. I have done hundreds of interiors and high values this way and only 3 people wanted to do it some other day.

QA is not the bad guy. These are employeesnlike us doing a job with deadlines like us. They have access to earlier reports and photos (perhaps only with mgmt involvement), so if they suggest that its 1.5C instead of your reported 1C, maybe they are looking at an old case which shows that upper window better. QA rejections are not personal. QA people are human and also make mistakes. I just try to learn from them.

All companies will change how they operate to achieve their goals. If a customer suddenly wants all photos tagged. It might mean you are clocking in another minute. Nobody will tell you to work off the clock if they are law abiding. If you are an IC and you don't like the extra demands for the same rate, complain to Mueller or quit taking their jobs. Those are your only real choices.

To the newbies: Did you ever have to learn something that takes practice? Bartending? Basketball? Guitar? This job, like those things, really only pays off after you practice it long enough that you can just instantly, reflexively pop out the correct answer. Until you find that groove, it will seem like a lot of work for the money. After you reach a point where sketching is as easy as driving a car, you will cross that threshold where you find yourself saying "easy money today" after what seems like a short day. The value in your paycheck doesn't magically appear on day one, just like the first time you waited tables or played basketball. If you are committed to a job and don't expect instant gratification you will succeed. If you have questions for me, and don't want to post online, priv msg me. Good luck, and remember that unoccupied risks with little fences also sometimes have doggie doors in back. :D

[Kristi Silber]

"I look at my gross pay, and divide by the hours I clocked in. The number that comes up is either my hourly wage, or more. "

Carlos, why would you get more than hourly wage if you are paid by the hour?

" The mileage is backed out only to identify how many actual miles, but to ensure that that amount is not taxed. "

I don't understand. It sounds like your mileage isn't reimbursed, it's just given tax-free, which seems to be the most common way of doing it.

"All companies will change how they operate to achieve their goals. If a customer suddenly wants all photos tagged. It might mean you are clocking in another minute. Nobody will tell you to work off the clock if they are law abiding. If you are an IC and you don't like the extra demands for the same rate, complain to Mueller or quit taking their jobs."

What has been said in this thread about fee-based pay is not just relevant to ICs, it's relevant to most employees, though some individuals are indeed paid by the hour, especially in rural areas. You criticize talking about such things, then tell us how you are paid? What sense does that make?

You are right that no one will tell any FR to work off the clock - but neither will they (in my experience) voluntarily explain how to report time spent doing things like communicating with managers. If that time is added to case times it could count against us because we appear to be working inefficiently. Add enough time to a case and it will be flagged, which results in having to communicate again with a manager, even if it's perfectly legit.

I agree that it's best for FRs to ask the company about their pay if they have questions...but they shouldn't have to! It should all be made absolutely clear when anyone starts working for a company. If there weren't confusion, these discussions wouldn't happen. Unfortunately there are also instances when what FRs are told by managers is not correct.

The trouble with complaining is that FRs are at the mercy of managers when it comes to case assignments, getting questions answered, etc., and may not want to risk antagonizing them once it's already proven useless to complain anyway. In the end, employees of no company should see their pay-per-unit-worked steadily decrease over time, year after year. When that happens, the company itself should not be surprised that its employees are not happy.

[Carlos Pineiro]

[QUOTE=Kristi Silber;235631]"I look at my gross pay, and divide by the hours I clocked in. The number that comes up is either my hourly wage, or more. "

Carlos, why would you get more than hourly wage if you are paid by the hour?

" The mileage is backed out only to identify how many actual miles, but to ensure that that amount is not taxed. "

I don't understand. It sounds like your mileage isn't reimbursed, it's just given tax-free, which seems to be the most common way of doing it.

I'll answer those questions since they are general in nature and without discussing my specific pay here: 1. THere's a case rate, and an hourly rate. If I can complete cases where the case rate exceeds the hourly, I make more. Imagine if there were many houses in a row, and I have a hourly rate of $10.00 per hour, and could shoot and sketch and report a complete house in 20 min, and could do the 3 houses in an hour. Let's say the case pay is $8. Instead of paying me $10 for the hour that I worked that week, I would get $24 for the ability to complete 3 houses in that time. In this hypothetical, I made $24 per hour that week, if this was my only shoot. Conversely, if the case pay added up doesnt reach what I would make hourly (few houses with lots of driving), management adjusts that so that I achieve at least my hourly rate. This isn't a company secret, it's the law if you tell someone they will make at least $x per hour, and the case fee doesn't reach that. Case fee amounts and wages may vary from state to state, so the actual monies we're paid cant be compared, but the formula for achieving payroll is common knowledge so I don't mind jotting down here. If any of this is incorrect, remember, I am not Mueller Payroll or a manager. I'm just some guy posting on the internet, but I wanted to respond to your questions.

2. Backing out the miles to identify the number of miles driven allows payroll to come up with a value. If I drove 100 miles this week, payroll knows that 41.00 of my pay should be non taxable. The actual gross pay is also adjusted by this amount, or else you would be getting both drive time pay and miles pay, a redundant pay both relating to travel.

In the end, people who don't do this work and work at office jobs downtown don't get paid to drive to work, and spend about as much time in the car as a Mueller FR, so right there we are ahead, with the exception of real miles heavy rural areas.

The way I look at compensation is simply by dividing the pay I got from the time I put in. Period. If that works out (and it always does), then all the rest is hair-splitting. Do I charge for time for little stuff? Sure. Do I really spend 1 minute on the phone with a PH when most of those calls last 30 or 40 seconds? No. At the end of the month it adds up to everything coming out in the wash. If you don't like paying for supplies like ink as an hourly EE, remember that those costs are tax deductible, and also remember that most people will not separate the ink they use for Mueller from the ink used for their personal stuff, so those deductions will cover all the office supplies and more. CP

[Joseph Dalessio]

In the end, people who don't do this work and work at office jobs downtown don't get paid to drive to work, and spend about as much time in the car as a Mueller FR, so right there we are ahead, with the exception of real miles heavy rural areas.


There's no way that's even close to true. Maybe a few major metro areas have people spending an hour or two commuting each way (and that's mostly time, not miles), but the VAST majority of people working are not putting near as many miles on their cars as a FR is.

There actually was a time in the past when Mueller paid for additional supplements - that time is long gone. They also used to pay significantly more for commercials, but now you get less for a commercial than a HV. I wish they would make this a better place to work - fair pay (or at least actually give a mileage reimbursement - not this silly tax free quasi-scam they do now), fixing up the website so there isn't endless redundant data entry, and get someone who knows what they're doing to design a useful, non-buggy sketch tool. Unfortunately I don't see that happening, and that's why I'm on my way out. It's an interesting job with nice scheduling, but I just don't want to put up with their crap anymore. Plus, the only way to get a raise is to quit - Mueller doesn't give raises to FR's.

[Kristi Silber]

Hmm, thought I replied, but evidently I didn't submit it or something.

Carlos, you're paid just like the rest of us fee-based types. If you were hourly you would always make the same per hour, never more. It sounds like you just take long enough (through driving, I'm guessing) or have a base wage high enough that you usually don't get "production" pay (fees above the base wage).

Mileage standards don't include time, it's only for gas and wear and tear on a vehicle. From the IRS site: "The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile." For 2013, this was 56.5 cents/mi. Giving us only 41 cents/mi. doesn't make a difference to Mueller as far as I can tell unless FRs like you (and me these days, with added requirements) are working around their base wage level. They are very clever.

Itemizing expenses only makes sense if you have enough of them, otherwise the standard deduction is better.

