# FAS REQUIRES &quot;Smartphone&quot; Useage.



## Guest

As of 12-1-11 they require smartphone use with their proprietary uploader app. Can they do this? Is this within legal parameters of a contractor / subcontractor arrangement? Can anyone site any pertinent legal documentation re: this? Sounds like a load of crap to me. If it is legal (are we living in russia?), looks like I'll again be parting ways with this piece of work MFS co.

Sorry if this has already been addressed.


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## Guest

sure it's legal, you are free to not contract with them.


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## Guest

I couldn't imagine not having a smartphone anyway. I can run my entire working world on it if I need to. Just get the cheapest one you can get, usually free, and pay the 30 buck a month data package. Once you get used to it, you will wonder how you ever got by without it.

But like was said, you are free to work for someone else.


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## Guest

I can't imagine being in business and not having a smart phone, that being said you don't have to get one, you can alway work somewhere else, or just play angry birds on your PC.

It really is no different than the digital camera and internet access you were required to have when you started


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## thanohano44

MHR said:


> As of 12-1-11 they require smartphone use with their proprietary uploader app. Can they do this? Is this within legal parameters of a contractor / subcontractor arrangement? Can anyone site any pertinent legal documentation re: this? Sounds like a load of crap to me. If it is legal (are we living in russia?), looks like I'll again be parting ways with this piece of work MFS co.
> 
> Sorry if this has already been addressed.


The reason is it helps them report back quicker to their clients. I have yet to see a cell phone take better photos than a digital camera. The flash on the phone is nowhere near as good at a Kodak. You're better off getting an android tablet and transferring your photos from your camera to there. I have the HTC thunderbolt and iPhone 4s. Both have great cameras for cell phones but can't compete with a camera.


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## BPWY

I hate their damn touch stuff.

I try using my wifes and in about 2 minutes want to drive over it with my pickup.

I'm happy with my netbook with regular key board and mouse.
Still using an old style flip phone.


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## david

i see a lot of companys going to smartphone usage only now,is it better i dont think so but company policy.


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## Guest

thanohano44 said:


> The reason is it helps them report back quicker to their clients. I have yet to see a cell phone take better photos than a digital camera. The flash on the phone is nowhere near as good at a Kodak. You're better off getting an android tablet and transferring your photos from your camera to there. I have the HTC thunderbolt and iPhone 4s. Both have great cameras for cell phones but can't compete with a camera.


Well said but my tablet only has 5mb front and rear camera.I take the pics with the digitial camera and then upload them to my tablet and off they go.I do have a smart phone but am not so good at using it.


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## Guest

Ive already told them Im not able to use my phone due to service issues. Several things they didnt consider:

If my service isnt good till i get home why not just use a camera and upload at home like I always do.

Battery life on a smart phone is crap. Now put that in 10 degree temps and I guarentee the battery wont last an hour on an initial with all the pics taken for jani, wint, and debris.

How about durability?? I blew through 3 cameras in 2 yrs. I now use a freeze proof, shock proof, waterproof, dust proof fuji with a non mechanical zoom and its lasted 2yrs so far.

Photo/flash quality??!!

If its not going to save me time, and be more of a headache, why would I use it?

Just saying.....


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## Guest

I don't work for fas but use smartphone exclusively. Currently using Droid incredible. The camera works just as good as my Kodak digital camera, so does the flash. I know a real digital camera may have more pixels, but my phone has a 8 mp and you have to set to lowest setting anyway. Battery is also comparable to the Kodak. If you have bad service area there's not much you can do. After owning and using my smartphone ill never go back.


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## thanohano44

ARpreservation said:


> Ive already told them Im not able to use my phone due to service issues. Several things they didnt consider:
> 
> If my service isnt good till i get home why not just use a camera and upload at home like I always do.
> 
> Battery life on a smart phone is crap. Now put that in 10 degree temps and I guarentee the battery wont last an hour on an initial with all the pics taken for jani, wint, and debris.
> 
> How about durability?? I blew through 3 cameras in 2 yrs. I now use a freeze proof, shock proof, waterproof, dust proof fuji with a non mechanical zoom and its lasted 2yrs so far.
> 
> Photo/flash quality??!!
> 
> If its not going to save me time, and be more of a headache, why would I use it?
> 
> Just saying.....


