Do not get anywhere close to 40 hours billable per week. I've been averaging about 24-30 hours even though I'm working 5-6 days a week.
Investigators get new case manager every 6-8 months so it's very hard to develop a relationship with managers. Just as you do, they get transferred to another department.
The company has these contracts with various insurance companies that puts the investigator essentially in handcuffs. There is no investigating that goes on by this company. We are required to sit and watch and if we do not see anything within the first 3 or 4 hours the case managers will tell you to discontinue for the day, which leads you with a couple of billable hours for the day. They give no consideration into the investigator or his ability to develop information as that is not allowed per these contracts that are apparently put together by higher-up's that have no real world surveillance experience.
Managers do not really care about investigators, they will just hire someone else and hand them a camera and call them an investigator if you speak up on anything.
Upper management is not receptive to input. They know the best way and that's the way it's gonna be. Even when it's really not the best way.
There is an emphasis on speed, not thoroughness.
Managers encourage investigators to write reports while on surveillance, which essentially limits our ability to do surveillance. Again, too much emphasis on speed and NO emphasis on the quality of the product.
Managers will call and start talking about matrix numbers and how you're falling short on production...too much reliance on matrix numbers!! The first rule in statistics is you can say ANYTHING with statistics! These numbers really have no impact on the quality of the work product.