[Randy Ashcraft]

I too Worked for Mueller for about 5 months. It was going to be par time fill in work for me but they were demanding a few hours each day. Made my time for anything else unproductive. After working for an Architect and being around construction for 30 years I felt I had a good base of knowledge of construction. I crossed my supervisor over construction methods of a high end home. She insisted it could not be built as I had diagramed it. I instead it could and I could draw and build it. Another point of disagreement was over a home which I said had E.I.F.S. system of exterior finish which the supervisor instead that it was cement stucco and she determined this from the photo and the neighborhood. Well I had been on site and examined it up close and it was positively EIFS and had the photos to prove it. Lesson learned never tell you supervisor that they are wrong. After that it seamed that every inspection I submitted was rejected by QA and additional time sent at my cost. Things went south from there real quick and in the end I was told that they were losing money on every inspection I went on. After hinging it over I told them that I was also losing money on every inspection I did for them and quit. Best thing I ever did. The only thing good I can say about Mueller is that I got paid training, and learned what insurance companies to never buy insurance from.

[Current FR]

I too Worked for Mueller for about 5 months. It was going to be par time fill in work for me but they were demanding a few hours each day. Made my time for anything else unproductive. After working for an Architect and being around construction for 30 years I felt I had a good base of knowledge of construction. I crossed my supervisor over construction methods of a high end home. She insisted it could not be built as I had diagramed it. I instead it could and I could draw and build it. Another point of disagreement was over a home which I said had E.I.F.S. system of exterior finish which the supervisor instead that it was cement stucco and she determined this from the photo and the neighborhood. Well I had been on site and examined it up close and it was positively EIFS and had the photos to prove it. Lesson learned never tell you supervisor that they are wrong. After that it seamed that every inspection I submitted was rejected by QA and additional time sent at my cost. Things went south from there real quick and in the end I was told that they were losing money on every inspection I went on. After hinging it over I told them that I was also losing money on every inspection I did for them and quit. Best thing I ever did. The only thing good I can say about Mueller is that I got paid training, and learned what insurance companies to never buy insurance from.



-------
Randy,
If all of your surveys were rejected by QA, there was obviously something wrong with the information you were supplying. If it was at your own cost, that is because you didn't submit the time spent to correct your errors. Did your supervisor tell you to not add that time? Like all businesses, losing money can only last so long before a change needs to be made. Sounds like a win-win to part ways. You received your training and additional knowledge and the supervisor didn't have to worry about the bottom line in your area.



On a different topic:
Have any of you worked with an accountant to claim the mileage difference of $0.40/mi to the government rate of $0.56/mi?

Also curious if any of you current reps are using PhoenixMobile and what your thoughts are.

[Scott Dirk]

Finally had to formally quit the field rep job. The places Mueller sent me were often extremely interesting and I discovered areas in my region that I previously never knew existed. However, the pay was ridiculously low and the increased demand became all consuming.

I understand that Mueller needs to be competitive with other insurance inspection companies. Nonetheless, I do not know how most rural area field reps can make it work. I could not help but laugh when the Muller Rapport recommended that field reps PURCHASE (with their own money) the Microsoft mapping software. I guess some employers can get away with a lot when there are enough desperate people in a down economy.

[Mike Eastie]

-------
Randy,
If all of your surveys were rejected by QA, there was obviously something wrong with the information you were supplying. If it was at your own cost, that is because you didn't submit the time spent to correct your errors. Did your supervisor tell you to not add that time? Like all businesses, losing money can only last so long before a change needs to be made. Sounds like a win-win to part ways. You received your training and additional knowledge and the supervisor didn't have to worry about the bottom line in your area.



On a different topic:
Have any of you worked with an accountant to claim the mileage difference of $0.40/mi to the government rate of $0.56/mi?

Also curious if any of you current reps are using PhoenixMobile and what your thoughts are.

I have done my taxes and the mileage difference is deductible, if you have enough total business expenses to be deductible.

[Outside looking in]

I meant to post this on this thread yesterday but created a new one instead so here it is...

Hello folks!!

This has been a very interesting read to say the least! After reading this thread, part of another and the info from Glassdoor, I decided to do the phone interview and get the ball rolling.

I think I have a good grasp on the pros/cons of Mueller from the plethora of post on here. I will approach this like I have everything else...with a positive outlook! Given the amount of negative opinions I will be cautiously optimistic.

I don't have any experience in a related field but I have been in sales and self employed most of my career, so self motivation and management isn't an issue. I will participate in step 2 tomorrow which is the webinar and then the second interview with the manager in my territory.

One of the concerns I do have is in regards to what I've read about rural areas. I not only live in a rural area, the territory I'm interviewing for doesn't even include my county. It consist of 3 counties that are adjacent to mine. Based on all I've read on here I don't know if this will work or not, but there's only one way to findout!!

Thank you all for your past and future post and all the insight!! I look forward to more!!

[Jon Holmes]

I just had a phone interview with Mueller Services. The only thing they asked me was what my availability was, expected pay, how far I was from the job location, and if I was a felon and few other background information. Is this typical for the first interview? I don't know how you could see if someone is qualified for a job just by asking simple questions like this.

[Roadie]

I just had a phone interview with Mueller Services. The only thing they asked me was what my availability was, expected pay, how far I was from the job location, and if I was a felon and few other background information. Is this typical for the first interview? I don't know how you could see if someone is qualified for a job just by asking simple questions like this.

Mueller has such a high turnover rate, you don't have to have any qualifications. You just have to pass the tests after the training.

[Carlos Pineiro]

I just had a phone interview with Mueller Services. The only thing they asked me was what my availability was, expected pay, how far I was from the job location, and if I was a felon and few other background information. Is this typical for the first interview? I don't know how you could see if someone is qualified for a job just by asking simple questions like this.

The initial questions are probably meant to weed out people who either live too far, have little availability, or need to make more than what can be paid. This makes sense since the job will fail if these criteria can't be met. Beyond that, yes, there are other qualifications needed to succeed. You will not make it through training if you are completely clueless to home construction. You will not make it if you think it's ok to fudge answers. You will not make it if you don't actually read, absorb, and study the training material. If you do have construction knowledge, the training is a little easier, but you still have to work to learn the job of reporting the information correctly. Once you pass all the tests, it takes a while for you to maximize your income since the job requires practice to get the most financial returns. That takes commitment. It can't just be a part-time job you pick up for a while to pay your car note.

Here's a comparison: If you were applying for a bartenders job, and were completely clueless to the difference between wine, beer, and spirits, you probably will fail training in a frustrating way. If you have some prior knowledge, say if you were a waiter or just visited enough bars as a customer, you have a better chance of passing the bartender tests and getting the job, but only after hard work learning recipes, wine types, and ringing sales. Once you get your very first bar tending job, don't expect the big bucks to roll in on day one. Even if you know all the recipes in Mr. Boston's, it takes practice before you reach a point where you aren't thinking CONSTANTLY about ingredients or which is the correct glass, etc. After your first few days of killing yourself behind the bar and making little money, you will be frustrated.

If you are as short-sighted as some of the frustrated people who post here after applying/working for Mueller and failing because they expected ez money from day one, you will fail, and not understand why. There is a learning curve in this job. Depending on your background, it might take weeks before it clicks in, but when it does, everything gets easier and faster. You no longer have to stop and think about every decision. You look up and just start sketching and can knock out a huge house in the time it takes to walk around it. On an average day, I can knock out 12-14 exteriors in 4-5 hours with ease. If you like reporting on construction materials, filling forms, sketching, photography, working outside, and providing a service for people, you will learn fast and the job will be great. If you don't like these things, or you think you can learn this job in 5 min, you will fail. Ask ANY bartender how long it took them to really get the job down, and they will probably say weeks. Nothing really satisfying happens overnight, or without hard work and commitment.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Garry Sorrells]

Randy Ashcraft is an example that a manager/supervisor will create the scenario that will result in a desired outcome while providing a way for the supervisor to CYA if challenged for cause. Managers/supervisors dislike being challenged, it is an ego thing, and will go to extremes to maintain a feeling of self importance and protect an inflated ego.:mad: Its possible Randy could have been an idiot, but if that were the case his supervisor would have fired him early and not carried him along. So I tend to think the problem was with the supervisor.

