The TV Installer Said He is Not An Employee

Your schedule an appointment to have your TV installed on the wall, and you are trying to get a feel for this technicians experience, background, and etc. Then you ask the installer if he/she is an employee of the company you ordered service from. The technician polite says, "I am not an employee of XYZ company but I am an independent contractor?"

Do not be alarmed, because this is status quo. There are not enough TV Installation in a given city to justify hiring full-time or part-time technicians. Most of us have contractual relationships with various companies, and when a project arises we get a call, or an e-mail, or an SMS depending on the company.

Some companies have no standards when hiring contractors, and others have very rigorous standards. Make sure you ask the company you choose the following questions.

• Do you perform annual background checks on the installers you work with?
  
• Do you train the installers you work with?
  
• Can you furnish references for the installers you work with?
  
• Do you installers have installation portfolios? (Some do, majority don't)
  
• Does your insurance cover your technician's work, or does your technician supply their own insurance?
  

The answers to these questions impact your safety, and determine how smoothly problems are handled. A lot of installation companies are merely dispatch agencies that serve as a middleman between you and the installer.

In a lot of cases this is a good thing. Especially if companies provide umbrella insurance coverage for all of their installers, provide really good training resources, tools, vehicles, etc. However. it can become a disaster when a company is taking your money and matching you with a technician they know nothing about.

The bottom line is to ask questions! If you have any additional questions or recommendations please post a comment. I would love to hear what you have to say.