Providers Agreement / Training
Welcome to the Providers Training/Agreement! This step is the longest step in becoming a Provider for good reason, it will really help you succeed. Once you finish watching the video, and review the vital details below, head back to the app and you should have a Green check mark next to this step!
We have thought a lot about how we can work together to give you the best chance of growing and prospering using the Friendly Neighbor Services Platform. We’ve put all those thoughts in this document – this is your Providers Agreement, as well as Provider Training!
This Providers Training/Agreement is estimated to take 5 minutes to read, and it is highly recommended you finish this in one sitting. There are vital details for you throughout this document so it’s important to read every statement.
First things first though. Let’s get started on your orientation by learning a little bit more about how you play a part in Friendly Neighbor Services. Along with the benefits, there are some guidelines put in place to protect the Platform and users themselves. Failure to follow these guidelines could result in suspension from the Platform.
Friendly Neighbor Services makes it easy for you to complete the tasks you enjoy doing whenever you’d like, and for quite the amount! We take care of making sure everything runs smoothly, the invoicing, and all the expenses giving you a platform where you are in a way, your own business owner. You accumulate ratings from Customers by completing tasks, which will lead to you getting more tasks! Each completed task accumulates before and after pictures for customers to look at when they are picking their trusted Provider. In short, we aim to provide you the tools to spend more time doing what you enjoy, and less of what you don’t! Go out and show interest in as many services as you would like!
Scheduling and payments are easy. All customer payments are processed directly through authorize.net, a secure server owned by Visa.
Simple right?
Avoiding Off-Platform Payments
All users jeopardize the opportunities offered through Friendly Neighbor Services if payments are made and accepted outside the Friendly Neighbor Services platform.
As a Provider on the Friendly Neighbor Services platform, you should never request or accept payment of any form from the customer except where those payments made through the app. If a customer wishes to tip you for a task well done, they will have the chance to do so through the app once the task is completed.
We take our users’ safety seriously and seek to protect the opportunities of the platform for all users. Because of this, any Provider who circumvents the platform to perform any prohibitions in this Providers Agreement will have their account temporarily suspended or permanently de-activated.
Such decisions are based on evidence gathered from the use of the Platform (in line with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use) and are at the sole discretion of Friendly Neighbor Services and its employees.
Having access to our Platform restricted is a loss for everyone, especially for the fast growing providers like yourself with the ability to reach so many more users than available outside the Platform. Contact us at info.friendlyneighborservices@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns.
In this part of training, we will teach you about;
- How much you will earn
- How and when you will get paid
- Self-employment information
At Friendly Neighbor Services, we want you to earn as much money as possible. All of the tasks on our platform give the customer to choose from the pre-priced set rates and hourly rates in efforts to save the customer money, but also give you exactly what you deserve! This is one of the amazing features that separates Friendly Neighbor Services from other service providing companies. There are a lot of positives to this, like allowing the customers who only want a power washing touch up and don’t want to pay for a local company to come for $200-2,000, now they can come here and order it by the hour! Also, unlike other platforms where both customers and providers lose a lot of time haggling about tasks and negotiating prices, with us, when tasks are ordered, the customer knows the price, and you will know what you will earn. This is very attractive to both Providers and Customers.
Viewing How Much You Will Earn
When looking at available tasks you may want, you will always see the amount earnable to you in the top right corner of the service description. This allows you to know exactly how much you will earn before selecting “Show Interest” for that task.
Tips
Just like in the real world, the Friendly Neighbor Services app allows customers to tip you for when you go above and beyond for them. You receive 100% of the tips as well as any disposal fees. Customers will be charged a disposal fee for tasks that involve haulage, which offset any expense incurred while legally disposing of items.
Reminder – If a customer offers to tip you in cash, please let them know they will have the chance to tip through the app when they check out. Do not accept cash outside the app. Customers get the option after you complete the task to submit a report if outside payments were made.
At Friendly Neighbor Services, we put the power in the hands of our Providers to choose how they get paid. All you have to do is select the option below that works best for you.
- Zelle
- Venmo
- Cashapp
- PayPal
You can change your preferred method of payout at any time using the Provider dashboard by clicking “Withdraw Method” then selecting the method desired.
No monthly fee or startup fee has been implemented, which is just one of the features that puts Friendly Neighbor Services above all others.
