Reply to: Agent stand-off over extension

[northernladuk]

And the agent will be lighting his post dinner cigar this evening and reflecting that it's not a bad old world after all.

[barrydidit]

No outcome?

Is it safe to assume Monday morning will see PC sitting at the same desk he has been today, nursing another sense of grievance at the conspiracy of dunces arrayed against him?

And the agent will be lighting his post dinner cigar this evening and reflecting that it's not a bad old world after all.

[d000hg]

Considering PC is asking his agent for more money and a short notice period on a very short extension so he can piss off and leave the client in a mess, I think he got the attention he could expect

[GillsMan]

My mistake, I thought we all are living in ridiculously sized mansions with a wives with expensive shoes habits and access to our credit cards. Have I missed something?

You're not a proper contractor if the above description doesn't apply to you!

[Taita]

You've been contracting for 20 years and by the sounds of it, some of your rates have been half decent. Why are you still in a position where you have to bend over and take it from agents? I don't understand why you can't just hardball them to get it sorted.

I started contracting four years ago and I'm already in a position where agencies bend over for me. OK so what I do might be a little more specialised/niche, but it's not difficult to work a position where you call more of the shots.

You don't seem like the sort to blow your wedge on fine cocaine and high class hookers, so unless you're living in a ridiculously sized mansion with a wife with an expensive shoes habit and access to your credit card, I don't know why you're not in a position to tell the agent that you can't continue on existing terms, and warn the client that the paperwork hasn't been sorted yet so you might not be around on Monday.

My mistake, I thought we all are living in ridiculously sized mansions with a wives with expensive shoes habits and access to our credit cards. Have I missed something?

[kal]

Whether the client gives a sh!it or not I would still mention that you won't be in after tomorrow as your contract finishes and you've been unable to contact the agent. Cover's your back for when (inevitably) the agent blames you for everything.

[d000hg]

If you phone up and ask to speak to the guy and leave your name, he can obviously evade you although what if it was a serious issue? You could leave a message that it's imperative he call you ASAP not just ask him to call back.

If it's about a contract you could try to talk to someone else in their central department - say you are due to start next week but are awaiting the contract and risk losing the work.

You could phone up and say you're calling from X Ltd instead of giving your name, and say it's in relation to a contract extension. He might think someone is trying to pay him and answer

[northernladuk]

Has PC really used all the avenues up to speak to his agent? Called the account manager and gone up the chain to highlight it? Found their twitter account and complained on there? Rung a different branch and have them put it through internally so he doesn't know it's you etc..

Saying you have done everything you can when all that is is ring/email one agent isn't acceptable IMO.

[Unix]

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. Still being ignored.

Did think about speaking to client but I don't think that's a goer. You just know when some are ok with this and some will just think - cant be arsed with all the hassle. This client is one such.

You don't think it's a goer? Who cares if you want to sort his out you should have spoken to them by now. Anyone who has been contracting for any length of time would have realised this. You bottled it and the agent probably knew you would therefore are walking all over you.

[psychocandy]

That's understandable. I think your aim should be to try to leverage yourself into a position where you can call more of the shots. And the simplest way is to ensure you have enough of a warchest that you can walk away from difficult situations and play hardball with the agents. Appreciate I'm possibly preaching to the converted here, but it's worth keeping that in mind. You do seem to have a lot of problems with agents, and when your situation improves, you'll be able to call more of the shots I'm sure.

Yep. If I was minted and had more options available it would be different.

[tractor]

...

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. Still being ignored.

Did think about speaking to client but I don't think that's a goer. You just know when some are ok with this and some will just think - cant be arsed with all the hassle. This client is one such.

Apart from walking, agent knows I ain't got anything. I know hes playing a bit of a low risk game.

OK, so he ignores me and I keep turning up. Done deal.

There is some potential for grief if I do walk because the client thinks its sorted. So client gets on phone to agent. Agent makes up some crap about trying to get it sorted for weeks but contractor has been messing around and now has let everyone down. But dont worry I've got these CVs here, we'll get someone in there by the end of the week.

p.s. This is the same agency that tried to get me to agree in writing to a contract I hadnt seen at the beginning. Then accuse me of being stupid by delaying it a day. Complete bunch of shysters they are.

I understand your predicament. Recently I had the same issue but the agent didn't ignore me, they just played hardball. It wasn't over rate it was over contract changes that they wanted as a result of the new disguised self employment rules. As a Limited, I contended that they didn't apply to me so I refused the changes. I told them up front that I would not agree, one month prior to the contract end. I told them if they would not budge, they should inform the client out of courtesy that I would not be extending. They did not do this but kept badgering me to accept instead. At the two week to go point, I politely informed the client of the situation and told them if the agent does not withdraw, I could not accept for commercial reasons.

The day before contract end, agent had still not informed the client. I walked. Client wasn't too upset with me because I had been up front about it. They didnt't care either way though so it doesn't matter how important you think you are, they will just move on. It's business to them.

I guess the moral is ; if your motives are obviously courtesy rather than using the client as a bargaining chip, it's ok to involve the client.

[TheFaQQer]

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. Still being ignored.

Correct the contract that they have sent you, to include your new terms. Send that over to the agency and say "I've not been able to get hold of you for the past few weeks, so I've modified the contract to one that I could accept - please find it attached. If you have any issues with the corrections, please let me know as soon as possible, as obviously if we cannot agree contract terms I'll have to discuss with <contact name at the client> who best to hand over to when this contract ends tomorrow."

[GillsMan]

LOL. Not contracting for the entire 20 years.

Yeh know what you mean though. Had a bad period before xmas on the bench then a low payer so not as flush as I was.

In terms of walking away, know what you mean. Unfortunately, for family reasons, Im restricted to where I travel to for work, so thats a problem. Sometimes I dont really want to lose a local gig.

That's understandable. I think your aim should be to try to leverage yourself into a position where you can call more of the shots. And the simplest way is to ensure you have enough of a warchest that you can walk away from difficult situations and play hardball with the agents. Appreciate I'm possibly preaching to the converted here, but it's worth keeping that in mind. You do seem to have a lot of problems with agents, and when your situation improves, you'll be able to call more of the shots I'm sure.

[psychocandy]

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. Still being ignored.

Did think about speaking to client but I don't think that's a goer. You just know when some are ok with this and some will just think - cant be arsed with all the hassle. This client is one such.

Apart from walking, agent knows I ain't got anything. I know hes playing a bit of a low risk game.

OK, so he ignores me and I keep turning up. Done deal.

There is some potential for grief if I do walk because the client thinks its sorted. So client gets on phone to agent. Agent makes up some crap about trying to get it sorted for weeks but contractor has been messing around and now has let everyone down. But dont worry I've got these CVs here, we'll get someone in there by the end of the week.

p.s. This is the same agency that tried to get me to agree in writing to a contract I hadnt seen at the beginning. Then accuse me of being stupid by delaying it a day. Complete bunch of shysters they are.

[eek]

You do know that agency is playing a game of chicken (knowing that you will just cave in)..