It Was A Dark and Stormy Night
October 31st, 2006 → 5:37 pm @ terry
It was a dark and stormy night. Seems Snoopy always knows how to begin a story. I am not quite as talented as Snoopy though and since I cannot find the perfect beginning, lets start in the middle.
I do quite well as long as I don’t think about it. It seems though, that as long as I am in daily contact with my friend I cannot avoid the thoughts that pop into my head. Many good thoughts, especially of the days of newly founded friendship. Very few sad thoughts – not until recently.
The illness is very strange. It’s appears fatal. Of course I have not been told that there is even a disease and I certainly have not been told that my friend may die. In fact my friend knows nothing of the symptoms and has not a clue that anything is wrong. I have on two occasions mentioned it to my friend. I tried my best to do it in a casual manner so as not to give rise to any emotion that would cause my friend to sever our relationship.  I think I was much too casual.
I don’t think I am wrong. I think I am watching the progress of a lingering illness that results in death. What really saddens me is that it looks like the disease is effecting just one organ that may poison the whole body.
Now here is where my story gets a little wierd. I have communicated with the diseased organ. Wierd, huh? But I have. I am concerned with my friends health and made the effort to communicate with what I think is the particular component of this living body that is slowly killing the rest of the body and therefore, eventually, itself. Our communication is very much like the “talking to a stone wall” bit you have heard before.
I have not mentioned it but you may benefit from knowing that I perform certain tasks for my friend. It is a source of income for both of us, my friend and myself. Basically, my friend solicits business, does much of the paperwork and probably a lot of things I do not know about. I just do what I call “field work” and report the results back to my friend. Now don’t let ideas start running around in your head. Yes, I do benefit from this relationship but I sincerely care for this friend. It is not only a business relationship. In fact I receive less assignments from my friend as time goes on. But I still care about my friend. It will be a sad day for many, not just myself, if my friend does become ill or pass on.
Since I have broken the flow already let me do it again. I know that most of you reading this blog do so in order to get an idea of what the field services business is like. I apologize if you think my tale is off subject. Its not. Just stay with me. When you are in this business, you can spend a lot of time driving; actually I like “riding around” better. You have plenty of opportunity to think!
OK. Back on track now. While out doing my “field work” today, I picked up my cell phone and called my friend. I did not mention the suspected disease or the affected organ. We had a nice conversation talking about a couple of web sites I am working on. I told my friend how I thought one of the sites would really help the business. I made an offer and I was told that my offer would be considered. Though we are friends, my friend cannot make quick decisions. It’s as if there are others components to consult.
My family is involved in this ordeal as well. On occassion the diseased part will send out notices that convince all of us at the disease is progressing. The latest notice accused me of making an error. To let you know how this disease effects the body listen to this. The notice said that although I had reported the same condition six times and even had witnesses, the infected organ argued that I was wrong and it must be true because one other person on one occassion reported a different condition.
My entire family re-visited the subject of concern. We obtained photographs and a signature from someone on site but there has been no response to our latest attempt to console my friend. We have finally identified the diseased organ. It has a strange name; Quality Control.
I will try to keep you informed.
Do not look at this business short term. If you do, you will say that I lost money today, which I probably did. Total for the two jobs was $50. Of course I made hundreds of dollars last week.
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My Manual
October 24th, 2006 → 6:23 pm @ terry
The Mortgage Field Services Business has always been a ‘secret society’. Either you know about the business or you don’t”.
I can not to this day say with any conviction exactly what turned the light on for me. I do remember spending over six months full time doing research on the Internet and making hundreds of phone calls before I really even had an idea what the business is all about. At the time I was an ex-computer programmer that worked for too many companies in too few years. I was really fed up with the high tech arena and became adamant about not going back in.
Information about this business still is practically nonexistent. Sure, you can find plenty of web sites of companies that are in the business but none that explain the business. A few web sites sell lists of companies to call if you want to get in the business but there is no explanation of what you do or say when you get them on the phone.
The secrecy about the business has been used by some to take advantage of others.
People like you find my information on the internet and I am often referred by some companies and referred by some other field reps in the business. It appears that I am still the only one with any real information online.
I have been called by many people that were somehow convinced of the “quick riches” of the industry only to later be thrown used and abused on the garbage heap. They call for help or for an explanation of what went wrong. Unfortunatly, most of the time it is after the fact. The newspaper ads and the web sites with the “get rich quick in the mortgage field services business” advertisements have done one thing very well – they have herded a tremendous flock of lambs to the shearing sheds!