A android tablet will do just fine. No 2 year contract required. Just transfer your photos from your camera via Bluetooth or FireWire to the tablet. Those droid tablets run about the same as a digital camera. 

I hear you on battery life though. The more you charge your batteries, the more worn out your device will get. I go through cell phones 2-3 times a year. I just got my iPhone 4s.


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## david

im gonna be new to using phone for pics,sowhats difference between using digital or phone then send them once your back at office???


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## david

Ar what did they tell you when you said could'nt use phone,im problaby gonna have same problem


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## thanohano44

d+jhomeservices said:


> im gonna be new to using phone for pics,sowhats difference between using digital or phone then send them once your back at office???


Android has an app that uploads your photos from site for FAS. Here's the problem. Nobody has unlimited data. You'll be paying out of your azz!!! You need to find someone who wants out of their contract with unlimited data. I suggest AT&T or Verizon. FAS should've put you in touch with a local Verizon or At&t business sales rep. If not, pm me and I will set you up with my people.


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## Guest

thanohano44 said:


> Android has an app that uploads your photos from site for FAS. Here's the problem. Nobody has unlimited data. You'll be paying out of your azz!!! You need to find someone who wants out of their contract with unlimited data. I suggest AT&T or Verizon. FAS should've put you in touch with a local Verizon or At&t business sales rep. If not, pm me and I will set you up with my people.


http://gigaom.com/broadband/another-unlimited-mobile-data-plan-bites-the-dust/

Don't use a smartphone for picture uploading if at all possible (this isn't referring to taking pictures on phone and transferring them via USB to computer). You will quickly rack up GB of usage, and there really is no such thing as an unlimited data plan.


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## BPWY

Yeah there isn't unlimited any more.

I HAD unlimited on my air card because I was a customer way back when........ they went and changed it to a 5 gig cap without even asking me.
No grandfathered in or any thing of that sort.

I'd tell FAS I don't have a smartphone and unless they foot the entire bill from the phone purchase, data plan, monthly bill and overages they can keep dreaming, I aint buying one.


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## Guest

Paradox said:


> http://gigaom.com/broadband/another-unlimited-mobile-data-plan-bites-the-dust/
> 
> Don't use a smartphone for picture uploading if at all possible (this isn't referring to taking pictures on phone and transferring them via USB to computer). You will quickly rack up GB of usage, and there really is no such thing as an unlimited data plan.


Verizon is unlimited if you've had a contract before the switch. All my pics are upload thru my phones, thousands a month.


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## Guest

When you use your smartphone to take pics it stores alot more data than you think. One of the things FAS gets is that the pics a tagged with a GPS marker confirming your taking pics of the correct house or not cheating using a house from Safegaurd for pics. I heard it was coming. A buddy of mine was in on the beta testing.


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## Guest

It's called geo-tagging.


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## BPWY

mbobbish734 said:


> Verizon is unlimited if you've had a contract before the switch. All my pics are upload thru my phones, thousands a month.





BPWY said:


> Yeah there isn't unlimited any more.
> 
> I HAD unlimited on my air card because I was a customer way back when........ they went and changed it to a 5 gig cap without even asking me.
> No grandfathered in or any thing of that sort.








You just think its unlimited. This is unless its different in different markets.

I got a call one day from VZ telling me that my monthly bill was going down a few bux. I asked why this was. Normally a bill does not go down.

They said that they killed the unlimited data plan and reduced the rate by $5 a month.


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## thanohano44

Hardly Working said:


> When you use your smartphone to take pics it stores alot more data than you think. One of the things FAS gets is that the pics a tagged with a GPS marker confirming your taking pics of the correct house or not cheating using a house from Safegaurd for pics. I heard it was coming. A buddy of mine was in on the beta testing.


We've been using it with FAS for about 2 years till I dropped them.