Providers can track their earnings and task history using the Provider dashboard at info.friendlyneighborservices@gmail.com and by clicking “Wallet & Earnings” at the bottom of their profile. You will also see your current payout balance, along with all earnings to date. To view the details of a previous task, simply click the task title through the app.
As a Provider on the Friendly Neighbor Services platform, you are self-employed and are neither an employee nor a subcontractor of Friendly Neighbor Services. As a direct consequence of this, you will not have taxes, Social Security, Medicare, etc., withheld from your earnings.
Everyone has different tax needs. We recommend that you seek the advice of a tax professional who can help you with your personal tax requirements.
As a self-employed Provider, you are responsible for your own insurance needs. Friendly Neighbor Services is not responsible for any aberration. We recommend you consult with an insurance provider regarding the insurance coverage most appropriate to your needs.
It is important for you to understand that you are responsible for complying with local laws and regulations. Also, consult with your local authorities regarding any necessary licenses, certifications, or permits. These permits, laws and regulations will vary depending on the type of work you are doing, and the location you are operating in. We cannot and do not take any responsibility for your compliance with these laws and regulations.
In this section, you will be given all the details you need on the following:
- Selecting Your Skills
- Setting Yourself Apart
- Understanding your Service area
- Communication Tips
- Perfecting Your Approach
- Being on Time
- Putting Safety First
- All of the experiences offered on the platform are pre-selected in your profile. This is not intended to be an endorsement of your capabilities. Please only accept the tasks you know you can successfully complete with your tools and be proactive in your communications with customers to clarify expectations and requirements. You can edit your experience at any point in the “Experience” section of the app, or on your profile in the website.
- As your own boss, you are expected to have your own tools for each task you choose. Please do not select I’m Available if you cannot arrive at the customer’s requested time or do not have the appropriate skills and tools.
Your biography (bio) and picture are two of the most important aspects when getting started. Trust us when we tell you that having a good bio leads to getting chosen for more tasks. Some other tips include having a more general bio. For example, if you are really good at landscaping and you list that in your bio, customers might not pick you for a dog walking task.
Personalize yourself and list anything you think that would make your customer choose you. Have someone check your bio for typos, and make sure it flows nicely: spelling mistakes make you look less professional.
Example of a good bio:
I am an honest, hard-working family man and I’ve never met a project I couldn’t complete. I’m on Friendly Neighbor Services to do the tasks that I love to a wider range of people in [insert local area here]. I’m efficient, reliable, and friendly!
Another example of a good bio:
I am a mother of 3 and I know how to fix anything! I’ve been living in [insert area here] for [insert number] of years and I love the local community and helping my neighbors out. I use Friendly Neighbor Services to complete any chore you throw at me whether it is Dog Walking, Pet Sitting, Power Washing, and pretty much anything else! Choose me and consider it done : )
The Platform will notify you of tasks that are within a 50-mile radius of your current location. If you’d like to reduce this radius, please contact us at support@friendlyneighborservices.com
Our radius is determined as a straight line 50 miles in every direction from where the customer is located. That means if you accept a task that says 14 miles it could be longer to account for travel distance when taking the local roads to get there.
You will be re-directed to your default navigation platform (e.g. Apple Maps for iPhone and Google Maps for Android). We highly recommend using Google Maps for both platforms. If you have any questions about the location, please message your customer to clarify it with them before the task is scheduled to start, especially if it seems as though the starting location might be different from their home address (for example furniture pick up from a store to be delivered to their home). If your customer doesn’t respond, please chat with us through the app or email us at support@friendlyneighborservices.com.
Communication is Key
Everyone likes a bit of extra notice. That’s why we suggest sending a quick text message before you leave for your customer’s location to let them know you are on the way. Please be sure to include your first name, Friendly Neighbor Services bio and a quick intro.
Some tasks could require a second person, especially the Junk Removal tasks. For tasks like Junk Removal, customers are guided to giving the task to two separate providers if they believe necessary. It should never be expected that your customer will help you on a task.
For the tasks you are selected for, communication through the messaging icon in the task details is available instantly.
Perfect Your Approach
Before You Accept a Task
First of all, read the task description carefully. Look at the photos and notes to see if there are any questions or issues that might prevent you from successfully completing the task. Remember that some customers are great at providing all the details you need, while others are not. Think of any gaps in the description that you need filled before you set out to complete a task.
