Renewing trademarks is a commodity task.  It requires accuracy and reliability and punctuality.  There is little or no value to be added by a high value staff member spending time on trademark renewals.  

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Avoid common pitfalls when comparing prices and factor in the three core price components;

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1. Patent and trademark office fees. These differ by country but should be charged correctly with no mark ups

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2.Local agent fees.  For most countries a local legal representative is needed to carry out a renewal.  This is why the cost of agent fees make up a large part of the trademark renewal budget.  Where possible ensure renewals are carried out directly without the need for an agent.

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3.Service provider or law firm fees; If you engage your law firm or a so called LPO service provider to carry out your renewals, ensure that you are getting transparency into what's included in the fee.  Renewal service fees should be inclusive and providers should be clear about any additional charges such as courier fees for certificates for example.

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Traditional service providers are focused on large global law firms and corporations and reserve their best prices and service for such clients.  Ask about communication options, how you can reach somebody knowledgable and involved in your trademark renewals work when needed.  Many service providers have a disconnect between their sales locations and operations hubs, which can be on different continents.  Great communications saves time and there is no need to pay a premium for this necessity. 

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IP Custodian provides best in class service to all our clients regardless of size. We achieve this by focusing on small and medium firms and tailoring our operations structures to specialise in this area.  Our fix fee services offer transparent prices, allowing easy, reliable budgeting and with a dedicated project manager you will always be close to your trademark work.