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## thanohano44

BPWY said:


> You just think its unlimited. This is unless its different in different markets.
> 
> I got a call one day from VZ telling me that my monthly bill was going down a few bux. I asked why this was. Normally a bill does not go down.
> 
> They said that they killed the unlimited data plan and reduced the rate by $5 a month.


I have my unlimited data with VZW and AT&T. Both have said once I reach the 2gb mark of data, they will throttle my speeds to a lower level. So that I'm not taking up the resources that can enhance the others experience. Socialized cell phone data use.


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## BPWY

At a 5 gig cap it probably feels unlimited.


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## Splinterpicker

I have been using teh FAS app and I have to say it has been pretty cool. As with any new technology it has been a fight at times... But to come home hit approve and 5 minutes later be out of t eh office after a 450 pic trashout THAT ROCKS. Back in the day it took 2 additional hours to label resize and send them to the account manager. That sucked... But money was way better. 

Question How many housed ANNUALLY do you get sent with Bad addresses. Not just next door but say in wrong city and wrong zip code and wrong numbers IE 3478 should be 2530 ( big difference) ??? I just had one that was all the above.


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## Guest

BPWY said:


> You just think its unlimited. This is unless its different in different markets.
> 
> I got a call one day from VZ telling me that my monthly bill was going down a few bux. I asked why this was. Normally a bill does not go down.
> 
> They said that they killed the unlimited data plan and reduced the rate by $5 a month.


Just checked my plan, unlimited and this month I'm at 8.76 gb data usage.


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## BPWY

Odd.


I've run across other folks on the net that had the same thing happen to them.
I wonder why VZ would pick and choose like that?
Its not that I need unlimited, just that I don't like how they switched me off of it.


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## Guest

Vz tried to "upgrade" our wireless card for over 3yrs but if i do then we lose our unlimited usage. Sure hope my usb wireless card thingy dont break cuz they said the "good thing would be over"


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## thanohano44

FremontREO said:


> Vz tried to "upgrade" our wireless card for over 3yrs but if i do then we lose our unlimited usage. Sure hope my usb wireless card thingy dont break cuz they said the "good thing would be over"


You might want to check with a business rep. You should be grandfathered in. Even on the 4g LTE networks.


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## thanohano44

BPWY said:


> Odd.
> 
> I've run across other folks on the net that had the same thing happen to them.
> I wonder why VZ would pick and choose like that?
> Its not that I need unlimited, just that I don't like how they switched me off of it.


Something doesn't sound right about your story. Somebody screwed up and tried to fix it with a phone call.


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## mtmtnman

mbobbish734 said:


> Just checked my plan, unlimited and this month I'm at 8.76 gb data usage.


Saw this thread earlier so i stopped by the company store. No such thing as unlimited here. 3 Gig a moth before the charges start. I have a ruggedized smart phone but damn it i can take the pictures on my cannon, run out to the truck and pop the photos in my netbook before i n 1/3rd of the time i could do it in the stinkin phone. The shutter lag between photos stinks to high heaven anyways! Oh, On the GPS thing, You can shut that off. I'll give you another reason for them wanting you to use the phone. They can see how long you where at the property and use that to cut the rates further. Hmm, it only took you 2 hours to clean that house! Instead of $75 where going to pay you $50!!!


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## Splinterpicker

thats exactly what they want but what they dont realize is that the phone and times are not a true reflection of how long it takes to do a job. On trashouts with a janit I tell my guys to do the kitchen and bathroom first. Then when kitchen and bathrooms trashed out I dump cleaning chemicals and let them do their work while we do the rest of the trashout. I do the clean up scrubbing (janit ) then take before (action) and after photos at the same time. There fore it is not a true representation of how long it took. 

I agree the shutter speed is lethargic, and try to balance a phone camera and do work BIG mistake. 

Thy have this HUGE technology push to standardize a non standard industry and it is just going to back fire. When we talked to the team that came through from FAS about where they came up with the cap prices for the flat fee they said they averaged all the work orders for cubes. Well if it is going to be more cost effective for me to report less cubes and not have the discount which way would you go ?? When this dilema was put before them they said they took that into account ... YHEA right. 


