Field Agent

Wizzbang

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can help? I signed up with FA in Feb and started doing jobs for them, completed 11 altogether. I'm an experienced Mystery Shopper, but I found it was a little different. So during this time I used their Facebook page to pass comment about my experience of using their app and make queries about why things were/ were not working or how to do something. I just assumed that (like with every other company) this would be a good way to contact them and get queries answered more quickly than email. And tbh, I didn't even have their email address. To start off with they were reasonably helpful.

However, after I experienced some issues when completing tasks because of the rubbish letter of identification they provided, a phone number provided that no-one answered and awkward questions from staff about what I was doing and who I was and why I couldn't provide photo ID- that they could/ would not answer satisfactorily- they became less helpful. When I pushed for a proper response because I was worried the police were going to get involved because I was potentially breaking the law- it culminated in them blocking me, without warning. I have tried to have a conversation through their email address and they got less and less helpful over time too. To the extent now that they won't even reply to my emails.

They initially promised to get the tech team involved, then they admitted I'd been blocked for my FB comments. They accused me of all sorts of ludicrous things, including saying that FA is a forced labour system!!! I mean how ridiculous to suggest that they are involved in human trafficking, debt bondage or slavery- as if I or anyone else would make those claims, after all people are paid to do the tasks! :eek: To be honest, from the unprofessional tone and poor grammar and spelling used by their so-called customer service rep- I don't even think they knew what they were suggesting. It seems like something someone young is running from their bedroom!

They said they would pass my concerns on to (I assumed) the head of the MS company they act on behalf of. They said someone would contact me to discuss my concerns and as I had a 97% record and the only 2 jobs I'd ever dropped were due to technical errors, they would get me re-instated. But I heard nothing, so I contacted their email address again. They have finally said that they cannot help me because it was the client's decision to drop me and neither can their clients, because they don't want to speak to agents- that is why they use FA. They refuse to give me a phone number or email address and that is, apparently that.

Is there anyway to go above them, to a governing body or anything? Is it even worth it, given their poor customer service and unprofessionalism? I find their whole attitude stinks!

They appear to have not only blocked my account, but possibly my device or even postcode because now my husband can't access his account either. They make some pathetic claim as to this being due to 'technical' issues.

If no-one can help, I advise that you completely avoid their Facebook page and never, ever ask questions- if you want to keep working for them!

System

Did you contact companies that had jobs on Field Agent directly about something? As you say 'They have finally said that they cannot help me because it was the client's decision to drop me and neither can their clients, because they don't want to speak to agents- that is why they use FA. They refuse to give me a phone number or email address and that is, apparently that.' Have you actually spoke to any of their clients? If so, this could be a serious breach of any terms and conditions that were completed when signing up to Field Agent.

Who are the staff you talk about asking awkward questions? Field Agent staff or staff at the jobs you were paid to complete? You should never reveal to staff at a site that you are a mystery shopper and you certainly shouldn't be doing anything that is potentially breaking the law, such as whatever you're talking about in your message or breaching a contract you hold with a company you are conducting jobs for.

I have completed 100s, literally, of jobs with Field Agent and never had a single problem. Their customer support is prompt and polite, I've never noticed a problem with grammar or spelling either or an unprofessional tone. I have noticed on other threads in the past that you can be flippant with your comments so perhaps you wrote something disagreeable on their Facebook thread and they chose to ban you for that reason. It certainly seems odd to me that a professional company would accuse you of something you claim to have no idea about being said. You state in your message it was because of FB messages, then you say it was because of the client so which was it?!

As it is causing you this much hassle and you're banned anyway it probably isn't worth trying to pursue Field Agent anymore and just chalk this up to experience. Sure you'll disagree with my post, as you've disagreed with almost every other post I've made in the past but such is the life.