>>>>>>>>
On a different topic, hoping that it has not been posted earlier in this thread.

This is from another thread that followers of this thread may not have noticed.

Insurance inspections, being different from Home Inspections, seem to be hidden under a basket. But this thread seems to shed some light and provide a resource for those interested whats going on and what to expect.
Insurance Inspection Fees? (http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/va-fha-hud-disaster-insurance-inspections-home-inspection-commercial-inspection/38758-insurance-inspection-fees.html)
http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/avatars/dana-bostick.gif?dateline=1240376302 (http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/members/dana-bostick.html) Dana Bostick (http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/members/dana-bostick.html)
http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/images/statusicon/user-online.png

I currently do a few inspections for Millennium Information Services. They provide inspection services to most of the major residential insurance carriers. Their payment schedule totally sucks.

I know I'm probably just pissing in the wind but I thought I would do a little research on some of the message boards to provide some feedback to Millennium in an attempt to get them to raise my fee schedule or tell them to just piss off. LOL
;
1. Do any of you guys do these kinds of inspections?
2. What sort of fee schedule does the company you work with provide?


While there are many variations, the most common inspection they request is called a "Condition Check" which is essentially a drive-by with a few pictures, not even requiring contact with the resident. Fee=$8.50


The next step up is called an "EHP" as in Electrical, Heating & Plumbing inspection which adds additional requirement of making an appointment and entering the house to get additional pictures of the systems.
Fee=$20.00

Next in line is an exterior only with pictures and a measured footprint sketch of the primary dwelling and any outbuildings. Fee= +$10 over regular fee.


Next Is a "Mid-Value" , typical requiring all of the above plus pictures and comments of all the major rooms.
Fee= $40.00


Lastly is called a "High-Value" which is essentially a mid-value with considerably more detail such as actually measuring all the rooms and commenting on linear feet of crown molding, base molding, millwork etc. and interviewing the client about age of home, when purchased, when upgrades/replacements were done, value of home, contents, contract employees that have access etc.
Fee= $90

[Roadie]

I currently do a few inspections for Millennium Information Services. They provide inspection services to most of the major residential insurance carriers. Their payment schedule totally sucks.

Garry, I've been getting work from Millennium for about 2 years now and if you think
Millennium's fee schedule sucks, you definitely don't want to get work from Mueller.

I'll give you some comparisons:

- Millennium's fee schedule is broken into 4 "Areas" based on survey location (city to
rural).
- Mueller's fees are the same whether your surveys are all within a couple miles of each
other or all 15, 20, 30, or more miles apart from each other.

- Millennium - "Condition Check": 8.50-11.00
- Mueller - Calls them "Exteriors w/No Diagram or Replacement Cost": 13.00

- Millennium report takes about half the time as Mueller

- Millennium - "RCT Inspection": 11.00-21.00
- Mueller - Calls them "Exterior With Diagram & Replacement Cost": 15.00

- Millennium report takes about half the time as Mueller

- Millennium - "Mid Value": 40.00-55.00
- Mueller - Mueller calls them "Interior/Exterior": 32.00

- Millennium report takes about half the time as Mueller

- Millennium - "High Value": 90.00-120.00
- Mueller - Also called "High Value": 52.00

- Millennium report takes about half the time as Mueller

- Millennium - "Wood stove supplement": 10.00-16.00, "Wood stove" Stand alone: 14.00-20.00
- Mueller - Wood stove discovered during appointment survey: 0.00, Wood stove confirmed
during an exterior only survey: 6.00

- Millennium - Close-out with no site visit: Pays 3.00 for an appointment survey if the insured does not return your calls.
- Mueller - Close-out with no site visit: Pays 0.00

- Millennium - Close-out with site visit: Pays 9.00 for a no-show appointment or if you can't locate a non-appointment survey.
- Mueller - Makes you go back with no additional compensation.

- Millennium's photo up-loader is twice as fast. Although Millennium requires labels on all
photos, the list of labels is concise and the label you give each photo determines the
order and positions them automatically.
- Mueller's photo up-loader is slow, laggy, and crashes often. Not all surveys require
photo labeling, but you still need to manually reorder each photo individually.

- Millennium's Sketch tool is fast, easy, and precise. To adjust a wall, you simple click
and drag. When you save the diagram, all the square footage, story types, foundation
type percentages, etc. from the diagram are automatically calculated and inserted into
the replacement cost form.
- Mueller's Sketch tool is completely unintuitive and is completely lacking in precision
requiring you to zoom in and out in order to even select an object. Adjusting just one
wall requires you to delete one wall and adjust the adjacent wall and then redraw the
deleted wall and then reselect the area type.

- Millennium diagrams take about half the time as Mueller

- Millennium - "Quality Control": QC reps are very knowledgeable and rejections are rare.
- Mueller - "Quality Assurance": QA reps have no idea what they're doing or what they're
looking at. Rejections are frequent and usually incorrect.

- Millennium does not use an interior, exterior completion, rejection percentage scoring
system. Millennium treats its field reps as adults, not like grade school children.
- Mueller uses a convoluted rating system. If you have an appointment survey and the
insured never returns your call, is a no-show, or you have a bad phone number and have to close, your "Interior Completion" rating is negatively impacted. If you have exterior only survey and have been given bad address info and can't find the location and have to close, you're "Exterior Completion" rating is negatively impacted. If you are unable to make an appointment within the the allotted time frame and need to close out the survey, the survey automatically goes into "overdue" status and your "Overdue" rating is negatively impacted. If you get an incorrect rejection that is past the due date (even though it was submitted on time), you're "Overdue" rating is negatively impacted.


I think the clear winner is Millennium.

Either way, my home inspection business has been growing and I will be phasing out the insurance inspections and Mueller will be the first to go.

[Mueller Mule]

I just came across this thread, and I admit I haven't read all 400 replies, so sorry if I'm repeating what others have said.


I saw the fees quoted by Roadie and I wanted to make sure those thinking of applying at Mueller don't expect the same. Are you a contractor, Roadie? I've been working there 3 years, and they haven't changed for me despite the fact that almost every insurance company has increased their report requirements. They also pulled a cute little stunt in they way they handled mileage. It's not reimbursed, instead a portion of our income is tax-free. When I started it was $0.51/mile, now it's $0.40/mile (or thereabouts). Not that big a deal, a few tax pennies, right? But in doing so it meant an increase in the taxed portion, and the taxed portion is what determines whether you meet your base wage through your fees. If you spend enough time on your cases that the fees don't earn you your base hourly wage, Mueller adds the difference. The tax change was brilliant business move, one that saves them many thousands in wages, while subtle enough that I bet a lot of FRs don't even realize the impact. The pay system is confusing already.

As far as I know, the fees below are fairly standard (or they were 3 years ago when I was trained), but if others have started in the last year or two and have been making higher fees, I'd sure like to hear about it! (Those in areas with high costs of living are making more, I'm sure. I'm in a mid-size city.)

I sure would like to work for Millennium.

Occupancy verification (which includes photos of home, outbuildings, and any hazards): $6
Exterior survey with no sketch (but with hazards and descriptions of them): $10
Exterior with sketch: $13
Interior/exterior: $26
High value: $46. These have in my experience become extremely rare (I've had one in the last year), even for homes with replacement costs over half a million. Apparently companies have added enough requirements to normal surveys that they don't need to pay for more.

