Let’s be real — most chargebacks in this industry come down to photos. Not the quality of the work, not the timeline, not even the bid accuracy. It’s the photos. You could do a flawless lock change, but if your photo set is incomplete or doesn’t match what the servicer expects, that work order is getting kicked back.
I’ve seen the same mistakes over and over, and most of them are completely avoidable.
Missing the “before” shot. This is the number one killer. You show up, start working, and realize halfway through that you forgot to photograph the original condition. Now you’ve got a great “after” but nothing to compare it to. Servicers want proof that the work was necessary AND that it was completed. Before photos are non-negotiable. Make it a habit: phone comes out before tools come out.
Wrong angles or cropped too tight. A close-up of a new padlock is nice, but the reviewer needs to see WHERE that padlock is. They need context — the full door, the full window, the full property. Start with a wide establishing shot, then get your detail shots. Think of it like telling a visual story: the whole house, then the specific area, then the close-up of the completed work.
No address or date verification. Some servicers require a photo of the property address visible in the shot, or a timestamp on the photo. If you’re not including these and your client requires them, every single work order is at risk. Check your client’s specific photo requirements before you send a single crew out.
Inconsistent photo counts. If the work order calls for 15 photos and you submit 8, that’s a problem. If it calls for specific photo types — front exterior, rear exterior, left side, right side, street view — and you skip two of them, that’s a rejection. Treat the photo requirements like a checklist because that’s exactly what the reviewer on the other end is using.
Blurry or dark photos. This sounds basic, but it happens constantly. If the reviewer can’t clearly see the work, they can’t approve it. Take an extra 10 seconds to check each photo before you move on. If it’s too dark inside, turn on the flash. If it’s blurry, retake it.
The fix for all of this is building a system. Create a photo checklist for each service type. Train your crews on it. Review photo sets before they get submitted. The 5 extra minutes it takes to get photos right will save you hours of rework and hundreds in chargebacks every month.