I don't plan to slam anyone or any organization in this post. I really would like to see some multi-faceted discussion come out of the question I'm about to ask.
What is the Value added by an SP agency over an independent SP?
There has been some discussion around this topic in recent posts and many of us (including me) have had something to say on the subject. I'm going to sumarize my views in this post but i would be interested in seeing some other perspectives. In particular, how do the Agencies and Indie SPs feel about the subject?
The way I see it, there are pros and cons to an agency.
The cons, in my mind, are pretty simple. A share of the proceeds are going to a third party. This means that the SP is earning less or the Hobbyist is paying more (probably both are true in many cases).
There are also, potentially, legal issues around the agency's role that makes the transaction a bit more risky for some of the participants. Finally, there is the perception that the customer is not getting value for their money.
In the past, I have had agency girls come out and offer me the option of bypassing the middle-man and have offered me significant discounts to deal with them directly. In the short-term, it would seem that agency just makes it more expensive for the Hobbyist and less profitable for the SP.
The pros are a little harder to define because not every agency offers the same valuue-add with their service. Some will add none of the benefits I'm going to outline; other provide most or all of these.
Sometimes I get some time at the last minute and want to book an encounter. If I have a good relationship with an Agency, I can call and get a reccomendation for an available SP even if my favourites happen to be unavailable.
Other times, I want to book a specific girl in advance and schedule my own plans to ensure her availability. The Agency should provide a significant measure of reliability to the service they offer. Many Agencies don't acknowledge this as one of their goals but the ones that do add significant value to the transaction.
When an SP encounter does not satisfy, there is very little real recourse for the customer. We can't complain to any authorities or demand a refund or discount on future product. An unscrupulous SP (or Agency) could easily take advantage of a client. A Good agency will do the opposite and take responsibility for their mistakes, even though they don't legally have to. They have the potential to provide a measure of customer service that can make the experience much more enjoyable and less risky for the Hobbyist.
Of course, the Agency should also provide a level of backup and protection to the SP so that she feels less exposed when entering a strange home for the first time.
In my view, a good rapport with an Indie is probably the best value for money. However, since few Indies are available in precise correlation to my schedule, I find that a good Agency can provide better reliability and consistency overall.
I'm interested in hearing the views of others in this buisiness...from all sides of it.
Zog.
What is the Value added by an SP agency over an independent SP?
There has been some discussion around this topic in recent posts and many of us (including me) have had something to say on the subject. I'm going to sumarize my views in this post but i would be interested in seeing some other perspectives. In particular, how do the Agencies and Indie SPs feel about the subject?
The way I see it, there are pros and cons to an agency.
The cons, in my mind, are pretty simple. A share of the proceeds are going to a third party. This means that the SP is earning less or the Hobbyist is paying more (probably both are true in many cases).
There are also, potentially, legal issues around the agency's role that makes the transaction a bit more risky for some of the participants. Finally, there is the perception that the customer is not getting value for their money.
In the past, I have had agency girls come out and offer me the option of bypassing the middle-man and have offered me significant discounts to deal with them directly. In the short-term, it would seem that agency just makes it more expensive for the Hobbyist and less profitable for the SP.
The pros are a little harder to define because not every agency offers the same valuue-add with their service. Some will add none of the benefits I'm going to outline; other provide most or all of these.
Sometimes I get some time at the last minute and want to book an encounter. If I have a good relationship with an Agency, I can call and get a reccomendation for an available SP even if my favourites happen to be unavailable.
Other times, I want to book a specific girl in advance and schedule my own plans to ensure her availability. The Agency should provide a significant measure of reliability to the service they offer. Many Agencies don't acknowledge this as one of their goals but the ones that do add significant value to the transaction.
When an SP encounter does not satisfy, there is very little real recourse for the customer. We can't complain to any authorities or demand a refund or discount on future product. An unscrupulous SP (or Agency) could easily take advantage of a client. A Good agency will do the opposite and take responsibility for their mistakes, even though they don't legally have to. They have the potential to provide a measure of customer service that can make the experience much more enjoyable and less risky for the Hobbyist.
Of course, the Agency should also provide a level of backup and protection to the SP so that she feels less exposed when entering a strange home for the first time.
In my view, a good rapport with an Indie is probably the best value for money. However, since few Indies are available in precise correlation to my schedule, I find that a good Agency can provide better reliability and consistency overall.
I'm interested in hearing the views of others in this buisiness...from all sides of it.
Zog.