While the money is abysmal, I like the job. Well, some of it. Some of it sucks.

Anyone out there using the new 360Value software? How I loathe it! So much of the standard Mueller training doesn't apply, and the 360Value training is worthless. Basically, it tells you how to navigate the software and leaves the actual use of it up to FRs to figure out through the Help section. The result is that when I was first using it I did all kinds of wrong things, but QA isn't trained well enough to catch them. For instance, old houses often have a default ceiling height of 9 feet, but that's only visible if you open the Interior tab, and on an exterior you wouldn't think there's a reason to do so. Checking all the defaults is just one more step in a long report, but it can make a huge difference in replacement cost.

I wouldn't really care, having no sense of allegiance to Mueller or the insurance industry, but I do feel a responsibility to the policyholders - something that is never ever mentioned at Mueller.

I suspect Mueller's way of dealing with dissatisfied customers is by adding freebies onto their reports. They have quality problems, I think, which is one reason there are so many unfounded rejections: there's pressure to find fault. Management doesn't understand that the way they train and treat their employees is not conducive to good performance.

Whew! That rant was building up for a while. Glad to finally get it off my chest.

(Please don't tell me I should quit if I'm so unhappy. The job has it's merits, it's the company I don't like.)

-

[Kristi Silber]

Wow, that was quite a rant! As I've said before, a lot has to do with individual experiences of the job. Carlos, for instance, has a completely different idea of the job:


"If you are as short-sighted as some of the frustrated people who post here after applying/working for Mueller and failing because they expected ez money from day one, you will fail, and not understand why. There is a learning curve in this job. Depending on your background, it might take weeks before it clicks in, but when it does, everything gets easier and faster. You no longer have to stop and think about every decision. You look up and just start sketching and can knock out a huge house in the time it takes to walk around it. On an average day, I can knock out 12-14 exteriors in 4-5 hours with ease...." etc. and so forth.

There is truth to what he says about the learning curve, of course, but Mueller Mule is also right in pointing out that more and more is expected of us. The learning is never done, and the companies continue to diverge in their requirements. When you do several interiors in a row for X company and then do one for Y that has a completely different format and requirements, you can't stay in automatic mode. A mixture of three report types requires yet more attention and more time. Do I count doors or estimate room size? Record the base and crown molding, or count the lamps on the track lighting? Can I step into a bedroom or not?

Now one company wants to know if a bit of rotten or insect-infested siding we see means there is imminent structural damage. What's that - how is that defined? And how are we to know? That is not something for us to judge, it's pure speculation. There could be a vast carpenter ant problem, and we'd never know it. We can report and photograph what we see, and that is all.

I guess I needed a little rant myself.

[Carlos Pineiro]

Hi Kristi, I haven't been here for a while, and its nice to be back. Yes, its always a challenge when there's new stuff to record, but where I am, I'm able to roll with the changes, and try to do some little things to make everything smooth her when I leave the house ( my house, that is). I highlight all the odd stuff, like the one company who has anrail hazard for 22 in high decks, and stamps like "interview any adult" or "shoot straight on", or "8 roof shots". This jumps out in yellow so I don't have to think a lot and can stay in auto mode. I snip the actual ticket (about 1/4" of the corner) of all the tickets that don't require a roof verif shot with one snip at my desk. When I'm in the field, before I go, I glance down and if I see the corner snipped, I don't need a cu roof shot. After 5000 sketches, I can almost no look the paper as I sketch and architectural masterpieces with asymmetrical double porches are no big deal anymore. There seems to be a balance of my being able to do a lot of things easier with the companies adding more stuff to do, like tape measuring balusters, so I am still enjoying the job very much. I did 37 houses this week and a full commercial of a 27 lane bowling alley, most of all of them in the rain, and it wasn't that hard, really. I don't think I clocked in 35 hours, and I was home every day by 4 or 5. I had city risks, farms, cabins deep in the forest, and huge suburban places where people don't answer the door. My favorite part is always the dogs who mostly all believe I showed up just to play with them. :)

[Kristi Silber]

Gotta watch those dogs. I got bit by a rotweiler a couple years back.

Well, I've been canned. A homeowner who was also the agent for the risk made a complaint about me (a month after I was there, which I thought odd) about a few minor things that I would have been happy to change, where possible, none of which were against company policy. Examples: I didn't offer to take my shoes off, I wore a bandana, and I was flipping through the pages of the 360Value form - 5 poorly organized pages for the interior alone. She said I seemed to be clueless when looking for CSST, but I was looking for the bonding; the CSST was obvious. The agent said she didn't want me working with her policyholders, and that means I'm automatically terminated.

Sheesh! There was no mat next to the door for shoes, and foyer was already full of muddy dog and foot prints when I got there. Besides, I always checked my soles before entering a house. But this was a brand-new suburban development McMansion, so I should make proper obeisance and be expected to offer to walk around the unfinished basement in my socks.

I suppose I should have worn my best clothes and been super-professional, but I'd forgotten that she'd told me she was an insurance agent on the phone, and it never occurred to me that I would be scrutinized.

I liked my job and I'm sorry I lost it, but now that I no longer work there, I can say honestly, it was a crappy company to work for (I don't care what Carlos says!), especially in the last couple years. They do pull scams, like the change in base wage hidden in the change in the mileage taxation that Mueller Mule talked about (effectively an across-the-board pay cut that affected some employees more than others, but especially those who drove a lot) or the fact that my base wage was lowered by managers twice (first time an accident, I think, but the second was intentional; I'd complained to the manager who did it, who then threatened to pay me a flat $12 hourly, my former base rate), in defiance of policy, for which I got over $1000 in back pay after talking to one of the upper managers about it.

And did I mention in another post I got a "Final Written Warning" because I asked how to log minutes spent on things like communicating with managers, reading the 360Value help guide because training for it was so abysmal, or buying printer paper? My terrible error was admitting that I hadn't logged every single minute spent on the job...but of course, that stuff isn't included in our time guidelines. They said the question was fully addressed in the handbook, but all that talks about is time spent on particular cases, and it certainly didn't address how to report correction of errors for cases that had already been paid. They commanded me to report all the minutes I hadn't reported, as if I'd timed and recorded every email exchange with my managers and every minute sharpening pencils in the previous 33 months. I think they were worried about getting sued.

And did any of you (besides Carlos, I know he did) see the letter I sent to Mueller Rapport about amperage of electrical panels? Even after revision, the training still says to add the numbers on some types of main switches to get the amperage, which is completely false. Their description of main breakers shows how utterly clueless they are about electric panels. Why haven't the underwriters caught this??? Mueller training is full of errors, though mostly not as bad as that.

So, there's a more honest opinion of the company than I've so far given, for fear of losing my job. To any potential future employers who read this: I take pride in my work, and it was frustrating working for a company that not only didn't give positive feedback, but also gave little in the way of constructive criticism. I also took pride in the way policyholders responded to me, and it hurt that I made such a poor impression on someone - and shocking that I got fired for it.

[Carlos Pineiro]

I'm sorry, Kristi. The one bad visit shouldn't negate all the hard work and the hundreds (thousands?) of cases you worked. You wouldn't have lasted this long if you weren't doing a good job, and no one can take away the time you put in. I'm sure you thought about Millennium Information Services. They are huge and pay straight case fees, based on where they are, but you probably already know that. The HR director is Nicole Castro. If you want to apply, you should send her an email. Good luck with everything, and I really hope to see you here again.


