Estimating and Billing Clients for Travel and Travel related costs

[RooFlyer]

RF clearly, you were a trusty!

This may nudge this part of the discussion back to aspect of client/contractor relationship, but apologies to the OP if its still not relevant.

The client was a medium-small mining company. Over the 10 years I worked (contracted) to them, they gradually shrunk head count, including many senior roles. Kept me on, as a contractor was flexible and lower cost. As I had previously worked as an investment banker for 10 years, I was given an expanding array of responsibilities, including corporate trouble shooter. They looked after me, but the quid pro quo was that I was (nearly) always available. I once was in Buenos Aires, about the fly to Mendoza for some wine tasting when I got a call from the MD telling me that there was a ticket in my email inbox taking me to Calgary the next day for a few meetings

Once, I was surprised to learn that I had been named as a Key Person in a bank loan document - naughtily, without my knowledge. But that was OK - it meant they couldn't get rid of me without the bank's permission!!

So much trust beginning with a few shared frequent flyer secrets!!

 

[Sprucegoose]

including corporate trouble shooter.

At the very real risk of going right OT - trouble shooters never lose their allure - they can actually do what they like, something you never realise at the time.

named as a Key Person in a bank loan document -

Ha ha the money guys always know the trusty.....

 

[RooFlyer]

This is also an issue. Many businesses try to "count the beans" whereever it is possible to reduce costs. If your business is struggling, to some it may seem that cutting J travel is low-hanging fruit.

Yes .. they cut domestic travel from J to Y!

 

[SeatBackForward]

This may nudge this part of the discussion back to aspect of client/contractor relationship, but apologies to the OP if its still not relevant.

Sounds till on topic to me as the OP

 

[Sprucegoose]

I do some contracting for one of the big accounting firms and albeit for domestic flights I have direct access to their booking tools and so flights are booked at very competitive rates and paid by the firm directly. I just invoice hotels, meals etc at cost as per my contract. No one bats an eyelid for including a couple of hours travel time but I can imagine it could be (but really shouldn’t be) an issue for long haul.

Having employed contractors in very remote parts, you either pay through rates or time - but you always pay as you should.

How do you want to slice and dice this - 10 days @$4k per day (covers travel) or 8 days @ $5k per day (excludes travel)?

You get the drift.

Post automatically merged: Dec 18, 2022

Yes .. they cut domestic travel from J to Y!

I have a current CEO that flies Y - what can one do?

 

[Flashback]

For long haul it's always Y+ minimum but usually J. I charge for the time spent traveling regardless of the cabin. For expenses they're billed at cost, it's rare to have one who will accept any form of mark up / "admin fee". Clients tend to pay for the flights (with direction from me), the rest is for me to shoulder and then reclaim.

Unfortunately most of my clients are based in West & East Africa....... which means most of my travel if ScaryTeam these days. Not really many other options, unless you look at ET on *A or occasionally SN (although that's getting smaller by the day).

 

[harvyk]

As someone sitting on the other side of the desk I will add my two bobs worth in: I am fine paying travel costs and I appreciate post corona they are sometimes silly, but if you add an admin fee or markup on top of them then thats not gunna fly, and neither are you!

But my time to organise the trip isn't free. Charging a small admin fee to cover the fact that various business admin costs exist when arranging travel is reasonable. Of course if you don't want to pay there is the option for you to arrange travel on my behalf, and I've certainly had that happen a couple of times.

 

[SYD]

But my time to organise the trip isn't free. Charging a small admin fee to cover the fact that various business admin costs exist when arranging travel is reasonable. Of course if you don't want to pay there is the option for you to arrange travel on my behalf, and I've certainly had that happen a couple of times.

If you have the option, room to move on price and a reasonable idea of the annual level of effort, including it in your rate is probably a hell of a lot easier.