Service Teams.

[Joshua C]

So right, here I go once again for speaking the truth.

I know there's a lot of service teams on here from where I have worst to good experiences, then bad again.

All of their terms are different from each other and you don't understand what to do.
Despite all of them works on MCM, I was thinking that MCM should enforce terms for these owners and also for the public.

Rules such as:

A service team thread offering should only be created with a business account.
PayPal rules should be met when doing business transactions (G&S method)
If client can't pay early, despite the freelancer has done the work, and the client is satisfied the owner should pay him whatever the client paid.
Don't spam the posts with repeated content.

And diffidently more as we have a comment section to hear about them.

MANY, MANY service team owners breaks a lot of rules on here, each day such asking for reputation, ratings on their thread and similar.
Also being a part of SPAM content.

Would love to hear everyone's opinion on this.

1 RULE FOR ALL TEAMS!

Spoiler: CONCLUSIONS SO FAR

The freelancer's right should be saved.
Service teams needs to operate within the rules set by MCM.
Service teams cannot go above the rules set by MCM but for competition, they can decrease their limits such as the % maybe.

Services teams are not A PLATFORM, but rather a MIDDLEMAN SERVICE.
Thread spamming should be removed and they should move all their stuff in ONE thread.
One section for service teams should be given.
Service teams should be restricted to 2-5% profits only.
Service teams to operate on MCM, must prove their identity, and paypal (Because they can just take thousands and not pay their freelancers so could be a big scam)
Anyone without a legal document cannot make a service team, make it like opening a business since they're doing more above $5,000+ transactions AT LEAST an year for a well-known service team here.

#ServiceTeamUnion.

 

[Sloth]

I’m not opposed to regulating service teams, but I would like to see what some of the staff members say in regards to this.

 

[Masons Monarch]

Think about it this way;

You would only use a middleman if they are a minimum of 40-50 rep. Essentially what a service team is doing is spending >$20 on advertisement. Almost always the owners are extremely low rep. And yet we pay them 15% or more.


Why are we paying low rep members three times the average middleman rate to do something arguable more simple then a standard MM deal?

 

[Joshua C]

Think about it this way;

You would only use a middleman if they are a minimum of 40-50 rep. Essentially what a service team is doing is spending >$20 on advertisement. Almost always the owners are extremely low rep. And yet we pay them 15% or more.

I agree, service teams are meant to be more of an Middleman service where they secure both freelancer and client, and not a platform where a client can find a freelancer.

Despite doing 0 work and just putting some threads up in a day, and taking 10-15-20-25% from the freelancer's well made money, that's bad.

MCM needs to enforce these terms to all services, Having SeNiOr Team as an example and from personal experience, the person keeps all the tickets private then sorts them which gives him the most commission, as of now they don't even accept commissions under $50 I believe (this was set to when I left it)
The owner keeps a total of 15% fee just because he gives the freelancer's a platform, however he also tried to increase the % to 20 until the freelancers spoke out.

The user claims he don't need a business account, or this is even a business despite he's doing transactions under F&F and a lot of them.

And yes I'm angry with Senior Team because 2 years of service gone to waste when there are such shit owners, and management team to have on the largest team here, a perfect example for this case is also the Barcelona of Ernesto Valverde.

Mick in an statement mentioned "Its something the people invented itself" but now it is "something the community is tired of" and needs to go away, Freelancers should be the ONE avoiding these because they're just giving shit owners like the one above chance to make money for doing literally nothing.

 

[Candidates]

The way my team worked was I gain 30% comission, the freelancer gets 60%. And I think that's a fair bit for both parties.

 

[Joshua C]

The way my team worked was I gain 30% comission, the freelancer gets 60%. And I think that's a fair bit for both parties.

This means YOUR freelancers are low-tier or doesn't value their work.

 

[hgbf]

The way my team worked was I gain 30% comission, the freelancer gets 60%. And I think that's a fair bit for both parties.

1. No. No, it's not.
2. The suggestion is not about cuts, it's about making sure the freelancers don't get screwed over, and that everything is run well.

 

[Candidates]

This means YOUR freelancers are low-tier or doesn't value their work.

Go around look at how much % comission art websites etc.. take from the artist once sold. It's averaged around 35%

 

[hgbf]

Go around look at how much % comission art websites etc.. take from the artist once sold. It's averaged around 35%

Yes, but the average cut in your competition (other service teams) is much lower. Why would people want 70% when they can get 90-95% in other teams with equal service to them?

