Paying the double agency wammy

[Not So Wise]

Alexander Mann also emply such practices as requiring a contractor to invoice for a months period by 12 am Tuesday, then process it the following Monday, then pay 30 days later

I hope you are kidding? I would tell such an agency to go screw themselves unless their margin was about 1/2%.
Agencys "earn" their margins in two areas as far as i am concerned

a) An plain introduction service. They know a company is looking for someone with certain talents so they find someone with said talents.

b) As a payments service, companys generally pay within 30 days. contractors get paid either within days or a week, agents are out of pocket during this period (almost like a check cashing service) thus charge for this

A agency that is delaying payments for 30 days is totally side stepping the 2nd part of their service and reduceing their overheads drasticlly, for that i would expect a massive reduction in their "costs" to me.

If you signed up and agreed to that you only have yourself to blame, i most certainly would not have unless the contract was paying me 4 times my normal rate...and even then would have thought about it.

Remember it's contractors who take positions with these types of agencys that keep them in buisness

[DodgyAgent]

There is nothing wrong with Contractors trying to shorten the value chain and increase their revenue stream.

There is nothing wrong at all. Information is power after all. If I were a contractor I would want to know margins, not as of some sort of "right" but to know:

a. How expensive to the client I am (for reasons made earlier by one of you)
and

b. To help my negotiating position.

What I take issue with is the arrogant idiots who presume that they are paying the agency and presume that the agency does nothing for its margin, as if they have some sort moral authority to make such judgements. Business is not some platform for a battle of what is ethical (mostly subjective), moral or whatever; that is what governments are (supposedly) there to decide.

If you object on principle (this is called whinging) to agents earning margins 2 years after they have placed you, and that you presume to suggest that agencies should get paid at the point at which they do the work, then you have no real understanding of business anyway (which is why you need agents) .

Agencies work on a contingency basis. Most of the work that they do is unpaid-nothing wrong with that; their charges therefore reflect this whether they be over on week or ten years. This practice is no different from any other business. M&S for instance employ check out staff whether you buy £200 worth of bog rolls or you simply go there to fondle the fresh materials in the ladies underwear section. Any opf you who claim to be business orientated should appreciate this.

There is remarkable amount of rather childish immature behaviour shown by quite a large number of you who seem to think that you are owed a living. When a contractor ignores a contract because he does not like the agency margin or the way that the client runs its business affairs, this means one of two things:

1. He will forever remain bitter and twisted and
2. He is not interested in the contract in the first place

[ratewhore]

AlexMann - what a wonderful company they are!!! Couple of points to make.

Firstly, when they took over sole agency for a contract I had a few guys on, they didn't pay invoices until the end of the payment term. I understand that as sound business practice but the old agency paid within a week or two so you have to compare like for like.

Secondly, and more importantly in my eyes, they refused to take on board a new contractor through my company, citing PSL's of their own. Now, if I handed them that contractor on a plate they could put him forward straight away, if not, I would have to wait until they had failed to fill the role through their own contractors (including the delay for advertising) and then their preferred agencies. They also refused to look at adding my company to their PSL. Again, completely legit business practice but I didn't take kindly to their approach and ended the relationship.

Yes, I may have lost extra turnover but it wasn't worth the hassle on top of their increasingly late payment of invoices.

[DodgyAgent]

the small business

AlexMann - what a wonderful company they are!!! Couple of points to make.

Firstly, when they took over sole agency for a contract I had a few guys on, they didn't pay invoices until the end of the payment term. I understand that as sound business practice but the old agency paid within a week or two so you have to compare like for like.

Secondly, and more importantly in my eyes, they refused to take on board a new contractor through my company, citing PSL's of their own. Now, if I handed them that contractor on a plate they could put him forward straight away, if not, I would have to wait until they had failed to fill the role through their own contractors (including the delay for advertising) and then their preferred agencies. They also refused to look at adding my company to their PSL. Again, completely legit business practice but I didn't take kindly to their approach and ended the relationship.

Yes, I may have lost extra turnover but it wasn't worth the hassle on top of their increasingly late payment of invoices.

There was an interesting article by Simon Jenkins in the Sunday Times about
Peter Drucker. I am not a book reader but I may take a look at some of his books. It talks about large corporations (including government) and how they stifle enterprise.

One of the things that we are facing today is the muscling out of small business and small enterprise. This is being achieved mainly through legislation (health and safety the prime culprit) encouraged by large governments and large corporations alike. Monopolies and a "no one ever got sacked for buying IBM" mentality have virtually shut out the small supplier.

Dont worry "little dodgy" is fighting back (until I become large that is )

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...879964,00.html

[DodgyAgent]

Yes, I may have lost extra turnover but it wasn't worth the hassle on top of their increasingly late payment of invoices.

You will also find that if they are late with paying you then they will have a complaints procedure, you should not only complain but record your complaint.

[mcquiggd]

There is remarkable amount of rather childish immature behaviour shown by quite a large number of you who seem to think that you are owed a living.

No Dodgy, we earn a living - the agency takes a cut of our living.

[John Galt]

No Dodgy, we earn a living - the agency takes a cut of our living.

If that's how you feel, go and find your own contracts and don't use an agency. Simple really - if you don't like it don't do it.

[ratewhore]

You will also find that if they are late with paying you then they will have a complaints procedure, you should not only complain but record your complaint.

Thats all dealt with. Fully paid invoices plus penalties and interest...

[DaveB]

Has anyone had any dealings with Abraxus? Problems with payment etc. This thread has got me paranoid about getting paid now.....

[privateeye]

Has anyone had any dealings with Abraxus? Problems with payment etc. This thread has got me paranoid about getting paid now.....

No probs they paid on time etc