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[Garry Sorrells]

Kristi,
Be assured it had nothing to do with your performance nor the disgruntled insurance agent. You were axed as a result of your questioning of why were they cheating you out of what you had earned. Your manager probably had a talk with his manager and they were just waiting for a way to fire you that would not result in a law suite over the fraudulent wage practices that they employ.

It is sad that even though you put up with Muller Services Inc deceptive and fraudulent wage and work practices you were fired. I am sure Muller Services Inc will use you as an example to keep other employees in line and to have them not question anything for fear of loosing their job.

You are a prime example of why someone who has integrity and a good work ethic should not work for Muller Services.

Kristi, I am sure you will be able to do better than Muller in the future and be happier in your work associations.

[Carlos Pineiro]

Garry, there could be a number of different reasons why these two parted ways. A bad report from a ph who was also employed by the customer is certainly possible. One thing for certain: your state,net that Mueller's payroll practices is fraudulent suggests that the other 1700 of us must be so dumb that nobody has figured out that were all being duped except you. I can't speak for the other 1699 employees, but that accusation is ridiculous. I have been with Mueller for 3 years, have my taxes prepared professionally by my family CPA, and I can tell you that I've never been paid incorrectly. The idea that a nationwide company is fooling their employees with some trickery is silly.

I've known Kristi online for a couple of years and she has taught me a couple of things about what we do and know her to be a great surveyor and a hell of a nice person. It's too bad things went down the way they did, and that happens to people sometimes, but blaming Mueller and posting about some management conspiracy is pure conjecture.


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[Garry Sorrells]

.....A homeowner who was also the agent for the risk made a complaint about me (a month after I was there, which I thought odd) ..........the agent said she didn't want me working with her policyholders, and that means I'm automatically terminated.

.......I suppose I should have worn my best clothes and been super-professional, but I'd forgotten that she'd told me she was an insurance agent on the phone, and it never occurred to me that I would be scrutinized.....

......it was a crappy company to work for (I don't care what Carlos says!), especially in the last couple years. They do pull scams, like the change in base wage hidden in the change in the mileage taxation .....
....pay cut that affected some employees more than others, .......
...... the fact that my base wage was lowered by managers twice (first time an accident, I think, but the second was intentional; I'd complained to the manager who did it, who then threatened to pay me a flat $12 hourly, my former base rate), in defiance of policy, for which I got over $1000 in back pay after talking to one of the upper managers about it.

..........."Final Written Warning" because I asked how to log minutes spent on things like communicating with managers, reading the 360Value help guide because training for it was so abysmal, or buying printer paper? My terrible error was admitting that I hadn't logged every single minute spent on the job.......... I think they were worried about getting sued.
........

So, there's a more honest opinion of the company than I've so far given, for fear of losing my job. To any potential future employers who read this: I take pride in my work, and it was frustrating working for a company that not only didn't give positive feedback, but also gave little in the way of constructive criticism. I also took pride in the way policyholders responded to me, and it hurt that I made such a poor impression on someone - and shocking that I got fired for it.

Carlos,
Fraud ? Fraudulent ?
"...using dishonest methods to take something valuable from another person."
"..breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage."

Wages incorrectly changed twice by management. No relief from immediate manager who made the changes. Then she "complained to the manager who did it, who then threatened " her which is common tactic of a manager that can not maintain fear in their employees. Had to go above immediate manager to resolve the incorrect wage (fraudulent) alteration. Demonstrating that the immediate manager wanted to fraudulently keep earnings from the employee by the fact that the upper management reversed the lower management actions.

How many of the 1700 Muller employees face the question of keeping quiet and taking what they are given due their concerns of retribution and/or job loss? This may be a good question to pursue, but it would probably result in termination. Management often takes has mind set that the employee should prostrate themselves before the company and be happy they have a job no mater what and not question anything. One truism is that management does not like being questioned.

Having one insurance agent request that one specific inspector not be used is far from the end of the word. In business it happens and you deal with it, unless there is an agenda on the part of management regarding a particular employee. Carlos you say, "some management conspiracy is pure conjecture", well a little conjecture that is later supported in fact/evidence is no longer conjecture. There are some facts that can support my theory. It may be a wrong interpretation of facts that results in a false conclusion, though the conclusion is not atypical within some management constructs. It happens.

[Garry Sorrells]

Isn't it interesting that this thread started in 2008 and has 400+ postings offers the most, non company marketing, insight/information into the Mueller company than anywhere other site that I could find.

[Kristi Silber]

Isn't it interesting that this thread started in 2008 and has 400+ postings offers the most, non company marketing, insight/information into the Mueller company than anywhere other site that I could find.

Not only that, but the thread has over 100,000 views! I bet that's more than any other thread on the board!

I've considered the idea that the incident was used as a way to get rid of me, but I'm inclined not to think it was my own pay changes that was the reason. That happened over a year ago. On the other hand, Mueller didn't put up resistance when it came to the complainant saying she didn't want me to work with her policyholders, but perhaps that's to be expected - they didn't want to argue with the insurance company and risk losing the image of high quality. I don't think they had much choice but to fire me.

However, I don't believe they are as squeaky clean as Carlos believes, either. I still think the motive behind changing the untaxed portion of our pay given as mileage had little to do with taxes. Perhaps it was to save on pay given to those who actually do get mileage reimbursement, but they seem to be few. I don't believe that there was anything outright fraudulent (illegal) about this change, but the pay system is complex enough that I think many or most FRs never realized that the change in tax-free mileage goes beyond anything to do with taxes, and can affect pay itself, especially for those who drive a lot and regularly earn wages near their base pay (of which there are increasing numbers because Mueller is demanding more work for each case). It took me a while to figure it out. I consider it a sneaky but legal way to save on wages without informing employees that they may be making less.

I've also seen enough complaints of people being offered one wage before they were hired and then given a lower one after that it's hard to doubt that it's the case.

Then there's the idea that cases should on average take a particular amount of time, and those with averages higher than these times are inefficient. For one thing, the averages they cite are much too perfect to be real averages (e.g. 30 minutes for an exterior and 45 min. for interior/exterior), and they haven't changed despite the fact that case requirements have increased. Those who take their statistics seriously and fear that they might get fired for having above-average times are all the more likely not to report times taken to do office work unrelated to individual cases, such as communicating with managers, buying paper and ink, shredding old forms, etc. There is pressure to be fast, but admitting there are minutes you didn't report will get you in big trouble - I got a Written Final Warning for asking how to report such times because I said I hadn't reported every minute in the past.

I believe they are careful enough that their practices are legal because they are very wary of being sued. That doesn't mean they are interested in treating employees fairly.

Anyway, thanks for your support and kind words, Carlos and Garry! It means a lot to me.

[John Walker]

While I cannot obviously speak for everyone, and certainly wouldn't try- I can say that my time with Mueller reinforced what many on this forum have stated: they are somewhat deceptive, and without a doubt their "managers" sometimes lack any practical field experience (which led me to think- why are they managers in the 1st place?). I had a field manager that knew not how to draw a complex diagram- and when I "disagreed" with the way they wanted me to draw it (which, I should point out- I drew it precisely as their own online diagramming showed)- I was let go.
There are much better companies to work for, in this field. I would never recommend Mueller to anyone, and honestly I do not hold a grudge. It is tough to work for any company when their requirements seem to change weekly.

[Garry Sorrells]

Hi...This is my first post here. As a pioneer in the message board world with over 1 million posts since 1993, ..................



Carlos,
Possibly a provocative question. Do you bill Mueller for the time you spend in their defense or is it a flat rate payment like a "Occupancy Verification" ?

