Hey there,

I’m a HelloTech Field Tech in the DC/MD/VA (aka “DMV”) area, been on the platform for just over 3 years, and new to this Reddit forum. Happy to find a group of colleagues who share a common interest.

I’ve reviewed the message on this forum and most are from 2023 or earlier.

Most of the message trend towards the negative… I’ve seen the messages with the various gripes - and I had my own share of gripes re: HelloTech - but all things considered, I’ve found it to be a productive place to make money on a regular and recurring basis.

Admittedly, the cost of doing on business on the platform has certainly increased over the last 12-18 months

• The amount of driving I have to do to chase job opportunities has increased at a time when cost of driving has been increasing due to inflation

• The cost to provide hardware for TV mounting jobs (the mount or the in-wall cord concealment parts) have increased (again, thanks to inflation) and HelloTech hasn’t increased it’s payout for those jobs.

And I do wish HelloTech would take these inflationary issues into consideration and elevate the Field Technician a bit higher on the priority list. But when all is said and done, I’m grateful for the platform. I recognize and empathize with the business challenges they face.

Are there others that perceive the “glass half full” rather than “half empty”?

Update: Since this page is open and active again, i've restricted the HelloTech Technicians sub. No need for two subs so long as we can voice our opinions here.

Hey everyone, I created a sub just for HelloTech Technicians.

If you've ever accepted a Simpliesafe job marked 1-10 devices, then show up and see that they have 50+ devices, two locks and a doorbell, then this sub is for you.

https://www.reddit.com/r/HelloTechTechnicians/

Has anyone seen the new menu when declining offers? It's not bad, but I wish they would incorporate the Job Board in the app. Most of my job offers don't pay enough, for example a security system setup with sensors and like 4 outdoor cameras for $65. I would take the offer if it paid more, but when declining the offer and selecting "pay too low", will I be offered it again? It would be nice to be able to say what amount I would be willing to do the job for.

Has anyone else been using the HelloTech Jobs Board to try to correct for the low initial payout of job offers?

If I like a job and its time but not the pay, then I decline it and immediately send a text to claim that job # at one of the available times with a higher $ counteroffer..

This has worked reliably and it's usually more successful than waiting for HT to reissue the job with a higher payout (that would usually take a few times and by then someone else may have snapped it up).

The system even seems to be okay with me asking $30-50 more in payout for jobs that are an hour drive from me. This basically means that I'm getting the same amount or more than the customer is paying HT directly.

What does everyone else think of the jobs board? Has it been useful to you to either get higher payout or get a job you missed the 5-minute window for?

FYI: The jobs board is located at hellotech.metabaseapp.com and was primarily introduced for "unclaimed jobs within your area" (and also jobs outside your area.

I started in 2016. For a good year or two I was averaging 15-20 jobs per week. Now i'm down to a few per week, mainly because I refuse to take $50-60 jobs.

Favorite type of job: "Printer won't connect to wifi"

Least favorite job: Smart Thermostat where they already tried to self install.

Can anyone share any ideas on how you have managed to get higher payouts? Of course, I'm talking about things like the "helpers fee" for mounting jobs or something like that.

Has anyone else been getting "error the details of the job have changed and it can't be claimed right now"?

That error popped up for me less than a minute after I missed my job claim window. When I tapped on the notification that said "your priority window has passed but you can still claim job #" I got the error message.

Why is HelloTech showing this error so soon after the notification that you can still claim the job? This has been getting worse and I find that I get offered the same job 3 times a day but haven't been able to see any details because I missed the window.

Also, on a somewhat related note, has anyone been able to get specific job availability times on the job board? Currently the job board only has the first preferred time and date and then the dates only that the customer is available. I've had to keep going back and forth on the text line trying out different times, only to have them say "sorry the time you requested is not available."

The last 2 jobs I have had for simplisafe, they (simplisafe) have tried to sneak additional work in the notes to decrease the quoted cost for the customer.

This includes 2 locks, and today, they tried to sneak in 6 smoke detectors in the notes, trying to keep them under 30 devices (and $35 less in pay for me).

If you check your past simplisafe jobs, and notice that the notes included additional items installed not listed (including different quantity), call HelloTech, option 1, and tell them you were not correctly compensated, and they'll review it with you to correct it and get paid. They'll also help correct new jobs you got that are incorrect, so you'll be paid correctly and on time.

Cheers!

