This article discusses one of the major problems encountered by inexperienced entrepreneurs in using international freelancers- project turn around time.
Many entrepreneur’s first and only freelance experience ends with them feeling deeply disappointed by either the speed or the quality of the work. They hear about guys you can hire for $4/hr, and rush off and splash some cash on the next big thing. Like many of the internet pot-o-gold stories, it turns out to be less successful then the flier suggested so they return to lurk in forums with their stories of woe.
Sometimes projects are so slow!
I am all for hiring freelancers in developing nations… but…
It can be very, very, time consuming. What you save in $$$ you need to invest in time. There is no way around it… at least not that I’ve found. Be prepared to invest a lot of time on the first few projects. You can’t leave them on autopilot, they will crash. With practice you’ll get faster, better results, but it will never be the same as buying services from your shop down the street. Read the rest of this entry
Tags: blog, developing nations, entrepreneur, freelance, freelancer, ou, outsourcing, outsourcing guides, save money, startup
This post is the first of a series on How to Select a Great Freelancer Online. It specifically discusses how to use past customer feedback and work histories to ‘read between the lines’ and reveal a freelancer’s real performance. You can find the index for the series and the first article here.
Part 1 of How to use customer feedback/ratings covers:
- How to use the average feedback rating (or score) to weed out under-performers
- How to assess past work performance and determine a freelancer’s credibility
- How to avoid being Scammed
Part II of How to use customer feedback/ratings (find it here) covers:
- How to analyse customer comments, what they mean, and reading between the lines
- How to do a background check on your potential outsourcer
So, On With Part 1. Customer Feedback, Past History = Future Performance?
The only way to verify someone’s past performance and identity online is by reviewing their customer feedback and interaction within outsourcing websites. All freelance/online outsource sites have customer feedback because it’s extremely useful for filtering out the trash (scammers, fly-by-nighters, psychos etc.). When using feedback and ratings it’s essential to remember that it isn’t perfect. As any investor will sorely tell you, past history is no guarantee of future performance! Add to this the fact that feedback histories can be gamed/manipulated, you’re left with an information source which is only useful if it’s used with care.
How to analyse customer feedback:
All feedback is not created equal, some reviews should be given more weight then others, and there are hidden stories in the data. Here are a few things to look for to keep you safe. Read the rest of this entry
Tags: customer feedback, customer satisfaction, entrepreneur, freelance, freelancer, freelancer credibility, freelancers, leverage, online freelance, ou, outsource basics, outsourcer, outsourcing, outsourcing guides, Outsourcing How To's, recession proof, reviews, risk, small business