If you have questions after getting chosen for the task, ask your customer before arriving. You are responsible for bringing all tools and equipment necessary. We care about our customer’s experiences so accepting a task then not showing up can result in suspension from the platform if there is not a valid reason for that taking action. Also, be sure to bring all of your tools and supplies because there could be opportunities for Additional Work tasks at your customer’s location. If so, make sure your customer enters that task into the app.
Keeping it Professional
Customers appreciate it when you present yourself professionally and are more likely to select you for repeat or additional work. We want people to remember the great task you did as a Provider on the Friendly Neighbor Services platform. Keeping your interaction professional will go a long way towards having a happy customer, and one that will re-hire you or recommend you to their friends. If you want, we offer Friendly Neighbor Services apparel to Providers that want to improve their reputation and have more professionalism.
Flexibility
Some tasks require you to be adaptable. It’s your customer so any adjustments that need to be made can typically be solved by you. Customers post these tasks to get help and sometimes don’t understand everything that is involved. Contact us (support@friendlyneighborservices.com) or chat through the app if you have any questions.
Be on time
As you saw in the app walkthrough, there are 4 types of time periods that customers can request tasks:
- “As Soon As Possible”
- “At Some Point Today”
- “In the Future”
- “Recurring Over Time”
Do not accept a task if you cannot keep the commitment of the time requested. It is not acceptable to contact your customer and ask them to reschedule.
Being on time will go a long way to reaching a 5 star rating. Frequent lateness or requests to reschedule can lead to suspension or deactivation of your account.
The following is a guide for when you should arrive for each type of task:
- “As Soon As Possible” – Arrive within an hour or two upon request.
- “At Some Point Today” – Arrive during the same day, at the time requested. Customers usually give a time frame to make it easier for Providers.
- “In the Future” – Arrive at the time requested, whether it is a specific time, or a time frame.
- “Recurring Over Time” – Arrive at the same time, every time. If you commit to a dog walking job that is recurring for 12pm every Monday through Friday, arrive at 12pm each time.
Customers always want to know that a Provider has the right vehicle for their delivery task (i.e., car, truck, trailer, etc.). That means to remain eligible for delivery tasks, you will need to add your vehicle type to your Provider profile. If your vehicle type changes, be sure to update the type as necessary.
To add your vehicle after your Provider account is activated, simply go to “Settings” then click “Providers – Vehicle Input.” If you use or have access to more than one vehicle, you are recommended to input the one with more available space for junk removal tasks, and others of that nature.
Safety First
Use your best judgement for the tasks you accept.
When you arrive at the task, if for any reason you do not feel safe, leave the location and immediately contact us at info.friendlyneighborservices@gmail.com or chat through the app’s “Support” section so we can assist you.
Platform Access Guidelines
Friendly Neighbor Services works hard to find you customers.
We spend a considerable amount of resources attracting users to our platform, so that our Providers can focus on the work that makes them happy, and that earns you a whole lot of revenue. Our efforts allow Providers to spend more of their time completing tasks instead of spending that time on marketing, estimating, invoicing and collecting. We just ask that you treat your profile on the platform as professionally as if it was your own business.
As a Provider, you are an ambassador of the Friendly Neighbor Services platform and we want you to be incredibly successful in this endeavor.
You will find success when you adhere to the following:
- Accept tasks for the skills you possess – remember, you can always build or acquire new skills if you see there’s a need for them in your area.
- Accept only the tasks you can complete at the requested time. Also remember, rescheduling requests is not permitted.
- Tasks may not be cancelled except in the case of an emergency. All cancellations will be reviewed by our team. Repeated cancellations can result in your suspension from the Platform.
- If the customer requests that you perform additional services, have the customer order Additional Work through the app.
- All payments must go through the app. Accepting cash or cash equivalents (including checks) directly from a customer is prohibited and will result in suspension from the Friendly Neighbor Services platform.
- Do not risk your ability to use the platform by sharing personal contact information with your customer. This includes your phone number, email address, website, business card or brochure.
- Once this Providers Agreement and Training has been completed, please refer to your Provider Profile to check your progress and finish the rest of the registration steps.
- These last steps are required before you can be activated on the Friendly Neighbor Services platform. You have learned the skills to pay the bills, now finish the process and you’ll be able to work for yourself!
Thank you for reviewing the Providers Training / Agreement. You feel ready yet to become a super Friendly Neighbor in town? Head back to the app and celebrate the Green check mark for this task!