 

[Cal]

Here's a "hypothetical".
I no longer own a service team, I'm a freelancer.
I offer services, art, builds, websites, plugins, etc.
When you come to me with an order, I say OK, take your payment and get to work.
I turn around, offer that order work the same way a service team does now. Someone accepts the order work, does it, and send it to me. I pay them and take a little bit off the top for my trouble.
Then I turn around and deliver the product.
Same system, same end result. Only difference is to you, I'm a freelancer.

This is already happens frequently. No calls for regulation.

I agree, service teams are meant to be more of an Middleman service where they secure both freelancer and client, and not a platform where a client can find a freelancer.

Despite doing 0 work and just putting some threads up in a day, and taking 10-15-20-25% from the freelancer's well made money, that's bad.

First off, you are arguing intent, which is virtually impossible to prove. I do believe most service team owners mean to be more than a middleman service, whether or not all of them deliver on that is debatable.

But the real issue here is the failure to look at the bigger picture. There is nothing requiring a freelancer to join a service team, and deal with the service fee. If you don't want to work for a service team and have a service fee, don't. Simple as that.
You may disagree with the amount the teams charge in fees, or how active the administration is in the deal, but no one is making you use them.

Service team members are paying for a service just the same as clients are. The way they pay may be different, but they are paying. If you want someone else taking care of all the advertising, technology, and management, you'll need to pay. The only difference between an independent service provider and service team member is that the independent pays up front in cash, whereas the member pays by a fee.

 

[Joshua C]

Yes, but the average cut in your competition (other service teams) is much lower. Why would people want 70% when they can get 90-95% in other teams with equal service to them?

Let's drop that part since its not about the fees, its about how SERVICE TEAMS OPERATE.

 

[Candidates]

Yes, but the average cut in your competition (other service teams) is much lower. Why would people want 70% when they can get 90-95% in other teams with equal service to them?

Maybe because 90% of the service teams who take 5% cuts are probably scams?

For example lets say a logo is 40$

5% of 40 = 2$, Like what the fuck who would do all that browsing and searching for 2$.

Whereas 35% of 40 = 14$

 

[Joshua C]

Maybe because 90% of the service teams who take 5% cuts are probably scams?

For example lets say a logo is 40$

5% of 40 = 2$, Like what the fuck who would do all that browsing and searching for 2$.

Whereas 35% of 40 = 14$

Talking about scams in general

Higher the fees, higher the scams.

Talking about scams for freelancers in a service team

Higher the fees, the more freelancers being scammed

Again its not about fees or % read the whole discussion before stating your idea on this thank you.

 

[Ted]

Another problem I have noticed is the following;

• Customer contacts service team 1 for a product to be made
• Service team 1 crosses many due dates to produce an impartial product
• Customer switches to another service team 2 in the mean time to have the product done
• Service Team 1 finally finishes product and attempts to charge the customer the full amount and if not paid, the team will open a scam report on the customer.

(edit: ) It's disgusting.. I truly think that whenever a scam report is opened up on a service team, that the owner of the service team should be directly involved because it is the freelancer that was hired as the individual under him.

My Suggestion: I feel like service teams should be required to be registered as a company, or be verified just like the hosting section;
https://www.mc-market.org/forums/verified-game-hosting/
https://www.mc-market.org/forums/verified-other-hosting/

 

[Sloth]

Here's a "hypothetical".
I no longer own a service team, I'm a freelancer.
I offer services, art, builds, websites, plugins, etc.
When you come to me with an order, I say OK, take your payment and get to work.
I turn around, offer that order work the same way a service team does now. Someone accepts the order work, does it, and send it to me. I pay them and take a little bit off the top for my trouble.
Then I turn around and deliver the product.
Same system, same end result. Only difference is to you, I'm a freelancer.

This is already happens frequently. No calls for regulation.

First off, you are arguing intent, which is virtually impossible to prove. I do believe most service team owners mean to be more than a middleman service, whether or not all of them deliver on that is debatable.

But the real issue here is the failure to look at the bigger picture. There is nothing requiring a freelancer to join a service team, and deal with the service fee. If you don't want to work for a service team and have a service fee, don't. Simple as that.
You may disagree with the amount the teams charge in fees, or how active the administration is in the deal, but no one is making you use them.

