Outsourcing jobs is a great way to solve problems at work. This can help you deal with a heavy work overload, urgent deadlines, lack of professional skills or inadequate manpower at a given time.
SummaryPlan what is neededAsk for samples of past workMaintain communicationGet a recommendation or test potential candidatesFocus on these traitsConclusionHowever, this is still not as ideal as it seems, especially with all of its potential risks. This includes hiring incompetent freelancers or competent freelancers who overcharge for their services.
It is in your best interest to avoid both of these scenarios and the following article will help you do that. Here we will provide four tips on how to avoid wasting money on substandard services when outsourcing jobs.
The best way to avoid unnecessary expenses is to have a well-designed plan for your freelancers. The more specific you are, the better.
First of all, the people you are collaborating with are not mind readers. Since you communicate via email, it is easy for a project to get lost due to lack of necessary information.
Also, if you do not provide detailed information, you may end up with a project that meets your requirements but lacks quality. So give them samples online of the level of quality you hope to see. Try to be specific about what you don't want to see.
This way you will be fully covered when requesting a refund if the requirements are not met. Additionally, freelancers who lack the skills to meet these demands will back off.
When hiring someone, it is imperative that you review their portfolio.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell from someone's wallet if they can do your specific job. So for this reason it would be best to ask freelancers if they have a sample of previous work of something that is similar to what you are going to ask.
Once you select your freelancers and assign them the project, it is important that you maintain communication. As we said, you are not sharing the same workspace.
If the project is delicate, it would be wise to organize a Skype call. You can also request to receive screenshots of the progress of your project. This way, you can correct any inconsistencies immediately. You will also be able to see in advance if you made the right call.
Finally, if you are unsure of the expertise of your potential candidates, you can test them. You can also ask for referrals from other trusted users in the same niche as you. You can do the tests if you only have two or three potential candidates left, so it won't cost you much.
If you want a reliable outsourcing partner, you must have a clear list of their purpose. If they can meet those standards, you can count on them.
> Positive results – The Company can help you increase customer satisfaction and reduce production costs within the desired time frame.
> Compatibility – The business should share common goals and values as your business. They should be performance-focused, care about their customers and community, and use the same methods to run the business.
> Innovative – You need a company that can contribute greatly to your business and can operate on its own without the need for constant supervision. They should help you modernize your business in terms of technology, equipment, etc.
See also:How cloud technology can help your business grow
> Flexibility – You need a company that can adapt to your standards and offer you personalized service to meet your demands. They should consider your needs a priority and you should reward them appropriately for their dedication.
> Adaptable management – You need a company that can react quickly and adapt to changes without sacrificing the quality of the end results. In other words, it must have a reliable management team as well as competent staff.
> Benchmarking – You will know that the outsourcing solution is reliable if it can provide you with evidence explaining that you are receiving high quality service. They must create new growth potential and deliver measurable success in the area of employee and customer satisfaction.
> Ingenious – They need to continuously provide content that is in-depth, innovative and tailored to your needs and requirements.
> Constant quality improvement – With continued collaboration, the quality and performance of your outsourcing solution should improve. Basically, you need a company that can keep up with you. They must work on their own staff and offer new and comprehensive training courses to their employees in order to achieve these results.
We hope you end up with an outsourcing agency or freelancer that you can trust and collaborate on many more projects in the future. Once you find a competent outsourcing company, it will be much easier to manage projects in the future.
See also:A practical guide to hiring and managing freelancers