Bottom line 
They lost AMHSI 
Have too much overhead 
And we are paying for it.


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## mtmtnman

splinterpicker said:


> thats exactly what they want but what they dont realize is that the phone and times are not a true reflection of how long it takes to do a job. On trashouts with a janit I tell my guys to do the kitchen and bathroom first. Then when kitchen and bathrooms trashed out I dump cleaning chemicals and let them do their work while we do the rest of the trashout. I do the clean up scrubbing (janit ) then take before (action) and after photos at the same time. There fore it is not a true representation of how long it took.
> 
> I agree the shutter speed is lethargic, and try to balance a phone camera and do work BIG mistake.
> 
> Thy have this HUGE technology push to standardize a non standard industry and it is just going to back fire. When we talked to the team that came through from FAS about where they came up with the cap prices for the flat fee they said they averaged all the work orders for cubes. Well if it is going to be more cost effective for me to report less cubes and not have the discount which way would you go ?? When this dilema was put before them they said they took that into account ... YHEA right.
> 
> 
> Bottom line
> They lost AMHSI
> Have too much overhead
> And we are paying for it.



Just looked at my phone and there is no way to put a lanyard on it. Wonder how many peoples phones are going to "slip and be flushed"???:laughing:


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## Guest

mtmtnman- if you have the casio ruggedized android like mine you can put a lanyard on it just below the power button is the 2 holes for it.
Verizon did away with the unlimited data plans...BUT if you had it before they got rid of it they consider you grandfathered in and will not drop the unlimited.
As long as you don't ever change off of unlimited you can keep it. I use somewhere between 5 and 9 gb a month and never get charged more than my $30 unlimited deal and my speed has never been cut. I have rooted my phone so that I can use wifi on my laptop from my phone with no extra charges in the field.


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## mtmtnman

tenec said:


> mtmtnman- if you have the casio ruggedized android like mine you can put a lanyard on it just below the power button is the 2 holes for it.
> Verizon did away with the unlimited data plans...BUT if you had it before they got rid of it they consider you grandfathered in and will not drop the unlimited.
> As long as you don't ever change off of unlimited you can keep it. I use somewhere between 5 and 9 gb a month and never get charged more than my $30 unlimited deal and my speed has never been cut. I have rooted my phone so that I can use wifi on my laptop from my phone with no extra charges in the field.




I see that now. Still don't help the darn lag time and chitty LED light they call a flash........................


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## Guest

mtmtnman said:


> I see that now. Still don't help the darn lag time and chitty LED light they call a flash........................


It must be the phone, mine can snap and snap and snap with no lag.


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## mtmtnman

mbobbish734 said:


> It must be the phone, mine can snap and snap and snap with no lag.



I'm used to my Cannons. I don't have to wait to focus or anything. Just take pics. This is running Android 2.2. In low light conditions you have to hold perfectly still or the pic is blurry every time. I forgot my camera a few weeks back and after 1 convey inspection in a dark home, 80 photos, my battery was just about toast and it had come off the dock fully charged 2 hours before. Granted low signal eats batteries too. I just don't see this smart phone thing working well. Hell half the time here in the mountains i have little or no signal!! BAC pitches a fit when i'm not on site for initial secure approval. Told the chick last time when BAC supplies us with a Satellite Phone i'll be on site for them. Until then tough chit............


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## Guest

This casio phone is crap as far as useful. It is damn near un breakable but as far as speed, there is none. The camera is slow as molasses and the 'flash' is about as good as a lighter. 
I had the droid x before this and miss it like crazy when it comes down to pictures and web. Thinking of going with the new razor droid, I checked it out at verizon the other day and seems to be really fast and if you can get 4g in your area your really good to go, but we wont get 4g till next year sometime.


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## mtmtnman

tenec said:


> This casio phone is crap as far as useful. It is damn near un breakable but as far as speed, there is none. The camera is slow as molasses and the 'flash' is about as good as a lighter.
> I had the droid x before this and miss it like crazy when it comes down to pictures and web. Thinking of going with the new razor droid, I checked it out at verizon the other day and seems to be really fast and if you can get 4g in your area your really good to go, but we wont get 4g till next year sometime.