[Carlos Pineiro]

The point is, Garry, when you talk about alleged mishandling of payroll done purposely to cheat people, you are suggesting that the over 1700 people who work there are being fooled, and only you know the real deal. Many of us are professionals who do this as a retirement job, or accomplished business people who do this for supplemental income. Some of us are accountantants. Here are some questions for you: What makes you believe that all those people are dumb enough to be fooled? What makes you think a corporation this large would actually do this and if so, could get away with it without a class action suit? How much money do you think people are supposedly being cheated out of without their knowledge?

Your assertions are ridiculous.


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[Garry Sorrells]

Carlos,
"The lady(Carlos) doth protest too much, methinks".

Is it that a nerve was struck??? You seem to be fixated on the 1700, but then what if it were 200 that were effected, or the 1 ?

[Raymond Wand]

Hey all sorts of employees get scammed or employers negligently misrepresent conditions of employment, work, vacation time, et ceteras. Then comes a long a whistle blower and, - ba da bing ba da boom - the whistle blower gets shown to the door. Sorta like some of the associations and the way they operate!

[Carlos Pineiro]

Ok so you think 200 people were scammed because a corporation picked 200 of us to change a fraction of a percentage point of their general ledger, and 200 people (or any number) didn't notice? Ask the bartender to call you a taxi.


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[Raymond Wand]

No; 200 folks don't have to get scammed, it can take one employee who was told something and given a contract based on those facts, but then the employer changes the equation, and that is what is referred to negligent misrepresentation. A contract is a contract is a contract.

[Carlos Pineiro]

So how plausible is it that a corporation with revenues in the millions hand picks one (or more) employees and decides to pull a scam to save a few bucks?

Lmao.


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[Raymond Wand]

It has happened.

[Carlos Pineiro]

Ok. I'll keep an eye on my pay stubs.


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[Garry Sorrells]

So how plausible is it that a corporation with revenues in the millions hand picks one (or more) employees and decides to pull a scam to save a few bucks?

Lmao.


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The Grand Pooba of the company tells his minion managers below him to cut their budgets and increase revenues. The word goes down the feeding chain of managers, each wanting to look good in the eyes of the manager above them and each pushing the envelope of propriety to show increases. Eventually it reaches the bottom managers who are now going home and kicking their cats ( a Zig Ziglar story, look it up). The managers at the bottom will try anything to get their numbers up. Then the Kristi's of the world are told like it or leave when the manager commits fraud or a term of your choice. The Kristi's go over the managers head and the manager above worrying about law suits and unfair work practices that will bring the government down on them, reverses the lower manager position.

Consequently the bottom manager will conspire to create a situation and use any cause to get rid of what is seen to the manager as a trouble maker. Especially since the manager has had to eat crow.

You ask; "So how plausible is it that a corporation with revenues in the millions hand picks one (or more) employees and decides to pull a scam to save a few bucks?"

For the fill in the blank answer.________ Can you spell Walmart????? Just to name one company.
Carlos you stated in you first post in this forum and in this thread;
""Hi...This is my first post here. As a pioneer in the message board world with over 1 million posts since 1993,.."

1 million posts in how many years, 1993 to 2012, that is 52,631 posts per year or 1,012 per week, or just 145 post per day. Dang when did you have time to work, and you think I should "Ask the bartender to call you a taxi." I want to know what you have been drinkkking?:biggrin:

Then maybe Mueller paying you to post here may not be such a stretch of the imagination. Wounder if it is by the word or the post?:confused:

[Kristi Silber]

Carlos, at the time that the mileage "reimbursement"/tax change happened, there were several people here discussing it, but I have yet to see anyone but me point out (here or on glassdoor.com or elsewhere) that there can be actual changes to take-home pay as a result. To me that suggests that there are people being fooled out there.

[BridgeMan]

Wow. A lot of dirt being aired about Mueller on this thread. But I have to ask--who in their right mind would work for any outfit that pays peanuts, has incompetent managers, and constantly changes "rules", all while cheating the help to maximize profit? Must be a lot of desperate individuals out there.

I think flipping burgers at the Golden Arches would be preferable. Comparable pay, and there the only slime you'd be dealing with is the pink stuff in the meat you're frying.

[Kristi Silber]

BridgeMan,

C'mon, seriously? Flipping burgers? The reason people stay is because they like the job. It's flexible. You get to go to a lot of houses and meet some interesting people. Many of the houses have been occupied for years, and sometimes you'd run across interesting interiors. I enjoyed most of it. I didn't want to lose my job...but maybe it was time.

I have a question for past and present Mueller employees only, please. If you see a main breaker that has two small switches joined together, with a number stamped on each one, do you add the numbers to come up with the amperage? Or just report whatever number is there?

[Ken Rowe]

The point is, Garry, when you talk about alleged mishandling of payroll done purposely to cheat people, you are suggesting that the over 1700 people who work there are being fooled, and only you know the real deal. Many of us are professionals who do this as a retirement job, or accomplished business people who do this for supplemental income. Some of us are accountantants. Here are some questions for you: What makes you believe that all those people are dumb enough to be fooled? What makes you think a corporation this large would actually do this and if so, could get away with it without a class action suit? How much money do you think people are supposedly being cheated out of without their knowledge?

Your assertions are ridiculous.


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Corporations never do anything unlawful or unethical :crazy: List of corporate collapses and scandals - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_corporate_collapses_and_scandals)

[Raymond Wand]

Kristi,

As they say... sometimes a disappoint is a blessing.

[Garry Sorrells]

Hi...This is my first post here. As a pioneer in the message board world with over 1 million posts since 1993, I can easily say that MBs can be a timesuck. I have hesitated to post here for that reason, but now I'm finally jumping in. I will just shave some FB time down to accommodate IN, lol.

I have been a FR with Mueller for about 6 months. I love my job. From what I have read in this thread, I can divide the posts two ways:

GLASS HALF EMPTY PEOPLE:
1. Pay is low
2. Mileage isn't paid
3. QAs only have bad news
4. Photos take too long to process

GLASS HALF FULL PEOPLE:
1. Pay is fair
2. Mileage is actually accounted for in your pay
3. QAs are teachers
4. Photo time is part of the job.

To expand on that...

1. People who complain that their pay is low should get another job and quit complaining. Mueller backs up what they promise, which includes adjusting your pay to make your time worth at least what they said they would pay you by the hour. If you are still not making enough money, complaining here will not increase your pay.

2. I average about 10 miles a day when I shoot houses.. If you're not making enough, it doesn't matter how many miles were recorded, you just need to make more money to be happy, and that's probably working for someone else.

3. QA people aren't the bad guys. If you don't want so many rejections, stop goofing up so much. One of the great things about this job is that you are not judged by some manager's subjective opinions. Your error % is...what it is. If you have all green stars, you are fine, management leaves you alone, and that's that. If not, Mueller offers training and support to lower your score. It's pretty academic, very supportive, and relieves you of the stress from subjective evaluations that happen other lines of work. The QA people teach me stuff all the time, which allows me to do my job better and make more money.

4. If you keep the resolution way down in your camera, you will still get great shots, and the photos will upload in seconds. Nobody is shooting waterfalls. Lower the quality setting and the entire time issue goes away.

I have enjoyed the almost contact of other FRs here, and appreciate the advice I got from reading some of your posts. Thanks for reading this long, first post. I look forward to returning to IN and having more inspection fun. -Carlos

Thought I would use Mr Peabody's WayBack Camera:::: :-):photo:

Carlos, you are quite a person. Were you trained by Al Gore right after he invented created the Internet? Must have been great work, Government???
You state: ""As a pioneer in the message board world with over 1 million posts since 1993".
The mumblers interest me. :pop2:

1 million posts between 1993 and 2012. (19years)
That's 52,631 posts per year,
1,012/week,
145/day or
18/hour working 8 hours/day 7 days a week. No time off, no breaks, no sick days.
25 posts per hour at 8 hr day and 5 days per week with a 40 hour week ( no overtime)
Which means that you were making a post every 2 min while you were at work.
Smells like a government job to me :typing: Then you retired and went to Mueller May 2012 ????

