sundance-communications.com Forums Member Forums Telephone Complaint Department & Contractors Direct Source

Anybody have any dealings with Direct Source? I did a job for them and now I wish that I never heard of them.

What happened slow or no payment??

I have done work for them in the past (Jan 2012) with no problems. I was contacted by Stephen Hewitt on June 23rd to replace about 18 to 20 credit card machines and take a couple of pictures at a local Target. I told him my rates were $XX.00 per hour. He told me it was a flat rate job $250.00 and that most techs finish it in about 4 hours. I figured that since I have been doing this for quite some time I would probably be able to do the project as fast or faster than the average tech so I said sure. He said I the job would have to be started at 5am, I really didn't want to have to get up that early for what would be just regular pay but since I told him I would do the job I said fine start at 5am. He said I would have to sign a schedule "A" and then he would send me the work order. Well a schedule "A" is a six page contract for the Target project. I normally don't have to sign anything but a non-compete and 1099 but I went ahead and signed it and sent it back. In the contract is a claws that if you don't upload all the deliverables with in two business days there will be a 25% reduction in pay.(should have been a red flag for me) Then on July 1st Terry Gallus (project manager) then sent me the work order, it had six attachments over 50 pages or instructions. I scanned over the paperwork but didn't take the time to read it in detail, if I would have I would have asked them to find someone else. The day of the job I arrived at Target at 5am and replaced 25 credit card machines. Each machine takes about 15 to 25 minutes to come up (if there is no problem) I was able to remove old devices clean double sided tape residue from counter tops drill and screw new mounting brackets, install new devices, record serial numbers and take pictures and was done by 12:30 ($250 for 7.5 hours of labor = $33.33 per hour) really can't afford to work for that. They have a portal that you upload documents and pictures and it will let you load several files at a time or at least let you think you are. I loaded all the documents and pictures. The portal doesn't let you see what has been up loaded so you just have assume everything you put there is there. A few days later I got an email from Buffy Johnson saying that they haven't received all of the deliverables. So I went back to the portal and uploaded the files one at a time making sure that they all went. A few days later Ms. Johnson sent me another email saying the same thing so I called Terry and left him a voicemail, he didn't return my call so I called him again a few days later and he informed me that even though I uploaded the deliverables under a job number in their portal they couldn't find them because I didn't change the file names to their specs. also I needed to put a water mark or text on each picture so they could tell which cash register it was attached to. I spent almost as much time doing paper work as I did on site doing the job. Also Direct Source informed me that they do not accept 1099's with a SSN that I would have to get an EIN to do business with them. I really didn't want to change the way I do my taxes so I called them and told them to just remove me from their list of techs. Well yesterday I received and email informing me that they had sent a direct deposit of $187.50 for the Target project, so I assume they deducted %25 per the contract I signed. I guess I learned something from all of this. Direct Source didn't lie to me but they didn't tell me the whole truth about how long the project would take or how much admin time was required. I agreed to do the job before I really knew what was required, I should have backed out after I saw the pile of documents they were sending my way but I didn't If I make a commitment I try keep it.

This company goes back on their word constantly. They will include, hidden in the blather, "gotchas" and caveats that will allow them to get the job done for nothing. I refuse to do work for these shysters.

Rcaman

The whole hidden reductions BS is what bothers me. I understand these companies have to make money etc. but the idea that if I get busy with my own customer and bill them a day late my pay gets docked.

I did a job for Telecommunications Solutions last month and my final statement was that i can send a guy for them but i expect to be paid for his time regardless of any of their nonsense requirements and that is the only way i will send him. They agreed to that .... time will tell if they live up to it.

George: Do they need added to the list?

what list is that... they are already on mine. I should have a flag or two go off when I received over 50 pages of documents just to change out credit card machines.

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This is a list designed to help us whittle out the bad eggs. Use it. It works.

Rcaman

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