The phone does everything i need it to do until i am required to use it for pics. I can get my e-mail in an instant, browse the net if need be and make phone calls. Reason i went with it is you can't break it. (not very easily anyways) I had an 8300 LG flip phone for 5 years and had near 4,000 hours on it. In the time i had it i tried a few other phones but they where not rugged enough. Looked at the Droid and Otterbox but it was just too bulky. Same with the I-phone and Otterbox. I'll stick with this for now. I am doing more and more local work that doesn't require pics anyways. We just got 3G last year. We won't see 4G for a couple years............


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## Guest

*Update*

UPDATE:

After telling them I had no intention of buying a smartphone and adding a new service plan, in addition to the existing plan I have, they should just cut me a check for what they owed me and call it a day...again.

Today I get this new .pdf, dated 12-1-11, titled: "Less than 2000 photos per month Amnesty", that went out to all vendors. I coincidentally do fall into that category.


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## Guest

I contacted tmobile who I use as a carrier and they said I have 5000mb on my plan and it doesn't charge if I go over just goes to a slower transfer, sure hope he knows what he is saying


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## thanohano44

IdahoProperty said:


> I contacted tmobile who I use as a carrier and they said I have 5000mb on my plan and it doesn't charge if I go over just goes to a slower transfer, sure hope he knows what he is saying


Not true. We used to have tmobile. they will charge you if you go over your limit. They won't charge you more if you have the unlimited plan, they will throttle your speed down. It's on their contract.


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## Guest

Thank you, I will give them another call tomorrow about that and also to see if I can monitor where I am at online with this data


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## mtmtnman

Still don't do us much good here. So many of our properties are rural in the mountains without signal..............


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## Guest

from what I understand you don't need signal at the property, the pics will download once you get into a signal area. But I am not real sure


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## thanohano44

IdahoProperty said:


> from what I understand you don't need signal at the property, the pics will download once you get into a signal area. But I am not real sure


That's true.


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## david

my thoughts on fas and this phone usage is a crock of


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## david

and without amh how much work are we actually gonna get,i say all the vendors go on strike for a month see how they like that:thumbup:


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## thanohano44

d+jhomeservices said:


> and without amh how much work are we actually gonna get,i say all the vendors go on strike for a month see how they like that:thumbup:


FAS has more than just AHMSI. They also have B of A, Litton, Quicken Loans etc. perhaps that's all they might have in your area. They still had FNMA in Utah when we severed our ties with them.


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## david

than 95% of my work is amh has been 5 years i been with them,thats why im debating even doing this phone crap because i know without amh work here is literally going to nothing unless they pick up more contracts for this area.


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## mtmtnman

d+jhomeservices said:


> than 95% of my work is amh has been 5 years i been with them,thats why im debating even doing this phone crap because i know without amh work here is literally going to nothing unless they pick up more contracts for this area.


D+J, Can you make $$$ on the flat rate???? I can't see how at $400 for 40 cubes, wint, lawn and janitorial.... 

Oh, Here are some pics of an FAS REO house i QC'ed for another co. tonight. Fount paint, debris, Saran Wrap instead of toilet seat covers and dust everywhere. Outside there was about 20 Cu Yds of debris piled up BEYOND where the property was mowed. I was at this property a year ago and have my old photos. This contractor MIGHT have removed a half pickup load, Nothing more. This is the 3rd one i know of done by FAS up here and not done properly but what do they expect?? When they pay for chit they get chit work!!!!


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## david

mtmt i dont know how anyone can make on this flat fee i know i'll be definetly looking for other work,that was my point earlier if the vendors dont stick together they'll keep screwin us


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## thanohano44

mtmtnman said:


> D+J, Can you make $$$ on the flat rate???? I can't see how at $400 for 40 cubes, wint, lawn and janitorial....
> 
> Oh, Here are some pics of an FAS REO house i QC'ed for another co. tonight. Fount paint, debris, Saran Wrap instead of toilet seat covers and dust everywhere. Outside there was about 20 Cu Yds of debris piled up BEYOND where the property was mowed. I was at this property a year ago and have my old photos. This contractor MIGHT have removed a half pickup load, Nothing more. This is the 3rd one i know of done by FAS up here and not done properly but what do they expect?? When they pay for chit they get chit work!!!!


