Big Name SEO Agency or In House Team

Many years ago I moved from a small body-shop type or operation to work for Logica (then up and coming).  I met the head of my old firm later and he asked me this very important question (this was a long time ago - the rates have moved). 

"when you worked for us the best rate I could get was £150 per day. However Logica sells you at £300 per day.  Yet the Bob Browning they get is the same guy with the same skills.  How can this be justified."

The answer is that most of the time it makes no difference where Bob Browning comes from.  However  if everything goes pear-shaped Logica has the skills and resources to back up their people and solve the problem - whatever it is.  So you are paying for the assurance that whatever problem you want solved, will get solved - period.

It is all down to reputation.

However does this justify anyone charging HM Revenue and Customs five grand to do an SQL query? (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/23/ncustoms223.xml)???   

I think not!

Bob
Textor