Agency margins in "current climate" ...

[d000hg]

If the client considers a 50% markup to be taking the piss, does it then become 'wrong' or still a case of 'just business'?

[malvolio]

Read this - http://www.lpwcs.com/wordpress/2009/...pping-you-off/

[minestrone]

Most places do not even entertain direct contracts and the places that do are willing to give agents the 10% -> 15% on the top of your fee.

[d000hg]

Most places do not even entertain direct contracts and the places that do are willing to give agents the 10% -> 15% on the top of your fee.

Is this because they find the contracts with agents are more to their liking somehow - payment terms maybe - or just that they want to avoid messing about with agreeing different contracts with every single contractor?

I'd suggest small companies (<50 people) are much more likely to accept direct dealing, because they don't have procedures in place like big corporations. But then, this would also change the kind of work they are looking for.

[minestrone]

I think they want to deal with an entity rather than a bunch of contractors who never answer their phones. I think the agents cut can often be put down to an outsourcing of HR.

My last gig was direct and that was the lowest rate I have had in 5 years.

[George Parr]

I think they want to deal with an entity rather than a bunch of contractors who never answer their phones. I think the agents cut can often be put down to an outsourcing of HR.

Not like agents then!

[contractreviews.co.uk]

I agree with the above posts.

If you are not happy with your current paid rate, you should negotiate.

I think that if you play hard ball and make it clear that should your rate not be increased you will leave the job, your agent will probably make a commercial gesture.

Remember that he only gets paid if you work. So, if you are ready to be reasonable on what you are asking there is no reason why you should not be able.

Mardi

[hgllgh]

The IT contracting market is no different to any other market: there are winners and losers.

The OP is undoubtedly a loser and his agent is a winner. There a no winners without losers.

The old adage: if you cant stand the heat, keep out of the kitchen is just as appropriate here as anywhere else.

The OP is way out of his depth thinking that you only need to be a developer to be a successful contractor when in fact it is only one of the lesser skills required.

Business is a brutal and friendless world that has no time for people like the OP.
PZZ

Shouldn't really dignify this drivel with a response, but, what the 'eck.

Look Mr PZZ sais, I took this contract for a number of reasons, none of which I need to justify to anyone and especially not to the likes of you. Besides these other reasons there is a clause which means I can move on with no notice after a certain period of time and due to the low rate that is exactly what I will do. It is also exactly what the previous contractor for the role did, and apparently the one before that too. So, because this agency is taking such a ridiculous margin, poor old client co is having to deal with a rapid turnover of contactors. If the contract locked me in for any length of time at that rate I more than likely would have said no, but as I said there were other circumstances that I needed to consider. It seems to me that you judge people without getting the full picture first.

Just take a step back and read your post above. In fact I would invite anyone reading this or anyone who has posted on this thread, would you want to work with this guy?

Ah ... hold on ... I think I know what has happened here ... I think you may have left your brain in the 1980's... Winners and losers ... please, that is so old hat dear fellow. If I am in a very strong position financially does that make me a winner in the PZZ book of BS?

I've done very well out of contracting thankyou so long may the business world be a brutal and friendless place that has no time for me.

So, Mr PZZ, please educate the contracting community . If I am contracting as a developer (the definition of which includes being able to communicate at all levels of the business, understand requirements etc as well as technical ability) can you please inform us which skills are, in your view, more important?

[TheFaQQer]

This all makes entertaining reading, but as SoS said a while back:

what do you want out of this? Legislation to fix/limit the margins of agencies? or just to force them to tell you.

Or is this just a "It's not fair" rant?

We're back (as ever) to the same old story - you aren't happy with a contract rate that you agreed (for whatever reason). What are you hoping to accomplish by whinging on here about it?

There are always going to be two camps - those on the lower rates who complain about how much the agency is taking, and those on the higher rates that agree a rate that they are happy with and don't care how much the agency is taking.

I suggest that you try to move yourself from the former to the latter.

[pzz76077]

Shouldn't really dignify this drivel with a response, but, what the 'eck.

Look Mr PZZ sais, I took this contract for a number of reasons, none of which I need to justify to anyone and especially not to the likes of you. Besides these other reasons there is a clause which means I can move on with no notice after a certain period of time and due to the low rate that is exactly what I will do. It is also exactly what the previous contractor for the role did, and apparently the one before that too. So, because this agency is taking such a ridiculous margin, poor old client co is having to deal with a rapid turnover of contactors. If the contract locked me in for any length of time at that rate I more than likely would have said no, but as I said there were other circumstances that I needed to consider. It seems to me that you judge people without getting the full picture first.

Just take a step back and read your post above. In fact I would invite anyone reading this or anyone who has posted on this thread, would you want to work with this guy?

Ah ... hold on ... I think I know what has happened here ... I think you may have left your brain in the 1980's... Winners and losers ... please, that is so old hat dear fellow. If I am in a very strong position financially does that make me a winner in the PZZ book of BS?

I've done very well out of contracting thankyou so long may the business world be a brutal and friendless place that has no time for me.

So, Mr PZZ, please educate the contracting community . If I am contracting as a developer (the definition of which includes being able to communicate at all levels of the business, understand requirements etc as well as technical ability) can you please inform us which skills are, in your view, more important?

Its been said that if someone has to resort to juvenile abuse on a BB in a futile final attempt to get their point across, then said person has lost the intellectual argument long ago. The fact that you have had to stoop this low twice now only goes to illustrate my earlier point regarding you personality if it was ever needed.

Ive no doubt that you will continue to do well out of contracting on your 200pd as you say until the agent kicks you out for being a pain in the ass.

Anyway, until then, good luck and goodbye to you sais I.

PZZ