Service team members are paying for a service just the same as clients are. The way they pay may be different, but they are paying. If you want someone else taking care of all the advertising, technology, and management, you'll need to pay. The only difference between an independent service provider and service team member is that the independent pays up front in cash, whereas the member pays by a fee.

That’s just the thing. Most freelancers who join a service team often know what they’re getting into beforehand. They’re joining together in hopes of finding more business opportunities. Yet a lot of users end up disgruntled after a while simply because they aren’t getting the business they hoped for and the deals they’re making essentially have a service team tax/fee. It’s like they ignored the terms that they agreed to when they first joined a team and it’s ridiculous.

Now if a user joins a team and the agreed upon terms aren’t being held up and fees start to get higher then I can understand why a freelancer might be upset, but that’s teetering on scamming and something could probably be done with that simply by submitting a scam report.

 

[Joshua C]

That’s just the thing. Most freelancers who join a service team often know what they’re getting into beforehand. They’re joining together in hopes of finding more business opportunities. Yet a lot of users end up disgruntled after a while simply because they aren’t getting the business they hoped for and the deals they’re making essentially have a service team tax/fee. It’s like they ignored the terms that they agreed to when they first joined a team and it’s ridiculous.

Now if a user joins a team and the agreed upon terms aren’t being held up and fees start to get higher then I can understand why a freelancer might be upset, but that’s teetering on scamming and something could probably be done with that simply by submitting a scam report.

Scam reports are should never get started if the service team makes a standard and they’re verified business.

 

[Zacey]

Service teams are a bunch of dress-up 12 year old lowballers that deserve not to exist. I tried going through one of them once for a build and it felt like applying for car insurance.

Chill out mate. There is NOTHING wrong with kids striving to become businessmen or attempting to own a business. I don't like service teams myself (after owning one its just one big shit show), but they're just trying to get by as well as everyone else. They just haven't been taught other advertisement methods and strictly rely on Mc-Market. Then it goes on top of SO many competitors, they spam because there are literally hundreds of other service teams to fight against. So to start verbally abusing them isn't very fair. Also, did you even once think to tell the Owner of this service team how poor the service was and how it had awful practices, in a calm mannerly way?

 

[Joshua C]

Chill out mate. There is NOTHING wrong with kids striving to become businessmen or attempting to own a business. I don't like service teams myself (after owning one its just one big shit show), but they're just trying to get by as well as everyone else. They just haven't been taught other advertisement methods and strictly rely on Mc-Market. Then it goes on top of SO many competitors, they spam because there are literally hundreds of other service teams to fight against. So to start verbally abusing them isn't very fair. Also, did you even once think to tell the Owner of this service team how poor the service was and how it had awful practices, in a calm mannerly way?

The age over here displays their standards for service teams

 

[Sloth]

Scam reports are should never get started if the service team makes a standard and they’re verified business.

True. I doubt Mc-Market is ever going to force teams into registering as an actual business entity though. They’ve got enough on their plate as is.

 

[Joshua C]

True. I doubt Mc-Market is ever going to force teams into registering as an actual business entity though. They’ve got enough on their plate as is.

They should because after-all they’re acting as a company, and a business and if mcm denies it then why the hell is Fiverr registered? Its doing the same thing?

Having a verified paypal, some graphics does not mean shit unless you’ve a standard for yourself, your team and workers, and complying with rules in each country you do business requires a registration for it


A freelancer is not capable of registering because he’s accepting payments for the work he do, not becoming a platform.

A service team should get registered because they’re doing a lot of transactions and after all they’re a PLATFORM.

 

[Zacey]

They should because after-all they’re acting as a company, and a business and if mcm denies it then why the hell is Fiverr registered? Its doing the same thing?

Having a verified paypal, some graphics does not mean shit unless you’ve a standard for yourself, your team and workers, and complying with rules in each country you do business requires a registration for it


A freelancer is not capable of registering because he’s accepting payments for the work he do, not becoming a platform.

A service team should get registered because they’re doing a lot of transactions and after all they’re a PLATFORM.

You do realize to get a fully verified business paypal you have to be making a fairly decent amount of income, which 95% of Service teams do not make. Also, you must be 18.. Even for some of the very successful service teams, they haven't been able to fully verify their business as its just not possible.