An agency girl and an indy. There really are great women working both ways, but there's definitely a difference in how they operate. I'm sure a guys perspective is different, but I know how *I* performed, depending on the method of booking.
With an agency, I think I was much more hit or miss because I didn't know much about the guys or my schedule. I couldn't get a feel for the guys before hand, so when they showed up, there was either a pleasant surprise, or it was a little awkward, and I had to figure my way through it off the cuff. I definitely had a routine, and rarely deviated from it, because I just didn't know better and honestly, you do a ton of one hour appointments. And, while some guys are wonderful, they're a lot of work for one reason or another. Not being in total control of my schedule meant I couldn't plan for this, and left a lot of guys at best cancelled on because I was knackered at the end of the day, or at worst, dealing with a tuckered out Charlotte because I wasn't going to make it home without seeing him. Money can be an issue with agency girls. Not only are they not aware of their schedule, so always on the edge of "I'm never making money again", but agency and travel fees add up and must be paid whether you see ten guys or roll a big zero for the trip. While I never asked a client for money, I know plenty of girls who did. My rates were lower, so while I still tried my best, I often couldn't provide the kind of atmosphere I like, despite being busier. Since I was waiting around until 10pm the night before to get my schedule, a lot of personal things were neglected until they were an emergency 10 minutes before an appointment. If I cancelled, it was always at the last minute. The comments about agencies being a bigger target for LE are true. I'm a tad paranoid, and I definitely believe that got me out of several potential situations. While they may not have let a cop through screening, the volume and visibility definitely brought attention to us, and after a girl got questioned and rolled all she could for the cops, I noticed it even more. They aren't stupid, and not nearly as lazy as we give them credit for.
As an indy, my screening is a lot more thorough. Many more people are turned away than actually invited to come over. My rates are also high enough that I don't need to see more than one person per day just to pay for my expenses to be there. This doesn't make me as easily accessible, but it does mean that when I'm there, I'm completely there and more than happy about it. My performance is much more consistent, and I can provide at the level that I like without worrying about being able to afford it. My schedule probably does change more now, but it's because I actually have the freedom to handle personal things before they turn into a crisis and effect bookings I already have. So if no other day works and something with us needs to change, there's an email a week before saying "Hey I'm really sorry to do this, but could you do X day or Y time instead?" instead of a flat out "I need to cancel" the morning of. My emails are not as immediate as they would be if I was with an agency or had an assistant, but starting from there, the overall experience is more personal. I also feel as if I can, I don't know, "grow" with my clients now. I can anticipate their needs after they've been screened, keep better track of little personal preferences, remember birthdays, and at least know if I've met you before you walk in the door. To me, the indy experience has been much more comfortable and natural than what I experienced with an agency, and I think it comes through when I meet people, and I know I take much better care of my regulars than I ever did before.
It really depends first on the girl. You like who you like. But there are little details on the back end of each that might make it more fun for you, and there are certain things that people can trade off and things that they just can't. There is a definite ease for you guys when booking with an agency, but I know a lot of guys are looking for more than just that, so I thought I'd give you an idea of what to actually expect from us