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Yet today they stated they could get two developers for the price I was charging and would have to think about hiring me unless I was prepared to negotiate. An

Yet today they stated they could get two developers for the price I was charging and would have to think about hiring me unless I was prepared to negotiate. And that, in of itself, is a negotiation tactic. It might be true - but it's much more likely to be a method of getting you to drop your rates. You set the top level at $dayrate. They've now set the bottom at $dayrate/2. They're now hoping for something less than $dayrate as the end result. If it were me I'd be saying something like "Well - that's great. We obviously don't want you to waste money, and I can be working on some stuff for some of my other clients. Would you like me to brief the new developers when you get them on board at my $higher_short_term_consulting_dayrate? Or are you happy managing the brief and project management for the guys you're getting in?" (translation: No. I don't come cheap and can afford to leave this work. Also - you've already worked with me and know I can be trusted. How much extra effort is it going to be to manage the new folk - assuming that they exist?)

jwwest 14y ago
This is heavy handed, as is the client using this type of negotiation tactic. It's not healthy to respond this way. A better solution would be to respond: "Well, my rate is based on my experience with XYZ and because I've been in this industry a while. A lot of developers out there aren't interested in this kind of thing and don't understand what you're going through. Honestly, I hired a couple myself last year and it took more effort than I saved just trying to get them ramped up." Then just smile and leave it at that. Sometimes the best response is to make your point and not get into a conversation about it.
- adrianhoward 14y ago
  This is heavy handed, as is the client using this type of negotiation tactic. It's not healthy to respond this way. Possibly I'm getting less mellow with age :-) My responses used to be more like yours, now I tend to be a bit more direct. The ones who are approaching it purely as a negotiation tactic don't care or mind - they understand what the issues are and appreciate cutting to the chase. The ones who really don't value my time I don't actually really want as clients... However you approach it - and your approach is completely reasonable - the key realisation is that this isn't a question of the client not having the money to pay $dayrate. This is most likely a pure negotiation tactic to get a drop in the quoted rate.

jwwest 14y ago

This is heavy handed, as is the client using this type of negotiation tactic. It's not healthy to respond this way. A better solution would be to respond: "Well, my rate is based on my experience with XYZ and because I've been in this industry a while. A lot of developers out there aren't interested in this kind of thing and don't understand what you're going through. Honestly, I hired a couple myself last year and it took more effort than I saved just trying to get them ramped up." Then just smile and leave it at that. Sometimes the best response is to make your point and not get into a conversation about it.

adrianhoward 14y ago
This is heavy handed, as is the client using this type of negotiation tactic. It's not healthy to respond this way. Possibly I'm getting less mellow with age :-) My responses used to be more like yours, now I tend to be a bit more direct. The ones who are approaching it purely as a negotiation tactic don't care or mind - they understand what the issues are and appreciate cutting to the chase. The ones who really don't value my time I don't actually really want as clients... However you approach it - and your approach is completely reasonable - the key realisation is that this isn't a question of the client not having the money to pay $dayrate. This is most likely a pure negotiation tactic to get a drop in the quoted rate.