My e-book is really information offered in response to some of the “get rich” web sites and some other activities in the mortgage field services business that I have begun to take personally. Very Personally! I have a real problem with some companies telling interested individuals only that they should come onboard and do such-and-such field services assignments for them. They often are told only enough to do the inspections and no mention is made of what may lie ahead. Also, with the web sites and newspaper ads supplying a tremendous quantity of fresh meat to the industry, a lot of companies have abandoned their loyalty to the more experienced field service reps and now focus on how cheaply they can have the work performed by one of the new found recruits.
I still honestly can say that the Mortgage Field Services Business is fantastic – but if you don’t know the whole story, you will probably be another casualty. If you know the whole story, you can find ways to build a strong business and avoid some of the sharp edges of the industry.
My e-book exists to offer the pros and cons of the business. You will not like some of what you read in the manual. Some of you may very well decide you want no part of the field services business after reading some of the information. Some of you will take the information and run with it – there is enough “meat and potatos” in the manual to do that. In either case, I will have accomplished my objective which is to educate you about the business hoping that you will not find yourself standing in the wrong line.
I feel very strongly about this business. It is much too good a business to let a few ruin it for others. The field services business does not “belong” to any one company. It is as much my business as it is anyone’s and I am willing to fight for my business!
I see results from the e-book. People call me just about every day to discuss an issue with me, or they e-mail me details about a new event in their business growth. I know that progress is being made – at least these people will not be the next victims of the industry.
My e-book is not pretty. It’s not fancy. It’s not complete – it never will be. You will always find a few links that do not work or empty pages. Both are place holders for information going into a future release.
Distribution and sale of The Field Services Business Manual is handled by Gulf Thunder Corporation and the manual is available for purchase and immediate download through PayPal. Once you have purchased your manual, you also will have access to a Members’ Download Area where you can download the latest release for up to a year after your original purchase.
The industry changes daily and I change the e-book almost daily. You will be getting the most up to date information I can provide and you will have the knowledge necessary to keep up with the latest news. The e-book is like the spaghetti commercial: “It’s in there”. You really have to use the e-book on a computer hooked to the internet to get full use of the goodies I have included.
The version available for download was assembled on Jan 7, 2009. I am not including the Table of Contents this time since there some exciting new stuff has been added that I would like for you to take advantage of before I publish any of the new information.
Paper Route Jobs
October 13th, 2006 → 7:59 pm @ terry
If it had not been for my mentor telling me the mortgage field services business was much like paper route jobs, I doubt seriously I would have ever started my field inspection home business.  While I was out today, I could not help but think of the day she told me that.  I had a paper route job when I was young, about 12 or 13, and I recalled those days vividly with a distinct sense of deja vu today.  Let me tell you a bit about it.
I was excited to leave the house this morning because I was attempting something new.  Vickie had me scheduled for an insurance loss inspection at 7:30am as well as one at 10:00am.  The part that was new was routing 12 mortgage inspections between the insurance inspections with the understanding that I could not be late for the 10:00am appointment, and, if I could not finish all 12 mortgage inspections before 10:00, I would have to back track using more time and gasoline.  I did accomplish all this and finished a total of two insurance inspections and twenty-eight mortgage inspections.
But what reminded me of my paper route?  I was headed to my third mortgage inspection and I knew exactly which house it was and where it was located since I have inspected it every month for over a year now.  Sort of like delivering papers to the same houses over and over.  I pulled onto the street in the right neighborhood and pulled over to the curb within fifty yards of the house.  This was a no contact inspection requiring a picture so I hung back a bit to see if anyone might be outside.  After only a few moments at the curb, I noticed an elderly woman on my left waving at me as if she was in trouble.  Maybe she needed help!  All sorts of thoughts flew through my head; heart attack, home invasion, car trouble, snake in the yard …. I hope not, I can handle all of the above except for the snake.
I let down my driver’s side window and idled to her side of the street.  She came to the street, almost running, with a huge toothless smile.  I was confused for a moment when she asked what I was doing,  why had I not pulled in the drive-way, and …. she had not expected me so early.
I eased into conversation with her and began to realize that her dementia was allowing her to visit the past.  She thought I was her grandson who had come to visit.  It was a wonderful reunion.  I turned off the ignition and we relived a day over 40 years in the past.  She with her grandson, and me with my grandma.
And, I still made it to the ten o’clock appointment on time.