You can leave all paint on an REO and any items that are a part of the home if it hasn't been damaged. I thought FAS mandated you had to use actual toilet covers "like" the ones found on MFS's website? That shrink wrapping toilets nonsense with Saran wrap is too funny. They do that a lot in SLC.


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## BPWY

mtmtnman said:


> This is the 3rd one i know of done by FAS up here and not done properly but what do they expect?? When they pay for chit they get chit work!!!!







Sounds just like 09.



Same song, different verse.


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## thanohano44

BPWY said:


> Sounds just like 09.
> 
> Same song, different verse.


FAS used to pay so dang good it wasn't even funny.


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## BPWY

thanohano44 said:


> FAS used to pay so dang good it wasn't even funny.









And then they got greedy.

Its sickening. 


The lack of pay and respect is what has me almost out of the biz.
SG did pay me quite well last winter. I was able to cash money around $10k in quality used lawn equipment thanks to them.

They just contacted me this week about fixing some jobs that are 3 or 4 weeks past due.


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## mtmtnman

thanohano44 said:


> You can leave all paint on an REO and any items that are a part of the home if it hasn't been damaged. I thought FAS mandated you had to use actual toilet covers "like" the ones found on MFS's website? That shrink wrapping toilets nonsense with Saran wrap is too funny. They do that a lot in SLC.


1st i heard you could leave paint. Fannie, Hud, Freddie all want it gone. Here are a few more pics....


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## thanohano44

mtmtnman said:


> 1st i heard you could leave paint. Fannie, Hud, Freddie all want it gone. Here are a few more pics....


That's just pathetic


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## mtmtnman

BPWY said:


> And then they got greedy.
> 
> Its sickening.
> 
> 
> The lack of pay and respect is what has me almost out of the biz.
> SG did pay me quite well last winter. I was able to cash money around $10k in quality used lawn equipment thanks to them.
> 
> They just contacted me this week about fixing some jobs that are 3 or 4 weeks past due.



Tell em it will cost them!!!


Hey FAS Guys, Does the property i posted look clean to you? All the smoke alarms where beeping as well. This house would have been a MISERABLE failure as a Fannie Mae. Fannie Mae actually has government employees (not p&p inspectors) spot checking some of the properties here. We score between 95-100% on these.........


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## mtmtnman

thanohano44 said:


> That's just pathetic


You think??? It's no wonder Brokers here HATE FAS with a passion...............


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## thanohano44

mtmtnman said:


> You think??? It's no wonder Brokers here HATE FAS with a passion...............


Brokers everywhere really. I have not met a broker who is excited about any national. They all hate them. Especially SG, LPS and FAS.


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## HollandPPC

thanohano44 said:


> Brokers everywhere really. I have not met a broker who is excited about any national. They all hate them. Especially SG, LPS and FAS.


Let's not forget Cypricks.


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## mtmtnman

HollandPPC said:


> Let's not forget Cypricks.


Cyprexx is not to hated in this part of the state. Then again i am their only contractor and i side with the brokers.......


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## HollandPPC

mtmtnman said:


> Cyprexx is not to hated in this part of the state. Then again i am their only contractor and i side with the brokers.......


I wish I could say the same out here. New brokers, new hacks, new coordinators. It's all a giant cluster****.


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## mtmtnman

HollandPPC said:


> I wish I could say the same out here. New brokers, new hacks, new coordinators. It's all a giant cluster****.


Sparsely populated area her. Not a lot of BS unless it does come from a national.........


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## HollandPPC

mtmtnman said:


> Sparsely populated area her. Not a lot of BS unless it does come from a national.........


All national out here means all bs.


