How should an agency explain the value of a placement fee?
Describe the work the fee actually buys: scoping the role, recruiting and screening, arranging interviews, managing decisions, and the agreed follow-up. Give the family a written fee example tied to the proposed search. Comparisons with unrelated family spending can feel dismissive; a concrete scope and clear invoice trigger are more useful.
Should repeat clients receive an automatic discount?
Choose a published rule based on the work saved, not a percentage borrowed from another agency. A returning family with a current brief and easy reactivation may require less setup, while a new role or changed household needs a full search. State the eligibility, amount, and expiration before applying any concession.
What should an agency say when a client simply asks for a lower fee?
Acknowledge the request and restate the scope, fee, and payment milestone. If the budget is a real constraint, offer a defined smaller service only if the agency can deliver it; do not promise the same search for an unplanned lower fee. Record any approved exception so similar clients are treated consistently.
How can an agency design a repeat-hire discount?
Decide which costs actually fall on a repeat search and which recur each time. A discount can reflect reduced intake work or a narrow loyalty benefit, but should have a clear cap and not underfund recruiting or screening. Test the rule against several typical searches before adding it to the fee schedule.
What if a former client returns years later after hiring elsewhere?
Treat the new request as a new engagement, explain any current registration or launch fee, and apply only the returning-client terms the agency has actually published. Review the earlier agreement for any unfulfilled credit. Give the family the current scope and price in writing before restarting candidate work.
What are current long-term nanny placement fees?
There is no defensible single industry rate. Public U.S. agency schedules reviewed in October 2026 include examples from 6% to 15% of projected annual compensation, sometimes with a minimum fee or deposit; those examples are a small sample, not a market average or a quote for your search. Compare agencies on what the fee includes: sourcing, interviews, checks, trial support, replacement terms, and when payment is due. An agency setting its own price should model recruiter time, acquisition cost, screening, overhead, replacement exposure, and target margin before benchmarking its local competitors.