Reply to: Worrying trend of Indian agents

[eek]

Not necessarily - the actual dialling code for London is 020.

Yes but that merely proves that theory and reality are separate issues. Because phone numbers are no longer tied to a particular physical location the 0203 range is being used as a means of pretending you have an actual London / UK presence.

While I know the rules for allocation of numbers in London I also know that if I had a physical presence in London and was offered an 020 3 number I would start talking to the next company on the list.

[SueEllen]

0203 is basically a range of numbers for IP phones. If I see one it usually puts me on alert before they even start talking. I'm glad my ip phone number is so old that its starts 0207.

Not necessarily - the actual dialling code for London is 020.

London telephone numbers are suppose to be written 020 7123 4567 or 020 8123 4567 This means in London you can miss out the 020 if you are dialling from a landline.

Any new business or new resident in an area where there isn't a free 020 7 or 020 8 number gets given a 020 3 number. When they run out of 020 3 numbers then they will be doing 020 4 and so on.

[craig1]

0203 is basically a range of numbers for IP phones. If I see one it usually puts me on alert before they even start talking. I'm glad my ip phone number is so old that its starts 0207.

I know one genuine, quite large company based in London using a 0203 number and they got very huffy when I mentioned to them that 0203 numbers just make me think their calls are either a spam or junk call.

[eek]

It would actually look more realistic if they didn't have a London telephone number particularly an 0203 one.

0203 is basically a range of numbers for IP phones. If I see one it usually puts me on alert before they even start talking. I'm glad my ip phone number is so old that its starts 0207.

[SueEllen]

What was worrying is that to all intents and purposes, some of them look domestic, with a London tel and a fronting (usually accountant) in London also.

It would actually look more realistic if they didn't have a London telephone number particularly an 0203 one.

[cojak]

A London telephone. Have you not heard of VoIP?

Half the world has a London telephone number these days.

[tractor]

Sub continent sub agents

Had two call me so far. One was immediately id'd as useless and dispensed with, the second not so.

What was worrying is that to all intents and purposes, some of them look domestic, with a London tel and a fronting (usually accountant) in London also.

Second one actually wanted me to sign a contract by return to say that I WOULD etc.etc.etc IF I was offered anything - this was BEFORE we even had the discussion on rate lol.

Now I keep my bargepole away from the phone just in case.

I agree the trend is worrying though but perhaps it's a glimmer of hope. Realistically, they could mess it up so badly if any client ever did touch them.....

BTW I did look at their contract and it was the biggest load of stitch up you could ever imagine. I would have struck out at least 60% of the clauses.

[nomadd]

Yes I have seen the old Knutsford gig's are coming up again.....got a little stuffed around with them last time. Was told that the role was/could be based in London. Seems that there are also some Barclays adds with the job being based in London, but as soon as you ring the agent they start asking your about your "flexibility" for being based in in Knutsford.

TBH, I didn't mind the Knutsford site. Nice place. The issue is that they want you to do a "London job" for about 1/3rd of the market rate when they place you up there. And let's face it, Knutsford is a dammed expensive place to stay, unless you fancy slumming it in a B&B, which isn't for me.

Last time I was there, there was a large house being rented out opposite the site. There was a "flood" of Indians emerging from it each morning - about 10-15 of them. Guess that's what you are competing against for Barclays roles in Knutsford these days...

[phillrow]

Yep, my old role at Barclays in Knutsford has come up with them again. Mr Techmahindra is pitching as low as just 38% of the rate I was getting when I worked there 4 years ago.

Yes I have seen the old Knutsford gig's are coming up again.....got a little stuffed around with them last time. Was told that the role was/could be based in London. Seems that there are also some Barclays adds with the job being based in London, but as soon as you ring the agent they start asking your about your "flexibility" for being based in in Knutsford.

[ChimpMaster]

One of the lads I work with is thinking of going for one of these pathetic rates, right up to getting the contract paperwork, and turning it down (before signing) on the grounds he thought it was £180/hr not per day!

That'll learn 'em!

I would bet that that the Bob agency doesn't have any in-roads to the client and is simply fishing for cheap labour to try to sell to said client. I doubt they'll ever be able to draft a contract, let alone come up with an offer.

[nomadd]

yeah just got a call from one of the Indian agencies......offering £180 a day for AIX in Manchester.....considering that there is someone offering £500 a day in Bournemouth for AIX.....and most are offering between £350-450 they are quite below the market.

Yep, my old role at Barclays in Knutsford has come up with them again. Mr Techmahindra is pitching as low as just 38% of the rate I was getting when I worked there 4 years ago. A 62% pay reduction in 4 years. Someone, somewhere, is making a lot of money (like this poor soul: N. R. Narayana Murthy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

[stek]

One of the lads I work with is thinking of going for one of these pathetic rates, right up to getting the contract paperwork, and turning it down (before signing) on the grounds he thought it was £180/hr not per day!

That'll learn 'em!

[perplexed]

Did have an Indian fella ring me. Even mentioned the client.

I was utterly bored, had a lot of fun stringing him along.

Abysmal rate, claimed that was all the client was offering. Except other agencies were advertising the same role a lot higher; it was somewhere I'd worked before, having not burnt any bridges, I already kinda knew the rates they were looking to pay.

Spent half an hour winding the agent up. My parting shot was that I got the vibe they were untrustworthy. Agent sounded shocked - what do you mean? I then replied that I didn't for one second believe his real name was Jean-Phillippe Stewart so why would I do business with them?

[phillrow]

Got a call from one with very poor English, for an AIX Architect, LPAR/VIO/NIM/HACMP, ie the full gamut, £180 a day! SC too! And London! More exclamation marks!!!

I pointed out the going rate is at least £500 and he reckoned he'd placed 22 already. That's 22 SC'd AIX gurus with VIO etc knowledge. willing to work for peanuts. I doubt there's half that many contractors in UK with those skills SC'd or not. Even wanted POWER7 and I've not seen one of them yet!

Have had my hands on both Power7 p780 & p795, they are out there. The p795 is a nice bit of kit, just still got a few of the new and shiny bugs in it though.

[ChimpMaster]

I wonder if these agencies are undercutting UK agencies, i.e. going in cheap to the client. Or are they trying to rake in a huge margin, aka consultancy style?

I just wish they would FOAD, seriously. I'm MUCH happier with our own agents!