Reply to: So is it worth going to war over £25 a day?

[GB9]

Worst case scenario, your client is aware of what the agency is doing and doesn't cate. They wonder what your problem is.

I sympathise with your sentiment though. My last client renaged on a deal I had with them. Whilst this cost me a few hundred quid, I was more annoyed by their arrogance. Having taken advice and having cleared things with the agency I had worked through, I was in a position to teach the client a lesson. However, reality is it was quicker and easier to let them get away with it than cause a stir.

[Wanderer]

If you don't want to stir it up with the client then you could just keep this between you and the agency. It could be worth talking to the agency and telling them that the game is up and see what sort of settlement they come to under the threat of you telling the client what they've been doing....

[bobspud]

Very wise, especially as you´re doing so well, don´t rock the boat too much. Many of us are "washed up". As you say it doesn´t stop you getting even.

What industry/business are you in?

I came from a humble Sun systems admin role in the beginning (actually as low as a tape monkey for a while) however these days I am involved in solutions architecture and more importantly datacentre transition and transformation. The other string to my bow is Cloud infrastructure design and the migration strategy (I am expecting this to be my big winner for the next few years)

I would have more sympathy for you if you didnt use the word rape so appallingly out of context.

Sorry my bad I will edit it to something less inflammatory.

[EternalOptimist]

I would have more sympathy for you if you didnt use the word rape so appallingly out of context.

earings threw me as well. what have earings got to do with anything

[Pogle]

I would have more sympathy for you if you didnt use the word rape so appallingly out of context.

[BlasterBates]

Very wise, especially as you´re doing so well, don´t rock the boat too much. Many of us are "washed up". As you say it doesn´t stop you getting even.

What industry/business are you in?

[bobspud]

You are all absolutely correct.

My general issue is that if I am going to kick these idiots in the nuts on Monday and show the client my true invoice. while its is the right thing to do as they have been found lying and we can do with removing arses like that from the market where ever we find them. The actual role is one that will take me back to the mid 700's or even into a good CIO role in the long term because the client has one of the best names in the business and I am helping them expand their business capability and really getting to do the full range of SA/EA and strategy in a challenging environment.

The client is a little green when it comes to agents as they hardly ever use contractors, so for the first time in maybe 10 years I am earring on the side of pick the battle because if they go nuts and sack the agency, I am most likely going to be a collateral casualty, because unlike me who is happy to say: "screw you agency! Sue my company into administration you wont get **** all!!", the end client probably won't take the same **** you attitude to the agent...

Staying silent while sticking in my throat, returns me well over 60k even if I don't get renewed, finishes my house and leaves me with a war chest or new shiny car ...

What I can do to ensure the Agency take a hit is introduce a really nice well connected woman that I have dealt with for the last 10 years she knows what an unrelenting bastard I am and knows automatically the sorts of people that I want to work with. As a result its much easier for the client to say get me another 4 spud's and she will know what they mean and do it for a conservative 15% as opposed to the 22% these clowns have stolen.

I will be having my pound of flesh back out of them but I think its going to be a slow burning fuse rather than the great almighty punch up I was in for last night...

[Wanderer]

Happy days!

Boomed! That's the way it should work. I'm sick of these bedwetters dropping their trousers for agencies and allowing the to rape both the client and the contractor. Time to stand up against it and fight back.

[Old Greg]

It is the client who should be pissed off. The fixed margin agreement is with the client and the agent is being very naughty.

Contract I just finished:

1. Old client approached me for work but said I had to go through an agent.
2. As I had the only niche skills in the UK I upped my rate from £450 to £500.
3. I approached a consultancy I know well who said they had a fixed rate agreement at 12.5%.
4. They came to an agreement with the client.
5. The client changed their mind and said I had to go theough a different agency.
6. Turned out the first agency had stuck on 20% and I had a deal for £600 inclusive of agency costs.
7. New agency had a 5% margin.
8. I ended up with £571 pd.

Happy days!

[EternalOptimist]

I am suprised you even ask the question BobSpud, it's a no-brainer. If you allow the fop to get away with it, even though you have all the facts, and HE knows you have all the facts, you will lose both face and credibility as well as money. It's a matter of principle and even though we are in an age of austerity, and we should be grateful that we even have work, and there are millions who are worse off than us, well its the principle. Just because rocking the boat may cause you to lose this juicy gig, leaving you unable to pay the mortgage, your wife will obviously leave you taking the kids and the dog, and you will sink into an alcohol fuelled bitter old age, it's no reason to abandon your principles. So yes, on reflection, its better to go for the easy life, forget the whole thing and suck it up. It's a no brainer

[BlasterBates]

I think if you´re happy with the rate it isn´t worth a war, i.e. drag the client into a conflict. Just raise your rate at renewal.

[centurian]

If it's a fixed margin then they are robbing you, plain and simple.

WHS - this is misrepresentation.

I am all for the mantra of "if you are happy with the rate, you should not care what the agent is making", but I find that few people in the current climate are "happy" with their rate - just they feel it is the best available - based upon the information being provided to them (i.e. fixed margin etc.). If that information is not correct, I think people have a genuine grievance.

[Wanderer]

They are supposed to be on a fixed margin rate

If it's a fixed margin then they are robbing you, plain and simple. Go and have a quiet talk to them and tell them that you have found out that they are raping you and you want your money back otherwise you will tell the client what a bunch of thieves they are. Don't waste too much time with your pimply faced agent, threaten to take it right over his head and start an almighty tulip storm.

They will scream like a stuck pig and come out with all sorts of nonsense, you've got to remember that they do this sort of tulip day in day out. I've gone into battle over business deals in the past and it can turn quite bloody. I enjoy a good fight but sometimes I wondered if the stress/hassle was all worth it in the end. The thing that really opened my eyes was that when it was all settled they smiled and shook hands, job well done, all in a day's work for them but I felt physically and mentally exausted.

Choose your battles wisely young padawan.

Good advice. Decide now if you are going to fight and win and don't start one unless you are willing to go bare knuckle with them.

[bless 'em all]

Not so bothered about the rate in fact fairly happy.

What's annoying me is the twat agent that was still in his dads balls when I started in this game. He's shown a crass lack of respect towards his client and needs a lesson...

Choose your battles wisely young padawan.

[bobspud]

Not so bothered about the rate in fact fairly happy.

What's annoying me is the twat agent that was still in his dads balls when I started in this game. He's shown a crass lack of respect towards his client and needs a lesson...