New Contractor Portal - Sourcing new contracts - What do you want?

**ratewhore** · 7 December 2006, 18:39

I can't wait for the responses...

**Cowboy Bob** · 7 December 2006, 18:57

Don't worry lads/lasses. I can honestly say that DP Connect are one of the more decent agencies. They are a bit misguided in their legal advice, but then they're not lawyers and they were willing to listen.

**Troll** · 7 December 2006, 19:33

Never heard of them...but all I want from an agency is honesty...and some hot totty to take me out to lunch at renewal time....and weekly payment

**Cowboy Bob** · 7 December 2006, 19:38

Originally posted by Troll

and some hot totty to take me out to lunch at renewal time....and weekly payment

Put it this way, I've never spoken to a bloke there... And they pay fortnightly which isn't too bad. They also have a policy of naming the client when they ring up to offer you a gig, which is refreshing.

EDIT : And to the OP, I've spoken at length to my "pimp" and sent a few e-mails about your processes and the things you could have done better (particularly the fact that you were trying to push me into using a composite company which given the chancellor's speech this week was less than helpful - though I think the message finally got through to your accounts department). So hopefully my feedback is already on board.

**DeadKenny** · 7 December 2006, 21:48

Originally posted by GreenhitheLee

can honestly say I am shocked to hear of so many horror stories regarding agencies.

Really?

Anyway, all I'd say that's required from agents is just don't screw us, but then they'd hardly have a business would they?

**cojak** · 7 December 2006, 22:04

Well then Lee

A bit of honesty up front is always a good idea.

Please be aware that we know that we are not your clients - your clients are your clients. You are using us for our mutual gain. Please do not try to confuse the 2 in your dealings with us. Generally we know the difference and anything else appears deceitful. There's nothing worse than an agent to tries to imply that we are their customers. You are our customers, although there is always an interesting grey area as you have to persuade us to work for you

(and of course it never dawns on some contractors that this is indeed the case...)

Always work on the 'mutual gain' approach, that's my advice.

**To BI or not to BI?** · 7 December 2006, 22:07

Don't waste our time pretending that you have lots of incredible opportunities for us only to try and find out:
- who we are working for at the moment
- how much we are being paid
- give us some contact names...

I am sure there's more, but I'll leave it for my fellow contractors and forum visiting people

**Denny** · 7 December 2006, 22:25

Quite right. Until the fundamental contractor to EB, EB to client model changes that is not based on 'sales of our services' then it doesn't make that much difference how nice an EB might seem. They are all potential shafters simply because the client can lean on them so much. Ultimately, an EB will only treat each contractor as well as the client treats the EB in relation to that same contractor. Keeping their end client happy, even if its at their contractors expense, is their first and only priority. If it wasn't they would be out on their ear.

Anyway, in answer to the thread question:

If you really want to do some good for contractors, how about introducing a company policy of ensuring that the EB to client contract is in fact back-to-back with the client and allowing us to view it, if necessary. That way, when we get our own EB to contractor terms looked over by a solicitor to see that they are IR35 exempt they can see what the on-site conditions are we're likely to face. At the moment, this task is made impossible.

This alone is worth far more than any superficial gesturing - like responding to phone calls after leaving messages to enquire after jobs, giving feedback after interviews (which are normally only for the EBs benefit anyway so that they can prize useful info out of you about how the interview went so that they can prime their next candidate better if we're not offered ourselves), paying fortnightly, not scamming for leads and so on. None of which add much value to our own bottom line. What does matter is wasting cash on solicitor reviews when we're not sure of on-site working practices anyway until its much too late and then having the worry of looking over our shoulders wondering whether we should in fact be outside IR35.

Also, ensure you deal only with supply chain for procuring your own services and ours, not HR. Who the heck are HR anyway? I thought HR looked after staff interests?

Reducing your mark up percentages after every extension. After all, if you're only acting as a once a month payroll channel then it hardly justifies an ongoing or endless 25% mark up. I accept a high mark up is OK for the first contract because the introduction element and fee negotiation deserves a good reward - provided you don't claim that EB's 'find us work' or provide us with jobs'. We do that ourselves, when we go for interviews. However, ongoing high mark ups are certainly not justifiable. This is detrimental to contractor interests too, because sooner or later the client resents paying out so much and will end contracts sooner rather than later even if their skills are still required and opt for a cheaper alternative. Why should we pay for your greed?

Basically, what we want is substance, not fluffery. When I see signs of this happening that will be the day I will start championing the idea of third party supplier EBs.

End of story.

**cojak** · 8 December 2006, 08:26

Basically, what we want is substance, not fluffery. When I see signs of this happening that will be the day I will start championing the idea of third party supplier EBs.

I guess that'll be the day we stop call them Pimps...

New Contractor Portal - Sourcing new contracts - What do you want?