So, apparently, this new partnership that requires a drug test is for Comcast. And according to HelloTech, those on opioids are good to go, but those on medical cannabis are SOL, even with doctors recommendation, and even if it's legal in your state.

So just a heads up for other partially disabled techs who decided to NOT get involved with opioids, HelloTech thinks you made the wrong decision. 🙄

I'm a tech in the Philadelphia area and I have not had an order in over a week. Since we lost the ring contract I am effectively unemployed. Is it just me?

Did you guys checked the new insurance that they required us to have? What do you guys think of it? Are you getting your own or will you stay with Hellotech's plan. I'm kinda curious on a few things. If you notice that most of the jobs now have that safty fee for 4.25. If they are adding that fee. Should Hellotech be using that fee to pay for this kind of insurance?

I have been getting a lot of these Abode system setups as Spectrum has discontinued their service to tons of people in the Albany area. After completing around 20 of them there are some tricks and tips I've found.

• The system kit comes paired with 3 devices. Since the system does not allow you to edit names on the mobile app you need to use a computer or login into the Abode website to rename them to specific locations. To get around this simply delete the devices and re-add them.

• Unpack all the sensors first and add the adhesive backs to the sensors before walking around the house. Get the home owner to help you by naming and categorizing each of the sensors as you go.

• The indoor 1080p camera will only record if the alarm is triggered. Placing the motion sensor near the camera will allow the system to display what triggered the alarm.

• When positioning the sensors on doors and windows take advantage of the Velcro backing to reposition sensors that don't quite make the needed connection. This is also useful if you need to pull them off to re-pair them with the base station.

• At the end of the install I have the client login to the web site so they can see the flexibility and granularity the system allows. Abode says it will intergrate with Amazon and Google products but I have yet to see this in action. I will also point out that they can turn the beeping of the gateway down or customize the exit delay from the Abode website.

• Also beware these can be incredibly slow installs due to the fact that there are many codes and passwords before initial setup. My last install this evening took about 2 + hours.

Cheers!

It seems more the rule than the exception that the work I am seeing is not what I agreed to and the customer has the wrong expectations set by whoever is booking these appointments. Am I the only one?

Hi fellow technicians, here's a quick tip on how to submit counteroffers since HelloTech still hasn't implemented such a feature on the job board (or on normal job offers).

Call the tech hotline (the number is listed at https://admin.hellotech.com/geeks under On-site Job Help). The area code starts with 424.

Under options, choose 2 (all other inquiries, not on-site) then 1 (reschedule a job) then 2 (reschedule to an earlier time).

You should then be connected to a representative within a few minutes.

Right now, this seems to be the only way to reliably submit a counteroffer since HelloTech won't always reach out to you via text message (SMS) first.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions...

What happens if I mark too many jobs unserviceable? Like if I mark 75% of my jobs unserviceable, will they kick me off the app? Right about now 75% of the jobs I get are just plain unserviceable. It's not my fault either.

After using Hellotech for about 6 months here are a few observations I've made:

• If you get bad rating your offers will decline exponentially (even if you still have a good overall)

• If you cancel a job (no matter when) your job offers will decline exponentially

• If you refuse a job for any reason other than "Scheduling conflict" similar jobs will not be offered to you

• You're more likely to get offers while you're working other jobs

• If you're late (even just one) your offers decline

• If you refuse to drive to an area because it's too far away they will not offer you other jobs in the same area that pay more and make the trip worth while.

• Taking jobs that pay low and are farther away seem to get you more job offers (you become favored)

These are my observations and may not be entirely true. However this has been what I have been experiencing.

I do not know about fixing things so it says there is an option for general handyman. Does anyone know if hellotech will do a partial tile installation?

Hello, I was wondering if there's any way to see the job volumes in other states, I recently moved out of California to a small town in Texas and here I barely get jobs maybe once a month, I was wondering if there's any way to see job volume in California because if job availability is higher there I would consider moving back.

So the only thing I can think that it's because I'm a woman. I have five star ratings but the job gets cancelled and then immediately relisted.

It seems to be disconnected. I have also observed that the recent simplisafe home security jobs no longer have that phone no listed.. not sure if it is just for holidays

Does anyone have more information?

Anyone else break this record?

Like the post said I'm trying to get in contact with some people from the area. I just have some questions for some fellow hellotech workers around here.

I have to just turn it on and ramble about everything I did then just copy paste that into the next field.

I Don't have a paragraph to say about how I mounted your tv Karen!