Figured that you had to be doing it as a business or on your employer's clock because you wouldn't have time to work and post.:thumb:

Which makes the supposition that you are paid to post here by Mueller plausible. Not conjuncture. :hand: Your facts support the theory.

Your original post(8/2012) was after 3 months working for Mueller and you had it all figured out then.:first:
But then if one looks at your postings past to present there seems to be a commonality across the postings. Leading to a potential conundrum of are you a real employee, an employee wanting to get into management, a manager wanting to market the company :welcome: in a more favorable light than what others post :bounce: or possibly management setting the tone for what the employees should prescribe to for fear of what they may expect from management :mad2:.

""1. People who complain that their pay is low should get another job and quit complaining. Mueller backs up what they promise, which includes adjusting your pay to make your time worth at least what they said they would pay you by the hour.""

""2. I average about 10 miles a day when I shoot houses.. If you're not making enough, it doesn't matter how many miles were recorded, you just need to make more money to be happy, and that's probably working for someone else;..."

""3. QA people aren't the bad guys. If you don't want so many rejections, stop goofing up so much..."

1,2 and 3 above was after only 3 months ?????? :clap2:

Now if this is not an advertisement::::Carlos -"" Many of us are professionals who do this as a retirement job, or accomplished business people who do this for supplemental income. Some of us are accountantants. "" :wink:


Are there a lot of those European accountantants working for Mueller????:confused:

[Carlos Pineiro]

Garry, you obviously have a lot of time on your hands. You also have a vivid imagination. You also think that people can be fooled easily enough not to see inaccuracies in their pay checks. In your mythical world, mueller is doing some slight of hand, and all of us are getting shorted pay and none of us have caught on so far.

Obviously, you have nothing better to do with your time than. To troll people on message boards and make up fantastical baseless stories about people and nefarious companies who nickel and dime their employees.

I have done over 5000 houses, farms and businesses for this company. I have been paid exactly what they said they would pay me. I have audited my payroll many times, just for the hell of it, and they have never missed a house or a mile. I have filed income taxes 3 times. Everything else here is just you making stuff up so you can sound like a smart guy. I'm 56 years old, and yeah, I've been posting daily since 1992 so I have plenty of experience addressing trolls on the web who like to imagine things...like you. LMAO. Have a nice day imagining all the people who get wrong pay checks out there.


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[Garry Sorrells]

Garry, you obviously have a lot of time on your hands. You also have a vivid imagination. You also think that people can be fooled easily enough not to see inaccuracies in their pay checks. In your mythical world, mueller is doing some slight of hand, and all of us are getting shorted pay and none of us have caught on so far.

Obviously, you have nothing better to do with your time than. To troll people on message boards and make up fantastical baseless stories about people and nefarious companies who nickel and dime their employees.

......., I've been posting daily since 1992 so I have plenty of experience addressing trolls on the web who like to imagine things...like you. LMAO. Have a nice day imagining all the people who get wrong pay checks out there.


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Carlos very cheeky response. A supposition might be that you would know about being a Troll. Which would explain how you were able to generate:
1 million posts between 1993 and 2012. (19years)
That's 52,631 posts per year,
1,012/week,
145/day or
18/hour working 8 hours/day 7 days a week. No time off, no breaks, no sick days.
25 posts per hour at 8 hr day and 5 days per week with a 40 hour week ( no overtime).

" Obviously, you have nothing better to do with your time than..." And you question my allocation of time ?
Just in case we are not using the same understand of term :::
Wikipedia : Troll
In Internet slang (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_slang), a troll (/ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English)ˈ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)t (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)r (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)oʊ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)l (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)/ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English), / (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English)ˈ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)t (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)r (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)ɒ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)l (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key)/ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English)) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people,[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29#cite_note-Campbell-Trolls-1) by posting inflammatory,[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29#cite_note-2) extraneous (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/extraneous#Adjective), or off-topic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-topic) messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsgroup), forum, chat room (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chat_room), or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotion) response[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29#cite_note-PCMAG_def-3) or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29#cite_note-IUKB_def-4)

""To troll people on message boards and make up fantastical baseless stories about people and nefarious companies who nickel and dime their employees. "". Is far from accurate. I have been on this forum since 2008. I didn't come looking for you or Mueller. Mueller was and is still an active topic within this forum. I was not my "deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotion) response" yet it seems to have had that effect on you.

Carlos, you seem fixated on two points that are wrong.
First is that I think Mueller employees are stupid, absolutely not the case.
Second, that my comments, opinions and statements are non fact based, which is incorrect since it is the Mueller employees that bring the facts to the forum for discussion not I.

If my questioning the veracity of a company that works hard at maintaining a low compensation package for its employees (as stated by others) causes you consternation on your view of the company, may be a good thing. It may be that you you are not really that in love with Mueller and my thoughts on why an employee was terminated threatens you emotional connection with Mueller. Yes it is difficult when you start to have encodes in the corporate religion and maintaining your personal faith in the company. You tend to lash out against those that cause your question of faith.

It is evident that you must not comprehend what you read or you are selective on what you focus on as you seem to not realize that in the resent discussion on Muller has been the result of our forum's member being terminated by Mueller. Furthermore, discrepancies in Mueller's employment practices that have been stated by others are far from me having a "vivid imagination" as you state. I have made a few posts in this thread though have for the most part just followed the discussion.

Your issue seems to revolve around the thought that Mueller management could not act fraudulently or with malice in connection to their employees. It is evident that they have in at least one case. Could there be others? Very possible. To what degree may be the real question.

[Carlos Pineiro]

The assertion that this company cheats people is nonsense. People, by en large, aren't so stupid not to notice such implausible activity. If you come here to bash a company with baseless accusations, you must either be a disgruntled former employee or just someone with a very negative view on things. I challenge you to post any proof that payroll wrongdoing has occurred. Your posts are silly accusations and are baseless. Your online assault at me, taking the time to exhume old posts and make fun of someone you don't know shows that you have nothing better to do. Go look for a job and stop bothering people on the Internet.


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[Garry Sorrells]

The assertion that this company cheats people is nonsense. People, by en large, aren't so stupid not to notice such implausible activity. If you come here to bash a company with baseless accusations, you must either be a disgruntled former employee or just someone with a very negative view on things. I challenge you to post any proof that payroll wrongdoing has occurred. Your posts are silly accusations and are baseless. Your online assault at me, taking the time to exhume old posts and make fun of someone you don't know shows that you have nothing better to do. Go look for a job and stop bothering people on the Internet.


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As I head off in to the real world for the day.

I don't think that I have made fun of you unless you think that by wondering(questioning) how you were able to make 1 million posts over 19 years is making fun of you then explain. I just thought that the numbers were interesting and really wondered how you did it. I do differentiate Posts from Tweets.

Again you seem fixated on trying to say that I think people are stupid, which I do not.

The assertion that a company can not cheat their employee is a fallacious argument.
Ergo:
Do all companies cheat their employees, NO.
Is it possible for companies to cheat their employees, YES.
Do all management conspire against their employees, NO.
Can management conspire against their employees, YES. Be it a group or singular employee.
and so goes the arguments....

The arguments that I have posed in the postings are based on fact as seen in this thread's postings. Possibly you haven't read them or are not willing to recognize them. Go back and reread the postings made by others from which the facts(statements/conditions/situations) are presented. I challenge you to reread the postings.