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## thanohano44

mtmtnman said:


> Sparsely populated area her. Not a lot of BS unless it does come from a national.........


You don't say.....carry on. Lol


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## Guest

I did a survey of 300 on the smartphone issue when they first instituted it in 2009. if anyone wants the results email me and I'll send it to you...
results were not that great...


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## Splinterpicker

Cleanupman said:


> I did a survey of 300 on the smartphone issue when they first instituted it in 2009. if anyone wants the results email me and I'll send it to you...
> results were not that great...


It has been getting better and it makes the closing out of the work orders SOOOOOOOO much easier. With yard season on us I can do the work and come home upload and close out the Work orders in 1/2 hour where it used to take forever.


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## reoguys

splinterpicker said:


> It has been getting better and it makes the closing out of the work orders SOOOOOOOO much easier. With yard season on us I can do the work and come home upload and close out the Work orders in 1/2 hour where it used to take forever.


What do you do about date stamping the photos if they're sent via smart phone on the spot?


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## Guest

reoguys said:


> What do you do about date stamping the photos if they're sent via smart phone on the spot?


Photos are date/time stamped and GPS satmped also...that is if they still using Pruvan as the the third party...


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## Guest

Below are the questions and results of the survey that we did in 2011.
The results were from 300 vendors of FAS at the time.
Since then many of them have left FAS as they as we can no longer make their number work...
QUESTIONS;
Has the system saved time in the field?
Has this system saved you administrative time?
How do you find the battery life per charge?
Has your company's bottom line improved? 
Are there any issues with the GPS feature?
Has any of you found a way to use these smart phones with a tripod?
Is this system doing everything for your company that it was promoted to do?

RESULTS
Now the Big one SMARTPHONE PHOTO SYSTEM: 
Again the numbers are about even… 
15% of you have mixed results…like/dislike…. 
40% of you have learned to use all the tools and love the system 
25% of stated that you would not invest in the system as the incoming revenue did not justify the investment….can not blame you there… 
15% stated that they felt like partaking in this “mandatory/required” issue would make them an employee… not an independent contractor…sorta true… 
5% of you are waiting on this information before making a decision.………. 
We have three of the systems for our company. My feeling is as follows. 
I do not believe the system lives up to its billing. The system was touted as it would save “time” and “money”. For us this is not true. While it does save time in the photo processing area that time is transferred to another employee. Our administrative costs increased by 30% as someone has to review and approve the photos before they “clear” the system. In addition time in the field increased because the amount of photos that are taken* increased by 35 to 40% per service. 
Here is what we have found. 
1) *The lens is very narrow so you have to take 4 or 5 sometimes 6 photos to cover the same area as 3 photos with a digital camera. 
2) The battery life is weak. One janitorial service the battery is dead. You need to have a charger in your vehicle, especially if you are using all the tools on the phone. 
3) The flash is not that good, distorts color bad!!! 
4) Our cell phone bill went up 40%. If you have not already gotten them and a phone data transfer package BE VERY careful!!! None of the service providers are providing UMLIMITED data transfer plans any more. Even at the size the camera takes photos you will transfer 1+ gigabytes of data per initial service. Once you go over the limit….. 
5) The GPS feature is lousy, Thank you to the Lady and Gentleman in California and Oregon that told me to pull the property up while on the way to the property. This worked well. What I don’t like is when you are in the living room taking photos and the system says you are 39 miles away!!!! 
6) The system did not save our company time and money as promised… 
7) Finally, if you put these in employees hands you better trust them….They will have access to the internet. Anything done on the phone will be charged to you bill. 
8) Memory card in bad and they are pricy….We are using $8 memory cards for the past 5 years in our digitals… 
9) While you are taking photos through the Pruvan system you are on the internet and the phone will recording items. I found photos of some girl in her underwear standing in Times Square, photos of Obama, Charlie Sheen…this list goes on and on!!!! 
There is on big advantage however. 
I was the one coming back to the office and processing photos all hours of the night. I now have time to stop at the river and catch dinner… :clap::clap::clap:
And that, my friends is what I consider a fair trade… 
I wish you all the best and I hope the information helps you figure out the direction you wish to go with your company with these matters

I hope this helps any of you needing to make a decision on this system...
Unless FAS is providing you with $40k a month be carefull They come with two year contracts and only one year warranty's...


