cast aside by a vendor team

[Sid]

Got a decent paid contract a month back. Once joined I found that I am the only outsider in a team of about 20 staff members from a vendor who all surround the client management team - and keep them happy. Excluded from key meetings, decisions and often setup for failure I am now being literally cast aside from the project and being assigned irrelevant work. Thinking of serving my notice before I am asked to leave...:-!

[geoffreywhereveryoumaybe]

Got a decent paid contract a month back. Once joined I found that I am the only outsider in a team of about 20 staff members from a vendor who all surround the client management team - and keep them happy. Excluded from key meetings, decisions and often setup for failure I am now being literally cast aside from the project and being assigned irrelevant work. Thinking of serving my notice before I am asked to leave...:-!

Sounds like CSC?

[northernladuk]

Well you will have to now you are inside IR35.

EDIT : I would get something first and then hand notice in personally.

[northernladuk]

Sounds like CSC?

Sounds more like one of the offshore offerings to me. They can be incredibly clicky.... Interested to know who the vendor is.

[craig1]

I've seen this plenty of times, it takes a strong personality to force yourself to and beyond peer status with vendor drones in the client's mind. From the vendor's side, you're a nuisance blocking them from a substantial extra revenue source. The usual thing is that they make the contractors look poor then suggest to the client that they could replace you with one of their own people with the added benefit of single invoicing, consistency of process, single team and so on. You get shown the door, they replace you with one of their permies and charge away.

The trick is to include internal staff on your progress reports, etc. and be able to demonstrate value and progress for every day you invoice. Unless there's one of the rarest vendors out there, you'll be many steps beyond them in proving your worth simply by doing that.

[northernladuk]

I've seen this plenty of times, it takes a strong personality to force yourself to and beyond peer status with vendor drones in the client's mind. From the vendor's side, you're a nuisance blocking them from a substantial extra revenue source. The usual thing is that they make the contractors look poor then suggest to the client that they could replace you with one of their own people with the added benefit of single invoicing, consistency of process, single team and so on. You get shown the door, they replace you with one of their permies and charge away.

The trick is to include internal staff on your progress reports, etc. and be able to demonstrate value and progress for every day you invoice. Unless there's one of the rarest vendors out there, you'll be many steps beyond them in proving your worth simply by doing that.

Totally this. There is the option of picking up on the clients misgivings of the vendor and associating yourself closer to the client but obviously this will make you even less popular with the vendor team.

[NotAllThere]

You're doomed as far as the vendor goes - no point in ingratiating yourself there at all. They just see us as dangerous competent competition.

[cojak]

I've seen this plenty of times, it takes a strong personality to force yourself to and beyond peer status with vendor drones in the client's mind. From the vendor's side, you're a nuisance blocking them from a substantial extra revenue source. The usual thing is that they make the contractors look poor then suggest to the client that they could replace you with one of their own people with the added benefit of single invoicing, consistency of process, single team and so on. You get shown the door, they replace you with one of their permies and charge away.

The trick is to include internal staff on your progress reports, etc. and be able to demonstrate value and progress for every day you invoice. Unless there's one of the rarest vendors out there, you'll be many steps beyond them in proving your worth simply by doing that.

...and have very pointy elbows (and also buy the client head honcho a decent coffee, irrespective of where you are in the pecking order...)

[lukemg]

Forget the vendor, you are probably there because the client insisted and it is very unlikely they will ever want you involved if they can help it.
BUT, usually engagement with clientco will be on an individual basis and it is this interaction I would concentrate on, nothing too much trouble, volunteer for actions even if not your core work, build up some contacts. I wouldn't slag off vendor to them but don't defend them at all either, a raised eyebrow says a lot...
There are NO guarantees but seen plenty who then transfer to client after vendor bins the role at earliest opportunity.

[DirtyDog]

Sounds more like one of the offshore offerings to me. They can be incredibly clicky.... Interested to know who the vendor is.

Really - do they not object to being clicked?

Or did you mean that they form a clique and are therefore cliquey?