Wizzbang

katykicker wrote: »

Did you contact companies that had jobs on Field Agent directly about something? As you say 'They have finally said that they cannot help me because it was the client's decision to drop me and neither can their clients, because they don't want to speak to agents- that is why they use FA. They refuse to give me a phone number or email address and that is, apparently that.' Have you actually spoke to any of their clients? If so, this could be a serious breach of any terms and conditions that were completed when signing up to Field Agent.

Who are the staff you talk about asking awkward questions? Field Agent staff or staff at the jobs you were paid to complete? You should never reveal to staff at a site that you are a mystery shopper and you certainly shouldn't be doing anything that is potentially breaking the law, such as whatever you're talking about in your message or breaching a contract you hold with a company you are conducting jobs for.

I have completed 100s, literally, of jobs with Field Agent and never had a single problem. Their customer support is prompt and polite, I've never noticed a problem with grammar or spelling either or an unprofessional tone. I have noticed on other threads in the past that you can be flippant with your comments so perhaps you wrote something disagreeable on their Facebook thread and they chose to ban you for that reason. It certainly seems odd to me that a professional company would accuse you of something you claim to have no idea about being said. You state in your message it was because of FB messages, then you say it was because of the client so which was it?!

As it is causing you this much hassle and you're banned anyway it probably isn't worth trying to pursue Field Agent anymore and just chalk this up to experience. Sure you'll disagree with my post, as you've disagreed with almost every other post I've made in the past but such is the life.

Katy- just because I don't find Clixsense is a good way for me to earn money, doesn't mean to say I disagree with 'everything' you write!

No I have never spoken to a client- that information isn't available to agents. It was them who said I needed to speak to their mysterious 'client' in order to sort this out (presumably a boss at a MS company) and said they would arrange this and then, in the next message said I couldn't speak to a client because that is what FA are here for, but then they refused to act as intermediary.

As I said, they don't come across very professional to me- on about the same scale as AA (another MS company!), with even less grasp of the English language!

And no, of course I have never revealed myself as a MSer, I have enough experience and common sense to know that's not what you do. But for example, the main problems I had were when conducting the tobacco jobs. The shopkeepers got funny with me, saying they already had quarterly visits from British Tobacco. They asked who I was representing and I showed them the letter that FA provide. They immediately commented that anyone could have mocked that up on a computer (which they could have, it was so basic) and it provided no more identifying information about myself, FA or who I was representing. When they rang the so-called number to verify who I was with FA, it just rang and rang. This happened more than once. So I stood there looking like an !!!, trying to persuade the shopkeeper to let me audit. They rightly pointed out in this day and age that anyone coming in should have photo ID. And to be honest, all the reputable MS companies that go into store do provide you with that! So I was forced to leave.

Then there are the Boots or Tesco audits where you have to take photos of items in store, repeatedly. They warn you that if you get caught taking pictures you will get thrown out of store and not paid. So that's exactly what happened (because they don't provide you with covert recording equipment) and the store guards in my local area are very proactive because it's not a good area. When you are threatened with the police being called, and again you can provide no ID, no letter of authority for those jobs etc etc. You feel like this company is asking you do something which is breaking the law. According to the FB page, I'm not the only person this has happened to- I presume they have simply blocked the other people that this happened to. They just would not address our concerns and called us 'over the top'. They refused to pay, even though I had gone in good faith and carried out the requested work to the best of my ability, as covertly as able and it's not my fault the security guards have 'eyes everywhere'. It's not like you just take 1 quick photo for some of these, they want dozens. Do you know how bad it looks when you can't adequately explain yourself and the MSC concerned does absolutely nothing to support you. I was genuinely concerned about losing my professional registration (for my real world job) because of a criminal record and this is what I raised with them.

ABetterLife

Wizzbang wrote: »

Katy- just because I don't find Clixsense is a good way for me to earn money, doesn't mean to say I disagree with 'everything' you write!

No I have never spoken to a client- that information isn't available to agents. It was them who said I needed to speak to their mysterious 'client' in order to sort this out (presumably a boss at a MS company) and said they would arrange this and then, in the next message said I couldn't speak to a client because that is what FA are here for, but then they refused to act as intermediary.

