Tips for going direct

[badger7579]

Cheers for all the advice.

I think taking the relevant parts from previous contracts and using a PCG template I can put somthing together.

They are what I'd call a medium size company approx 2000 employees and I ran a project for the finance deprtment while I was there last time, so I have contacts in that department which could be good to call on if payments get delayed. Fingers crossed it works out.

[NickFitz]

The only real hassle can be getting paid and credit control, if you make sure that the payment terms (and associated penalties for late payment) are clear in the contract it can save you a lot of grief.

WHS++. If it's a big corporation, you may be astonished by how slow their Accounts Payable people can be. When I was direct with a big outfit the other year, it took three months before they managed to pay my first invoice - not because they were stonewalling, but simply due to disorganisation.

There were internal forms that someone in one department should have sent, but they'd left and whoever took on their work thought it had already been sent. People would simply fail to enter information into the system even when they had it. Invoices were lost in the system with unfailing regularity.

Having a sympathetic manager involved in the project and with clout in the organisation can be a great help. Mine ended up contacting the European director of finance on one occasion, which suddenly resulted in the accounts mob being able to make a payment the same day, having previously argued that they couldn't do it until a payments run three weeks later.

Make sure you get hold of the email address of a relevant individual in the AP department, rather than just the departmental email address. Then check out http://www.payontime.co.uk/. On another occasion, I achieved extremely rapid payment of an overdue amount by emailing the responsible individual directly with the threat of interest charges. I was careful to quote precise details from PayOnTime, and cite the relevant legislation. They sorted out my payment within thirty minutes, because the alternative would have been having to explain to their boss why the company was liable for the extra sum.

[TykeMerc]

Looks like I may be going back to an old client to manage a new project they have coming up and have taken the opportunity to go direct rather than use an agency.

I'll be pulling a contract from the PCG web site, amending it for my needs and probably running it past Qdos. However, if there is anybody else who has gone direct and can give me any contract tips or advice on this I'd appreciate it as this will be my first direct contract.

Good for you.

Sorting out the physical contract isn't stressful if the client is sensible. The only real hassle can be getting paid and credit control, if you make sure that the payment terms (and associated penalties for late payment) are clear in the contract it can save you a lot of grief.

[Pogle]

Badger, You should know by now. General is for cyber-fights, pedantry, displays of Alpha Geekiness , propaganda for the Tory Party, and associated stories from the Daily Mail.

Where the hell does that leave me then????????

[scooterscot]

Congrats.

Also used the PCG contract for my Norwegian client.

It took me at least a couple of months for them to sign - unlike using an agent - you have to keep pestering them.

I made it a point that I would not be doing any work until I received a contract, in fact the requirement became the driver for getting the paper signed.

I would advice giving yourself a few weeks at least to get a signed contract before taking on any work.

[Foxy Moron]

Badger, You should know by now. General is for cyber-fights, pedantry, displays of Alpha Geekiness , propaganda for the Tory Party, and associated stories from the Daily Mail.

[Moscow Mule]

I'll be pulling a contract from the PCG web site,

Don't bother until you've talked to the legal department of the clientco.

If it's a big firm they might already have supplier contracts which they will want to use. You'll need to get that checked and get changes made as necessary.

Current client co's initial contract had 10 year "fix it for free" clauses and all sort of nasties. Fortunately they had a contractor friendly lawyer who knew what she was doing.

[EternalOptimist]

been doing it for a year now without any problems. Just a sheet of A4 with a a few paragraphs, rate, hours, role and thats that. nothing seriously formal.

send a timesheet on a friday morning, its in my account by lunch time.

Thinking about it, it's probably one of the best moves I ever made.

[badger7579]

Looks like I may be going back to an old client to manage a new project they have coming up and have taken the opportunity to go direct rather than use an agency.

I'll be pulling a contract from the PCG web site, amending it for my needs and probably running it past Qdos. However, if there is anybody else who has gone direct and can give me any contract tips or advice on this I'd appreciate it as this will be my first direct contract.