Frankly you contention that I have made an assault on you is only in your mind. Then again if by questioning a position, statement or thought is deemed by you an assault I am guilty. It seems that there are some people that equate being confronted with a question is an assault. Being questioned on how something was accomplished or will be accomplished is deemed an assault. I do not subscribe to that mentality. I take exception with your conjuncture that I have " assaulted " you or anyone else in any thread or posting within this forum. I may have a little fun and quipping at times but that is all in a good nature discussion. This is a forum not a tribunal.

[Kristi Silber]

The assertion that this company cheats people is nonsense. People, by en large, aren't so stupid not to notice such implausible activity. If you come here to bash a company with baseless accusations, you must either be a disgruntled former employee or just someone with a very negative view on things. I challenge you to post any proof that payroll wrongdoing has occurred. Your posts are silly accusations and are baseless. Your online assault at me, taking the time to exhume old posts and make fun of someone you don't know shows that you have nothing better to do. Go look for a job and stop bothering people on the Internet.


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Carlos,
I'm not going to post it, but just yesterday or the day before I found the 2012 email I'd written to my manager complaining that she had lowered my base pay by $2/hr, to which she responded that she would talk to me on the phone about it (less chance of there being a record of the conversation that way!). Either she wasn't aware of company policy (hard to believe, since she was by no means new), or the company policy wasn't enforced. Things may have changed in the past couple years, but managers once had significant latitude in how much FRs were paid. For instance, some of them gave extra for cases that took extra long or were far away, and some didn't. This latitude may have contributed to a company-wide laxity in oversight that led to policy abuses by managers. To say that they didn't occur is to question the veracity of what I and others have reported here. Any suggestion that they (I) were foolish to do something like accept a pay cut presupposes that they have been educated about payroll policy, and that is not a fair supposition. The whole hiring process is not conducive to transparency, since you can go through the process of interviewing, and being hired and trained before you even get a manager to tell you the minimum you will be making...and that may not be what you were told to begin with. I never got any piece of paper saying anything about pay rate, did you? I went through my personnel file, and there was not one record there from the time I was hired besides those I filled out (application, etc.), my I-9, and my background check. Doesn't that seem a little odd?

Likewise, whether the company could be accused of legal wrongdoing or not, they were not transparent in their disclosure of the effects on wages of the change in mileage taxation.

From Carlos's post #228 in this thread:

"change in non-taxable mileage gives us the illusion we're making more" [quoted from a post of mine]

Nothing about payroll is illusionary. The payroll tab shows any rep the miles, wages, and time involved in black and white. We are not salaried people. Our pay is a little more complicated since it involves three factors (fees time, and miles) ...

I agree the mileage rate being lowered sucked, but who likes making less money? It wasn't a popular move, but it was formally announced and not sneaked in, so at least they are consistent.

The change in taxes was itself not sneaky, but they left it to us to figure out that it could affect our wages. Any apparent increase in gross wages (per hour worked) as a result of the change in taxation was, in fact, illusory. FR pay depends not only on fees, time and miles, it can also depend on the proportion of mileage paid tax-free. Come tax time, I worked out that I could have made over $200 more if they hadn't changed the tax rates - and I get no mileage reimbursement.

Perhaps the change was so that they didn't have to pay as much to those who actually did get mileage reimbursement, but the change had the potential to lower pay across the board. Judging by your posts, you didn't seem to see this, and I'm pretty sure it slipped by many others.

One thing that was blatantly deceptive is the supposed "average" completion times that I mentioned before. They are laughable.

You, Carlos, seem to think that everyone has had the experiences you've had. You dismiss others' experiences as if they didn't happen or were the fault of the FR for not confronting their manager. I did so, and it did me no good.

Managers, in my experience, vary widely. I had 4 in the time I was there: Manager A, then B, then C, then B, then D, then B again. Manager B was the worst, and I was stuck with her for the last 1 1/2 years (I'm sure she had no good feelings for me, since she's the one who decreased my wages and would presumably have gotten in trouble for it. The upper manager I ended up complaining to was not happy about having to go through and calculate by hand that which was owed me).

[Carlos Pineiro]

I can only speak from my experience, of course. If some managers gave bonus pay, that might have been their prerogative to do so. If you were shorted pay, maybe a manager was doing that on their own, illegally. As far as the company wide policy goes, if anyone thinks there is purposeful cheating going on, the labor board in their state can be contacted, and people can post here. So far, I haven't seen or read anything like that. I'm sorry if a manager messed with your pay, that could happen in any company, and does, but I don't see any evidence of a company wide scam going on, and if there was, it would be in more than a couple of message board posts.


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[Kristi Silber]

No one said anything about a company-wide "scam." It's a particular corporate mentality that enables bending the rules on a small scale and a lack of transparency on the large. But hey, who expects them to tell their employees that a change in their taxation rates could also affect their wages? It's a brilliant business move.

[Garry Sorrells]

"Scam" made me think of "SPAM" which then clued me into how someone could have 1 million posts over 19 years.

Create 1 post and spam it to 20,000 people 50 times and you have sent 1 million posts . :hail:

Sorry, :focus:

[robin cooper]

Thank for the positivity .. I a just getting in t this field



Hello,
A lot of this stuff is true, but a lot of it is based on region. The more densely populated regions have higher volume, and those field inspectors make SIGNIFICANTLY more work. They hold onto field inspectors in certain areas just to cover their work load to make sure time requirements are met for certain insurance companies. Training is fairly detailed, and can be over-whelming for some people, but if you are smart, there are ways to get around stuff and make the job "work for you". Also, throughout this feed, people have raised the question about cost of materials type topic..Some cheaper equipment is sufficient, and a lot of it can be used as write-offs (You are not expected to run out and buy a computer JUST for this job, and not expected to run out and spend $500 on an Ashton Kucher Nikon camera. There are other things to pick up as time goes by and experience occurs (sentence may not be accurate :) ).
When you start the job sucks, and it feels like it's a waste of time, but in some cases, once you "get your feet wet" things start to look better.

[Mason Mueller]

[QUOTE=Kristi Silber;253430]Carlos,
I'm not going to post it, but just yesterday or the day before I found the 2012 email I'd written to my manager complaining that she had lowered my base pay by $2/hr, to which she responded that she would talk to me on the phone about it

Hi Kristi I was just called on Friday to tell me I would have a $1 base rate reduction and this was all of the state of Virginia. due to work volumes. HMMMMMMM and I know I am a top performing FR due to never getting calls or emails about performance what the heck is going on?

Oh please don't chime in Carlos

[Luke S]

Hello:

Can anyone tell me if the position of "Field Inspector" is a good job? I was offered training for the position, but the reviews seem mixed.

Any information or advice would be helpful.

[Scott Dirk]

Hello:

Can anyone tell me if the position of "Field Inspector" is a good job? I was offered training for the position, but the reviews seem mixed.

Any information or advice would be helpful.

If you're looking to gain some entry level experience in the industry (inspections, land surveying, etc.), it's not a bad option. However, in terms of pay, advancement, wear and tear on your own equipment, etc., it's not a great job. It's probably easier to make money if you're in an urban area with a dense population.

[John InJersey]

Thanks for the great info, looking to work there. What do you do with all the case paperwork that you have to print out. Do you then scan and upload? Just wondering if you could keep most of it online with editing software.

[Veteran Field Rep]

Advice to anyone looking for reasonably current feedback on Mueller:

I strongly suggest checking out the reviews on Glassdoor. The feedback and overall rating speaks volumes...I had extensive experience with Mueller, currently perform contract surveys for ten vendors, Mueller was by far and away the most poorly managed experience. Still is apparently...

[Garry Sorrells]

Here is a Link if some one is interested.:

https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Mueller-Services-Reviews-E272289.htm