Volume and Field Services
After eight years of experience in mystery shopping and one year of conducting commercial inspections, I was introduced to the concept of volume, with respect to field services. As a grad student in the University of Phoenix MBA program, I learned about and enjoyed the Risk Management module with managing positive risks being a focus."I need volume." "We have volume." "Do they have volume?"were mantras and questions hungry and thirsty individuals had. Independent contractors were hungry for volume and mortgage field services companies with volume needed independent contractors.
Americans were losing their homes at a rate unheard of in the past. Thousands upon thousands of mortgage foreclosures. Those homes with mortgages needed inspecting, cleaning, boarding, and maintaining. Basically, there were tons of volume in mortgage field services. If you were about your game, or liked to eat, you'd be in on this feast.
That was in the past. Mortgage field services has slowed down tremendously. However, if you can snag yourself an attractive mortgage field services contract, with volume and other manageable tasks, you are winning. If you are able to acquire any type of field services contract with decent (ie...consistent) volume and manageable tasks, you are on your way to being a successful and professional field services representative.
Positive Risks
Now that I contract with several field services type companies, the work is starting to get plentiful. Enter the positive risks. When I first started out an old field services veteran gave me a few pointers. One thing I was told was to diversify or work for several companies, completing different types of inspections or field services work. I have done that. As of today, I inspect cars, businesses, heavy equipment, damaged freight, foreclosed property and other real estate, conduct EBT/SNAP (food stamp) vendor reviews and FDA recalls. I don't turn down anything, but my collar!
It's exciting and can be overwhelming at times when you are in the field working a contract and the phone is ringing off the hook with more work! You should be so lucky. Well, I am that lucky. Yesterday was a day full of Tesla inspections and EBT/SNAP (food stamp) reviews. All of those people love to see me coming. When I step on the scene, their business deals are taking off! New cars and new revenues abound! I LOVE MY JOB!
One of my steady partners, We Go Look, called with new assignments that are coming out. We Go Look is quickly becoming one of my favorite field services type companies to contract with. As a beginner and depending on your area, the work might be competitive to snag - but keep at it! Plus, do a GREAT job. I've been successfully conducting "looks" for We Go Look for a couple of years and have been promoted to the "Pro Team". I no longer have to sit on top of my email vying for field services work in Los Angeles with We Go Look. They call me! Your city, circumstances, and assignments will differ - but keep at it!
The USDA has started a new program and their requests for reviews are increasing. We Go Look is acquiring new clients and as such, my workload is increasing. What do you do when you are getting all the work you can handle and then some? Will you have an overflow plan or a back up? Is it time to hire staff? Answers to these questions are the things Positive Risk Management is made of. I'll have to consider hiring sub-contractors. Maybe I'll have to turn down some work. A bird in the hand is worth more than two in a bush, right? I have to find a happy medium. Maybe I can cut down on my sleep.
Sleepless nights are the things that dreams-come-true are made of!So the moral of today's story is to diversify! Be willing to take on new assignments and work your way up to the better ones. Those things will get you all the volume you can handle. But, do have a contingency plan. Spend some time thinking about your positive risks and managing them. What will you do if you get too much field services work? You should be so lucky!
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