Agent/Agency getting their come-uppance - a tale of greed?

[Unix]

Bollax. In this case the agent lied, and got greedy.

If lying and greed bother you then you'll have problems working in a capitalist civilisation, every one lies and every one would like more money. Otherwise every salesman that ever lived would be in the dock.

[Boo]

Wouldn't it be easier to have a list of agencies that don't do this, at least it would be a small list

Fair point, but it is obviously a very prominent point in this issue which hasn't been mentioned.


So I repeat : Name and Shame, please ?

Boo

[Boo]

I long to live to see the day where an agents margin is declared to all parties.

Why?

Because, fairly obviously, the agency makes their money off of the value provided by the contractor.

The agency provides the client with nothing at all that they can sell and are just an overhead in the process of finding a contractor who is the only person in the chain that does provide the client with something of value.

Therefore it is important, both to the contractor and to the client, that the agency makes as little as possible out of the process and, in an ideal world, goes bust as quickly as possible thus releasing all its consumed resources to enterprises that can do something useful with them istead.

That's why.

Boo

[evilagent]

Because, fairly obviously, the agency makes their money off of the value provided by the contractor.

The agency provides the client with nothing at all that they can sell and are just an overhead in the process of finding a contractor who is the only person in the chain that does provide the client with something of value.

Therefore it is important, both to the contractor and to the client, that the agency makes as little as possible out of the process and, in an ideal world, goes bust as quickly as possible thus releasing all its consumed resources to enterprises that can do something useful with them istead.

That's why.

Boo

I'm bored, so I'll bite:

re: The agency provides the client with nothing ...
In its simplest format, the agency carries out out-sourced HR activities.
If the cost of a couple of thousands to an agency is too high, the cost of employing an in-house HR person is higher still.
Additionally, clientcos may want the "at arms-length" relationship if client project is deemed short-term, or business politics.
Somebody, somewhere has to do the admin. Admin, potentially also "provide no useful service", but laws have to be followed, boxes ticked, etc.

re: important ... agency makes as little as possible ....

It may be important, but you have to explain why clientcos, with all their cost-cutting, etc, support a mutli-billion pound business.
There are factors beyond just cost to be considered.

PS: I am working as a contractor, and having a pretty easy life at the moment compared to being an agent.
But I really get annoyed at the abject dearth of knowledge at the broader issues that clienctcos have to address when engaging agencies. The simplistic, generic, sterotyped contractor-centric viewpoints on this forum are just pathetic.

Raise your game.
Provide practical ways to put agencies out of business.
Present these ideas to your clients.
See how far you get.
Let me know how it goes.

[Wanderer]

I really get annoyed at the abject dearth of knowledge at the broader issues that clienctcos have to address when engaging agencies. The simplistic, generic, sterotyped contractor-centric viewpoints on this forum are just pathetic.

You are free to enlighten us if you like, but you haven't told us anything that we don't already know about the role of the agency.

Raise your game.
Provide practical ways to put agencies out of business.
Present these ideas to your clients.
See how far you get.
Let me know how it goes.

Contractor Club is working on this but I doubt that they will close down a multi billion pound industry over night. I think a bigger threat to the agencies is their own dodgy dealings which has made everyone more and more aware that agencies are ripping off clients and contractors alike. The more clients that push agencies towards a fixed margin deal the better. Of course agencies are hushing this up and trying desperately to obfuscate things because they don't want the cat out of the bag....

[evilagent]

You are free to enlighten us if you like, but you haven't told us anything that we don't already know about the role of the agency.

Contractor Club is working on this but I doubt that they will close down a multi billion pound industry over night. I think a bigger threat to the agencies is their own dodgy dealings which has made everyone more and more aware that agencies are ripping off clients and contractors alike. The more clients that push agencies towards a fixed margin deal the better. Of course agencies are hushing this up and trying desperately to obfuscate things because they don't want the cat out of the bag....

The role of the agency is controlled by the clientco, so they dont have to deal with the great unwashed.
Agencies have absolutely no power to walk into companies and dictate terms.
Agencies provide a service, and the service you receive from them (no callbacks, no feedback, delayed start times, abrupt end, or extensions, delayed payment) are reflections of the end clientco.

Get rid of agencies, good luck, but you'll just get that crap from the horses mouth, rather through an intermediary.

I have absolutely no problem with fixed margins.
Agencies dodgy-dealings are clearly a problem, and are best solved by having more open negotiations.
The playing off of client against contractor is an obvious area that needs cleaning up, by having written communications between all parties. (esp in reference to the opening post)

re: Contractor Club: there is another thread bout CC, and I have encouraged them hopefully, but highlight areas they need to address before they get too big. As long as CC is seen as a collective, hobby-style set-up, you'll be fine. As soon as they are seen as a distinct commercial entity, they have an obligation to themselves to exploit their position for profit. I have wished them well.

[Boney M]

Sorry for me thats too much ******* about. I am not getting in contact with the client no matter how well we got on at interview and getting in a tete a tete with him about rates and tulip. This is my rate, no they cant pay? well **** off then whilst I carry on with the role I have at the rate I am happy to be paid

[SussexSeagull]

Raise your game.
Provide practical ways to put agencies out of business.
Present these ideas to your clients.
See how far you get.
Let me know how it goes.

I am not one to join in the excessive agent bashing (although the above example is lying, pure and simple) but history is full of industries that thought it would never end.

Recruitment is as vulnerable to globalisation as anything else.

[NotAllThere]

...Agencies provide a service, and the service you receive from them (no callbacks, no feedback, delayed start times, abrupt end, or extensions, delayed payment) are reflections of the end clientco.

I've been a hiring manager many times over the years. As an experienced contractor, I already knew how recruitment consultancies often worked. Much of the crap service received by candidates can be laid firmly at the agencies' door.

[GazCol]

Because, fairly obviously, the agency makes their money off of the value provided by the contractor.

The agency provides the client with nothing at all that they can sell and are just an overhead in the process of finding a contractor who is the only person in the chain that does provide the client with something of value.

Therefore it is important, both to the contractor and to the client, that the agency makes as little as possible out of the process and, in an ideal world, goes bust as quickly as possible thus releasing all its consumed resources to enterprises that can do something useful with them istead.

That's why.

Boo

That’s not really what I asked, but interesting none-the-less. I’m not sure what, if anything, the client co gets out of knowing the agency’s cut. From my perspective, at least, I’m really not sure what knowing the agency’s rate would do for me? If I apply for a role at £xxx a day I’m happy to take it on at that rate, knowing what the agency is getting doesn’t put me in a position to negotiate upwards or make me feel any better about the whole process.