Reply to: Business acumen!

[stillooking]

that's a very good outcome, you techie guys have it easy! All i do is get screwed by the agent, client or staff!!

[scooterscot]

Result.

They have raised a purchase order with the software giant to get there own copy costing mega bucks.

Why am I so happy with this outcome? The software giant is giving me a 10% commission on the P/O.

I don’t like to loose.

[DodgyAgent]

Sweet nothing.

As far as my contract says the only tools they've bought are the ones in my head.

You need a good agent

[vetran]

ouch

Sort of hoisted by own Petard. You have the software licensed to you, they want to use it, they have to pay for you to drive the computer. Check the license agreement it may not cover you to manipulate other peoples data.

Now until renewal time you really have to do this for price quoted unless the software was excluded. On renewal then shaft them.

Now if they want others to use it they have to pay a license, of course you negotiate for them and get them a real good discount / yourself free training etc.

[ratewhore]

I worked for a large consultancy which had several business units, one of which was a consultancy, the other software/tools development, when I am on client site I am there just to do consultancy work, but me and other consultants were constantly asked to give demos on the software produced by the other branch of the same company, we obliged and gave demos, and we showed advantages of using the company's own software, but we never suggested that they’d have the software for free, just because they hired a consultant. We always quoted license fees etc.

Sounds like D & C to me...

[SandyDown]

I worked for a large consultancy which had several business units, one of which was a consultancy, the other software/tools development, when I am on client site I am there just to do consultancy work, but me and other consultants were constantly asked to give demos on the software produced by the other branch of the same company, we obliged and gave demos, and we showed advantages of using the company's own software, but we never suggested that they’d have the software for free, just because they hired a consultant. We always quoted license fees etc.

[scooterscot]

Isn't "provides own tools" one of the things that's good to have when trying to avoid IR35...

as is having more than one contract -

[d000hg]

Isn't "provides own tools" one of the things that's good to have when trying to avoid IR35...

[scooterscot]

First off I'd look at the license that I bought to see if I CAN use it for my customer.

That's not a problem. Client raises purchase order my Ltd co provides.

Once that's cleared up, I would probably get your client to buy directly from the vendor.

They've already contacted the vendor just today. Company wide license, what they require, quote was over six figures, they're in a between a rock and a hard place now.

[ratewhore]

First off I'd look at the license that I bought to see if I CAN use it for my customer. It's not a given that you can and personally, I would have thought the vendor would like to see the extra license revenue.

Once that's cleared up, I would probably get your client to buy directly from the vendor.

IMHO of course...

[scooterscot]

Thats the problem, the fact there is nothing mentioned...
You should explicity state : no software will be provided by the consultancy

It is a problem.

The situation is further complicated as I'm working on a secure site and I've already went to the effort of installing the equipment on site for this specific purpose. (demostration) Now it looks like I may as well pack it up again.

[Spacecadet]

Sweet nothing.

Thats the problem, the fact there is nothing mentioned...
You should explicity state : no software will be provided by the consultancy

[scooterscot]

What does it say in your contract that about supply of all the relevant tools to do your job?

I think you're on wobbly ground anyway to be honest.

Sweet nothing.

As far as my contract says the only tools they've bought are the ones in my head.

[Spacecadet]

difficult situation, they probably feel as if they have been ambushed into paying for something they thought they would be getting already as part of your day rate.

Maybe in future you should get this sort of thing specified in the contract

for instance mine has a section detailing facilities and equipment provided:
FACILITIES/EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY CONSULTANCY: Laptop, SQL Server test installation

[scooterscot]

How much time would your solution save? I am amazed they wont pay for that!

Shame you aren't being paid a set rate for the task......

I reckon I'd spend an extra month going down the spreadsheet route.

However it's not the cost of employing me that's the concern for them, it's when the end client asks, so how do you do this calculation? They'll have zero confidence in the work and my client knows it.