As I said, they don't come across very professional to me- on about the same scale as AA (another MS company!), with even less grasp of the English language!

And no, of course I have never revealed myself as a MSer, I have enough experience and common sense to know that's not what you do. But for example, the main problems I had were when conducting the tobacco jobs. The shopkeepers got funny with me, saying they already had quarterly visits from British Tobacco. They asked who I was representing and I showed them the letter that FA provide. They immediately commented that anyone could have mocked that up on a computer (which they could have, it was so basic) and it provided no more identifying information about myself, FA or who I was representing. When they rang the so-called number to verify who I was with FA, it just rang and rang. This happened more than once. So I stood there looking like an !!!, trying to persuade the shopkeeper to let me audit. They rightly pointed out in this day and age that anyone coming in should have photo ID. And to be honest, all the reputable MS companies that go into store do provide you with that! So I was forced to leave.

Then there are the Boots or Tesco audits where you have to take photos of items in store, repeatedly. They warn you that if you get caught taking pictures you will get thrown out of store and not paid. So that's exactly what happened (because they don't provide you with covert recording equipment) and the store guards in my local area are very proactive because it's not a good area. When you are threatened with the police being called, and again you can provide no ID, no letter of authority for those jobs etc etc. You feel like this company is asking you do something which is breaking the law. According to the FB page, I'm not the only person this has happened to- I presume they have simply blocked the other people that this happened to. They just would not address our concerns and called us 'over the top'. They refused to pay, even though I had gone in good faith and carried out the requested work to the best of my ability, as covertly as able and it's not my fault the security guards have 'eyes everywhere'. It's not like you just take 1 quick photo for some of these, they want dozens. Do you know how bad it looks when you can't adequately explain yourself and the MSC concerned does absolutely nothing to support you. I was genuinely concerned about losing my professional registration (for my real world job) because of a criminal record and this is what I raised with them.

I can't really comment on your individual situation as its out of my depth but the bold is exactly why I've never actually yet accepted a job from FA. They have a lot of 'conditions' and state that if you don't manage to complete it, you won't get paid and that you mustn't get caught! However, with Roamler, they still pay you if you can't complete it and tell you to act like a mystery shopper, but that you can tell them who you're working for if you get asked! Much less stress.

Wizzbang

ABetterLife wrote: »

I can't really comment on your individual situation as its out of my depth but the bold is exactly why I've never actually yet accepted a job from FA. They have a lot of 'conditions' and state that if you don't manage to complete it, you won't get paid and that you mustn't get caught! However, with Roamler, they still pay you if you can't complete it and tell you to act like a mystery shopper, but that you can tell them who you're working for if you get asked! Much less stress.

Thanks, I have signed up after someone else recommended it. I have only completed the most basic assignment so far, but looking forward to seeing if it works. It looks far more professional already. Are you using the iPoll app- they are very good. Apparently ESA mystery shopping are about to branch out into this too. Hopefully they will do it better and push FA out of the market!

Turn_Da_Knob

Hi,

Everybody may have a different views of such companies based on their early experience with them.

As an experienced Field Agent user, I had technical issues with the app (there is a feedback option in the app to send them an email - and they are prompt to fix if it is database related), I had the weird look of the shop staff when I show a letter, I was asked for ID, kicked out from shops by security, even had the police coming for a chat. You ultimately get used to that, learn to avoid those situation or turn them to your advantage. I even now feel confident (as a male) to do feminine hygiene products mystery shopping tasks.

Don't let a first bad experience stop you. Field Agent is far from being the worst or the lowest paying app. I completed over 800 jobs with them and I'll keep using them for another while.

On the other hand, I just came across Roamler for which I read some similar rants about jobs being rejected. So the grass is not always greener…

TDK

Wizzbang

I won't be able to use FA again, unless I can speak to someone to get them to re-add me. It seems like a mis-understanding, but they are totally cagey about who you need to talk to. All I have is the email address or the FB page and they can't help me