Reply to: Free Umbrella Company

[brianjonesaat]

Hmm!

I was thinking of closing Ltd down as close to retirement and only doing a few days so thought Umbrella might be a good idea. Looked at this Springboard thing but put off when I went to "secure" site to see it was a normal http: site with the word secure used in the url! Do they think we are thick?!? That's really poor if you're adding personal details and tells me they are cutting corners for sure.

[Frantic Chicken]

There are so many clever, experienced contractors on board and I cant believe no one such worked this out

Of course anu umbrella companies can charge for free if they want to, and still make money (if not more money than the fee normally charged)....

simples....

How do they make money without charging a fee?

[YNWA]

There is no such thing as free....

There are so many clever, experienced contractors on board and I cant believe no one such worked this out

Of course anu umbrella companies can charge for free if they want to, and still make money (if not more money than the fee normally charged)....

simples....

[Numpty]

So come on then mglover, what are you expecting to achieve from this?

The need to create a new account:

mglover
Banned

[Frantic Chicken]

I read the title and turned off..

I mean, who idiot would sign up for something that was 'free'. End of discussion really.

The fact you are marketing something as free will immediately get peoples suspicions up and shoot yourself in the foot. We all expect to pay something so a better marketing ploy would have been to tell us you will charge us something!!!

Good Point. So come on then mglover, what are you expecting to achieve from this?

[northernladuk]

I read the title and turned off..

I mean, who idiot would sign up for something that was 'free'. End of discussion really.

The fact you are marketing something as free will immediately get peoples suspicions up and shoot yourself in the foot. We all expect to pay something so a better marketing ploy would have been to tell us you will charge us something!!!

[Hex]

A good umbrella company should keep the money that is owing to HMR&C and their employees seperate from their own income i.e. the umbrella company's fees go to one account from which they run their business and everything else goes to another.

Maybe it should, but as an employee of that Umbrella it's hard to be certain they are doing this and I would hazard a guess that quite a few don't.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

A good umbrella company should keep the money that is owing to HMR&C and their employees seperate from their own income i.e. the umbrella company's fees go to one account from which they run their business and everything else goes to another.

[Hex]

I am sorry to be so negative, but I have just joined JSA umbrella which I now find out has been losing money and has only survived by not paying the taxman. I am not risking my livelihood and I'm moving elsewhere.

Where's the financial guarantee that Mr Glover & Springboard won't do the same?

I'm an IT contractor and worked for an internet company until the internet bubble burst. This was caused by a brilliant business model:

1. give it away for free to buy market share
2. work out how to make money later
3. use investors money until it runs out
4. go bust and don't bother to pay the staff and contractors you owe money to!!!
5. oh nearly forgot, always sound as if you know what your talking about - even if you don't

Once bitten....

And yet - even after not getting paid by your "Internet Company", you still used some other company to handle the money you've earnt. Why use an umbrella at all. There are tales of a number of them going bust in the current climate. Set up your own limited and look after your own money. Some people say they don't want the hassle, but how much hassle is it when you don't get paid 'cos the umbrella has gone bust?

[mackon]

I am sorry to be so negative, but I have just joined JSA umbrella which I now find out has been losing money and has only survived by not paying the taxman. I am not risking my livelihood and I'm moving elsewhere.

Where's the financial guarantee that Mr Glover & Springboard won't do the same?

I'm an IT contractor and worked for an internet company until the internet bubble burst. This was caused by a brilliant business model:

1. give it away for free to buy market share
2. work out how to make money later
3. use investors money until it runs out
4. go bust and don't bother to pay the staff and contractors you owe money to!!!
5. oh nearly forgot, always sound as if you know what your talking about - even if you don't

Once bitten....

[mglover]

It's not free for ever, only for the length of your first contract, so it is a marketing ploy to build up a client base.

Hi Waldorf. Actually that is not the case. It will stay free for a considerable time, probably in the order of between 6 months and a year. At which point we will agree with our clients a suitable level of charge and at that time we will honour all existing customers as free until their contract expires. Even then you can come and go as you like with no commitment. So if you sign with Springboard on a 12 month contract now you are guaranteed no charges until at least after that first 12 months, then you can go to another umbrella if you dont think Springboard is worth paying for. By contract you could have 6 or 9 one month contracts at no charge before we even start to charge a penny. Can't say fairer than that can we?

[Waldorf]

It's not free for ever, only for the length of your first contract, so it is a marketing ploy to build up a client base.

[DiscoStu]

Springboard Umbrella have announced that their full UK umbrella service is now free of charge. Go to <removed> for more details.

Have you ever watched a gladiator film in a Turkish prison?

[mglover]

and the website needs a bit of work nice 404 error on second click.

nice sponsored links as well on the 404 error page

love these 2

Simply stunning umbrellas
Gorgeous umbrellas for everyday use and special occasions too
<removed>

Jollybrolly umbrellas
High quality low cost umbrellas Plain 2 day,branded 14 day delivery
<removed>


and why an 0845 number - these cost us money as not free on mobiles

Sorry, free not quite cheap enough for you?! Bless your cotton (comedy) socks...

[mglover]

[quote=JonSmile;1059409]and the website needs a bit of work nice 404 error on second click.

nice sponsored links as well on the 404 error page

love these 2

Simply stunning umbrellas
Gorgeous umbrellas for everyday use and special occasions too
<removed>

Jollybrolly umbrellas
High quality low cost umbrellas Plain 2 day,branded 14 day delivery
<removed>


and why an 0845 number - these cost us money as not free on mobiles[/QUO