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## mtmtnman

Cleanupman said:


> Photos are date/time stamped and GPS satmped also...that is if they still using Pruvan as the the third party...



Just looks to me like a good way to get screwed. "Dear Mr contractor, We see you only spent 10 minutes on the lawn at 100 Main St anywhere USA per the time embedded in your smartphone upload data. This does not justify a $35 re-cut. We are adjusting your invoice to $17.50" (_But where still billing the client full rate of $80_)


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## SwiftRes

All of this info is alread imbedded in your digital camera photos. I look at the timestamps occasionally to see how long it took some of my guys to do jobs. I also use the timestamps to make sure I have the right photos for the right house(always a gap in time between houses). While the time of day might not be set right on your camera, the time it takes from the first before to the last after pic can still be calculated.



mtmtnman said:


> Just looks to me like a good way to get screwed. "Dear Mr contractor, We see you only spent 10 minutes on the lawn at 100 Main St anywhere USA per the time embedded in your smartphone upload data. This does not justify a $35 re-cut. We are adjusting your invoice to $17.50" (_But where still billing the client full rate of $80_)


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## david

*hi*

i still liked digital cameras better and they took better photos,easier to check and less money,a lot less.


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## BPWY

SwiftRes said:


> All of this info is alread imbedded in your digital camera photos. I look at the timestamps occasionally to see how long it took some of my guys to do jobs. I also use the timestamps to make sure I have the right photos for the right house(always a gap in time between houses). While the time of day might not be set right on your camera, the time it takes from the first before to the last after pic can still be calculated.







When I resize thru fast stone all that exif data is removed.


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## SwiftRes

Yeah if you choose that option. I prefer to leave that in tact so when I look back I can tell when it was taken.



BPWY said:


> When I resize thru fast stone all that exif data is removed.


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## Guest

I love my smart phone. Samsung Epic via Sprint. Can't imagine life without it. But...

Smartphones aren't perfect. If your hands or face are hot from working, that touchscreen acts up which is a pain.

Further, a smartphone can run $300 and a cheap camera is only $120.

I carry both and prefer the camera. The phone is a backup.

Also, I would only consider a smartphone if it has hotspot or some sort of router capability like mine. 

Clearing the date info from a photo is smart (i dont want to post why) and is done automatically many date stamp programs.


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## Guest

I always have two camaras and me and the same for my two crews. Anyboby doing this for a while knows u always need a back up with you. Your going to drop them taking 300 plus photos a day it will happen. I guess I would have two phones. not


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## david

*hi*

cleanup is fas telling you workload is gonna pick up? my understanding from talking to them yesterday they are picking up a few new clients but no guarantee where the work will be yet


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## Guest

Every one in the industry is telling me August...
We have not had that much work...just got two properties this morning so I gotta go get busy!!!!!!!!!
But I would look at next month...being busy as that is what everyone is telling us....


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## thanohano44

Cleanupman said:


> Every one in the industry is telling me August...
> We have not had that much work...just got two properties this morning so I gotta go get busy!!!!!!!!!
> But I would look at next month...being busy as that is what everyone is telling us....


Thought you dropped FAS?


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## Guest

We did....
but I'm still in touch with several FAS vendors...no one is handing out work...
Three of the people I know here got work today...including us!!!
none got FAS work though...


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## Guest

Cleanupman said:


> We did....
> but I'm still in touch with several FAS vendors...no one is handing out work...
> Three of the people I know here got work today...including us!!!
> none got FAS work though...


Maybe things are starting up again?
I got 2 new FMac's REO's & 2 new Wells pre's in the last 2 days.


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## Guest

Yeah...
We have some inspections also this morning...
so perhaps it's time to get busy...let's hope!!!


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## Guest

So where did you get your work from then?


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## Guest

Spectrum...not sure if we will continue will them
AMS/HUD


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