Rate changes

[lukemg]

I don't buy this - I am happy with the rate, don't care about the markup stuff for a few reasons:
1 - Been stitched up too many times by agents pleading poverty, client won't budge, will review after 3 months - yeah right.
2 - Clearly clientco values the role higher, which means my company has the potential to increase revenue - I want that increase.
3 - You may find you are priced higher than people in a comparable position at clientco (even though you might be getting less than them !!!). This puts you at risk of exit if any belt tightening happens.
4 - I know the agents job is more difficult than contractors think but anything over 15% - especially after a few months is taking the piss no matter how they try to dress it up.
Mostly work on PSL's which are tied down tight but I would be VERY interested otherwise.

[magicbuttons]

Depending on how well you get on with your client, their TOCs with the agent and how cheeky you're willing to be, you could possibly have a chat about going direct and negotiate a rate between your current rate and what they're paying. At that markup it could be in both your interests, even including an intro fee.

[SueEllen]

Again I am talking agency cut, keeping the end client out of it.

Lots of times the end client is happy for you to find out how much they are paying the agency. Obviously it's easier if you are in some roles than in others to get this information.

[ChimpMaster]

I don't buy this - I am happy with the rate, don't care about the markup stuff for a few reasons:
1 - Been stitched up too many times by agents pleading poverty, client won't budge, will review after 3 months - yeah right.
2 - Clearly clientco values the role higher, which means my company has the potential to increase revenue - I want that increase.
3 - You may find you are priced higher than people in a comparable position at clientco (even though you might be getting less than them !!!). This puts you at risk of exit if any belt tightening happens.
4 - I know the agents job is more difficult than contractors think but anything over 15% - especially after a few months is taking the piss no matter how they try to dress it up.
Mostly work on PSL's which are tied down tight but I would be VERY interested otherwise.

I would have written just that. And much of it shows in a post I put in the other thread "Agency Percentage. Does it matter or not?"

Are you sure you're not me?

[TykeMerc]

I don't buy this - I am happy with the rate, don't care about the markup stuff for a few reasons:
1 - Been stitched up too many times by agents pleading poverty, client won't budge, will review after 3 months - yeah right.
2 - Clearly clientco values the role higher, which means my company has the potential to increase revenue - I want that increase.
3 - You may find you are priced higher than people in a comparable position at clientco (even though you might be getting less than them !!!). This puts you at risk of exit if any belt tightening happens.
4 - I know the agents job is more difficult than contractors think but anything over 15% - especially after a few months is taking the piss no matter how they try to dress it up.
Mostly work on PSL's which are tied down tight but I would be VERY interested otherwise.

I do feel much the same way and I usually find out the agency percentage pretty quickly as I manage my project budgets and my time typically gets billed to the projects.
Anything at over 15% of the charged rate going to the agent tends to raise my hackles, but for the last few years it's been less than that (one was at 5% which I was surprised by) so I've had no cause to bitch.
I have a bit of an advantage as commercial negotiation is part of my profession so I admit I find it fun rather than a chore or distressing to have to do the negotiations if I need to.