Should agents margins be transparent?

[d000hg]

So you exporting the work this country has left to offer by undercutting the indigenous workforce.

At least the agents keep it in this country - apart from of course some of the bigger ones, tata, etc.

Strangely enough, I didn't set up a company to do my bit for my beloved England like a good Patriot.

Although if you really want to be pedantic (I think it's a safe bet you do), the work I hire foreign developers for is found outside the UK/EU. So on balance, I'm bringing money into the UK. In fact since the money staying in the UK is actually the margins I put on said foreign workers, I should apply the biggest margins I possibly can.

I'm a hero!

[DodgyAgent]

Well lucky you, I have a situation where the agent refuses to acknowledge the existence of a contractor who sits next to me and a client who swears blind they pay the same rate for the both of us.

I'm not normally one to moan about individual rates but when someone comes in on 40% more and I have to show them the ropes I get more than a little annoyed.

How do you know what others are earning?

[gingerjedi]

How do you know what others are earning?

Because I know the guy from a previous contract, he spilled the beans within 5 minutes.

[Mich the Tester]

I don't mean make it law as that would be near impossible to implement but the PCG could push for it as a 'best practise'.

Client win, contractor win, agent lose... whats not to like?

I think that's up to the agent, seeing as he makes his own business decisions. There are now some agencies in Holland like TFCNL, Headfirst, Fastflex and ikwileenopdracht.nl who are making their margins very clear and open and see this as a competitive strategy; clients and contractors get transparency and it seems those agents are doing very well out of this strategy. However, these agents are quite lean organisations who aren't funding massive HQ offices or top heavy mangement layers. It remains to be seen whether the UK based agents follow their lead. Personally I'm not that bothered by the margin as long as I'm being paid what I feel is a a tulipload of money, but I've found that the agencies who are transparent about their margins are also more trustworthy in other aspects, like timely payment.

[DodgyAgent]

Because I know the guy from a previous contract, he spilled the beans within 5 minutes.

I bet you now think that you are awfully clever and that your mind is now preoccupied on what everyone else is doing/earning. So someone has come in earning more money than you to do a job that you are showing him what to do.

I would suggest that as in the case of most businesses that this is information that you should not have or that you should simply ignore. You should get on with doing what you are paid to do. Otherwise if you dont like it I am sure that you know what to do.

[Not So Wise]

I would suggest that as in the case of most businesses that this is information that you should not have or that you should simply ignore. .

"Don't tell anyone your rate nor discuss it with the client"

Typical agency bulltulip to keep both contractors and clients in the dark so agents can maximise their margins

Information is power, for both contractor and client, if they chose to remain ignorant this only benefits the agency to the direct detriment of the other two, hence agency demands for secrecy should be generally ignored

[Mich the Tester]

Personally I don't discuss the rate at the client because it just leads to inane discussions with permies who whinge about 'all those expensive external people'.

[gingerjedi]

I bet you now think that you are awfully clever and that your mind is now preoccupied on what everyone else is doing/earning. So someone has come in earning more money than you to do a job that you are showing him what to do.

I would suggest that as in the case of most businesses that this is information that you should not have or that you should simply ignore. You should get on with doing what you are paid to do. Otherwise if you dont like it I am sure that you know what to do.

Your attitude is exactly the same as my agent... funny that.

[DodgyAgent]

"Don't tell anyone your rate nor discuss it with the client"

Typical agency bulltulip to keep both contractors and clients in the dark so agents can maximise their margins

Information is power, for both contractor and client, if they chose to remain ignorant this only benefits the agency to the direct detriment of the other two, hence agency demands for secrecy should be generally ignored

I didnt say not talk about your rate to the client. I said to not talk about it with other contractors because you will always find someone earning more than you.

[DodgyAgent]

"Don't tell anyone your rate nor discuss it with the client"

Typical agency bulltulip to keep both contractors and clients in the dark so agents can maximise their margins

Information is power, for both contractor and client, if they chose to remain ignorant this only benefits the agency to the direct detriment of the other two, hence agency demands for secrecy should be generally ignored

And how would you react if someone who is better than you is earning less?