Online auction technology also sets Planet Interim apart from other online marketplaces for interim professionals. Planet Interim is an independent self-sourcing platform that allows employers to publish their interim assignments with an auction function. Niels van Berkel, director of Planet Interim: 'Before responding to an assignment, interimmers see the average, highest, lowest and most common hourly rate offered up to that point.
The interimmers can still quote a higher price but he or she must also demonstrably add more value for the client. The employer receives an e-mail with the interimmers' motivation as well as a PDF with his CV. He also receives a link to his own online account. There, he can easily and fast invite the interimmers for contact or reject the interim professional. Easily and in a few seconds with a selectable justification from a list of available reasons for rejection and, where desired, free text. If employers wait too long with this, we remind them because we think it's important that interimmers are handled properly. After all, it is one of the most common complaints about brokers and intermediaries that professionals hear nothing more from them after sending their response.'
No race to the bottom
According to Van Berkel, this does not mean that from now on there will still only be competition on the lowest price: 'Workplaces and employers have to give an indication of an hourly rate. And interimmers cannot deviate from that by more than 25 per cent plus or minus anyway because of the technology. That is what this auction technology takes care of.'
Cheaper and less noise
One of the biggest advantages is that this way of working is simpler and cheaper with less noise on the line: 'The margin that mediation agencies normally charge can now be saved and shared between them. With this, we achieve a fair price.' However, both employers and interimmers have to get used to the increasing transparency and learn to negotiate rates realistically. It is optimal if employer and interimmers know how to share the mediation margin of on average 20 per cent (which they would otherwise have lost to an agency - ed.). The employer pays on average 10 per cent less in hiring costs and the interimmers receive on average 10 per cent more income at the same time.'
Market compliant
Planet Interim and Intelligence Group have developed the Benchmark Rates Tool. It gives you a fast, substantiated rate indication based on market research, the latest registrations at Planet Interim and up-to-date data of over 85 thousand assignments placed on Planet Interim in one year (2023). For more information see these infographics.
International
Another important element to the platform is that it is available not only in Dutch and English but now also in French, German and Bulgarian. 'This makes it easier to reach professionals from other EU countries.'