When you're an IT expert in wage portage, our umbrella company is our primary business partner. They secure our contracts, ensure we get paid, support us in boosting our income, and protect us when issues arise. They're practically the cornerstone of our success as independents. So choosing one carelessly is not an option! Ending up with a partner unfamiliar with IT challenges risks facing slow administrative processes, payment delays, and overwhelmed contacts...
At Weepo, we welcome dozens of developers, architects, and project managers each year who were disappointed with their previous experiences. Their feedback has informed our thinking about the criteria to examine when seeking a structure adapted to the IT ecosystem.
The economic model of wage portage is based on sharing your turnover. The company takes a percentage of your invoices to cover administrative, accounting, legal, and commercial management of your activity. This rate typically ranges between 3% and 10%, with decreasing rates based on turnover volume. This is your first criterion for comparing market offers. But be careful, don't stop at the face rate and dig into two essential points.
The displayed management fee rate must be the real, guaranteed rate. In other words, without any additional deductions that would further reduce your net compensation. All basic services must be included in this rate. Here are the most common additional fees to watch out for:
To avoid unpleasant surprises, demand a comprehensive and detailed pricing grid, including the fee calculation method. It's best to turn to umbrella companies labeled "zero hidden fees" (FEDEPS). This label is a real guarantee of transparent pricing.
At Weepo, for example, transparency is a core value. Our fee structure is crystal clear, with no additional lines. We're so committed to this that we earned the Zero Hidden Fees Label from FEDEPS when it launched in 2023.
In wage portage, the challenge is to minimize periods between contracts while negotiating good conditions for your assignments. Your company's commercial team and administrative support play a role in this.
In practice, business development is primarily your responsibility. But you should be able to count on a committed team to defend your interests, beyond providing tools (CRM, offer templates, standard contracts...). During your exchanges with the commercial team, probe these 3 key points:
Once on assignment, you'll need efficient administrative support. An IT project almost always evolves along the way: shifting scope, technical adjustments, budget revision, etc. Your company must have agile processes to adapt to these changes:
Don't hesitate to contact consultants currently working with the umbrella company. They are always best positioned to judge the real effectiveness of this daily support.
Your core business is IT, not administrative management. Therefore, you need to choose a company that makes your life easier with services 100% adapted to IT experts' practical concerns.
Each IT project has its specificities: one will emphasize intellectual property, another responsibility, confidentiality, late penalties, etc. Verify during your exchanges that the company understands this market's codes:
This last point is a recurring sticking point in IT. We've seen companies impose a penalty clause of 10% of the mission amount per day of delay, without a cap. Totally disproportionate and dangerous for the consultant!
For daily management, ideally your company should have, like Weepo, a complete and intuitive consultant portal, allowing you to manage your activity from A to Z:
It's difficult for an IT expert to avoid international projects at some point. But as soon as an assignment has a cross-border dimension, everything becomes more complex: contract, billing, taxation, social protection, etc. Nothing is more frustrating than losing a project because your umbrella company can't communicate with a German or British client!
First necessity: being able to communicate with contacts who master the languages and cultures of your intervention countries. Specifically, you need:
Remember to confirm these language capabilities upfront. The minimum would be the ability to conduct business exchanges in English.
Beyond language, working internationally requires juggling different legislations, procedures, and organizations. During your exchanges, assess how well your company masters good practices for billing IT services abroad:
Final key criterion: your umbrella company's credibility in the IT ecosystem. Don't forget that by choosing them, you're entrusting them with your reputation and professional image. So you need to have a clear idea of their references and solidity.
To gauge the seriousness and IT expertise of an umbrella company, nothing beats feedback from consultants who work with them:
Browse consultant testimonials on the website and social media. Are they positive, detailed, authentic?
Research the highlighted client references: are they recognized in IT? Do they match your targets?
If possible, target reviews from profiles similar to yours (developers, project managers, data scientists): they'll be more relevant to you.
Contact some consultants directly to get their unfiltered feedback.
Attend an event organized by the company to form your own opinion.
Beyond image, your umbrella company's stability matters. Imagine if they suddenly closed down! To avoid this risk:
A solid company has every interest in being transparent about these matters. Be wary of those who dodge or are reluctant to provide requested information.
So when you're an IT expert, there's a checklist to scrutinize when choosing the right umbrella company:
If you consider that wage portage with Weepo checks all these boxes, contact us now. We'll be delighted to discuss your project and show you our vision of next-generation wage portage dedicated to IT experts like you
Responsable Marketing & Communication chez Weepo, je suis passionnée par l'animation du réseau et l'accompagnement de nos consultants. J'organise des événements parisiens et accompagne nos équipes régionales pour créer des moments d'échange enrichissants dans l'écosystème du portage salarial.
Hiring an employee at the minimum wage is not limited to paying €1,801.80 gross per month. Between employer contributions and social charges, the actual cost for the employer is much higher.
Discover how to manage your freelance cash flow with practical advice to optimize your rates, accounting, and savings.
🔑Finding housing as an independent worker: 🏡 tips, tricks 💡 and essential documents 📁 to secure your rental!