Most people compare staffing quotes on the hourly rate. It’s the wrong number to look at. The rate is one line; the total is shaped by how many hours you actually book, who is managing the team, what they need to learn first and what happens if the plan changes.
Here is how we build a quote, and where the money goes.
The role sets the rate
A brand ambassador handing out samples, a product demonstrator closing a sale and a multilingual host running a VIP desk are three different jobs, and they are paid differently. So are team leaders and event managers, who carry the radio and the responsibility. Specialist roles – actors, character performers, people with a second language, trained demonstrators – cost more, because there are fewer of them and they are booked for a skill.
If your quote has one rate for everyone, ask what it assumes. A cheap rate for a hard job usually means someone less experienced doing it.
Hours affect the cost most
Staffing is priced by person and by hour, so headcount and shift length move the total far more than the rate does. Two things catch people out. Briefing and set-up time is working time, so if the team arrives at 8.15 for a 9am door, the shift starts at 8.15. And some bookings carry a minimum shift length, because nobody can travel across London for a two-hour job. Our quotes show both.
Hours usually change the total more than the rate does.
Allow for management
For four or five people, a team leader on the floor might be enough. For a big floor, it isn’t. At the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival we ran one overall event manager, six event managers and fourteen team leaders for 200+ staff.
That looks like overhead until you count what it saves. Your own team spends the day with guests instead of covering breaks, chasing late arrivals and answering “where do I go now?”
On OPPO’s stand at the Champions Festival, our event manager also kept a signed attendance sheet for the client every day. That is what the management line on a quote covers.
Training, if the job needs it
A welcome role needs a short briefing. A product demo needs training, and training takes time to prepare and deliver. For an AI laptop launch, every demonstrator went through the brand’s product training and the retailer’s own training before their first shift, and completed a signed-off question set at the end of each shift on Oxford Street. That time is in the quote, and it should be.
Travel, kit and everything else
Local travel, equipment hire such as iPads, uniforms, storage and printing sit in running costs. Events outside the team’s area or abroad can add travel and hotels. We agree expenses with you in writing before committing to them, and we recruit locally where we can, because it’s almost always cheaper than moving people.
How to read our quote
Our quotes are itemised so you can see each decision. Staffing lists every role, how many people, the shift times and hours, and the rate. Running costs cover travel, kit and agreed expenses. The management fee covers recruitment, briefing and reporting, shown on its own line.
Getting more for the same budget
Tell us your budget, because it helps us suggest a team that fits. Give us accurate shift times, book early so we have more people to choose from, and ask about local recruiting if your event is outside London. Cutting unnecessary hours is usually the easiest saving.
Checklist
- Each role listed with its own rate
- Headcount and shift lengths matched to when you are busy
- Team leaders or event managers included where needed
- Training time costed if the job involves a product demo
- Running costs listed: travel, kit hire, uniforms, printing
- Your budget shared up front
Common questions
How much does it cost to hire a brand ambassador?
It depends on the job. A brand ambassador handing out samples, a product demonstrator closing a sale and a multilingual host running a VIP desk are different jobs, so they are priced differently.
Should I tell an agency my budget?
Yes. It lets us suggest a team that fits from the start.
Send us the brief, however rough, and your budget if you have one. We’ll send back an itemised quote and tell you where the money goes.
