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Lazy Outsourcees

by Snow_Predator
28 replies
Seriously, is there a computer-crashing epidemic spreading throughout the world oursourcees?

I've lost count of the number of times an article writer has taken ages to write an article and sent me an email to say 'oh here's the article, sorry it's so late, my computer harddrive crashed, my laptop died, I lost my work...' blah blah

They bloody sound like school children handing in homework.

That's it. Just a rant
#lazy #outsourcees
  • Profile picture of the author RichardF
    Yeah finding reliable people to outsource to is HARD. My experiences are about the same as yours. I'm also often guilty of cutting them too much slack, but I'm starting to learn to cut poor workers off immediately and not give them one chance after the other.
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  • Profile picture of the author GameVoid
    "My computer crashed" is the 21st century "the dog at my homework".
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  • Profile picture of the author weblink29
    I've tested many writers. The bad ones hand in crap work. The good ones get hit with more work from other clients. So you become one of twenty clients the writer is working for.

    It's hard to find a good writer that will always finish work on a timely basis....and it's not always their fault. Their just swamped.
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    Nothing to see here folks.....move along.

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  • Profile picture of the author magiclouie
    Originally Posted by Snow_Predator View Post

    Seriously, is there a computer-crashing epidemic spreading throughout the world oursourcees?

    I've lost count of the number of times an article writer has taken ages to write an article and sent me an email to say 'oh here's the article, sorry it's so late, my computer harddrive crashed, my laptop died, I lost my work...' blah blah

    They bloody sound like school children handing in homework.

    That's it. Just a rant
    I am so sorry to hear that.

    Simply hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
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  • Profile picture of the author BloggingPro
    Most people in general are just lazy. Procrastination can be killer if you let it take over your life.

    "Oh I don't NEED to do that now." Then they wait till they NEED to do it and get put in a bind.

    On top of that very few people I have ever met are accountable for themselves. Sometimes I wonder if their finger ever hurts from pointing blame elsewhere so much.

    This is why I pay after work has been delivered. If work isn't delivered within a timely manner I've never hesitated to fire someone. I don't care what your circumstances are. You are replaceable (as am I).

    This really only applies to those who I am working with for the first time. If I've been working with you for awhile I can understand circumstances--but not when your trying to make that first impression.
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  • Profile picture of the author seobro
    OK so I have said this before and with say it again. Bro, you get that for which you pay. If you pay peanuts you will get monkeys to work for you. There is a reason that top authors command top dollar and it is that their work has excellent conversion.

    Keep that in mind next time you start complaining about the quality of the work being poor. What are you doing to motivate workers to product quality copy?
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    • Profile picture of the author mounds
      I've got a wonderful theory that may or may not be popular.

      If a writer were to find himself so busy that he had trouble getting work done on time, that would be a good moment to increase his prices. Chances are, he'd lose a few customers, work less hours and make a similar income.

      Everyone is happy!
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      • Profile picture of the author Chris Worner
        Originally Posted by mounds View Post

        I've got a wonderful theory that may or may not be popular.

        If a writer were to find himself so busy that he had trouble getting work done on time, that would be a good moment to increase his prices. Chances are, he'd lose a few customers, work less hours and make a similar income.

        Everyone is happy!
        Happy? You think having to pay more than $3 for an article is going to make people happy? :p

        Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author JamesGw
    People don't really change. A lot of people working online (not all, or even the majority) are doing so because they don't have the discipline to have a real job. It carries over into their online work, which is why you often see "Seller failed to deliver on time" in Fiverr, your issue, or people just failing in general.
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    • Profile picture of the author fluffythewondercat
      Originally Posted by JamesGw View Post

      It carries over into their online work, which is why you often see "Seller failed to deliver on time" in Fiverr
      Actually, that message isn't true as often as you might think.

      I have an ad gig on Fiverr; you send me the ad, I post it on my site. One doofus bought the gig twice, then he had no ad and no idea how to make one. He chose to cancel both gigs and I got hit with "Seller failed to deliver on time."

      Fiverr badly needs a "Buyer is a flippin' nincompoop" message.

      fLufF
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      • Profile picture of the author Michael Shook
        This is so different from my own experience with hiring folks as outsourcers.

        I have always, without fail, had not only on-time delivery of content services, but in many instances had extra added to my order. And always with courteous emails and helpful suggestions.

        My adventures in outsourcing have always been very beneficial transactions without anger or hard feelings or non completion fo services. I have actually been very pleased with my success in finding great people to work with.
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  • Profile picture of the author dvduval
    Thanks for the reminder. I need to go over to odesk and cancel some contracts.
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    It is okay to contact me! I have been developing software since 1999, creating many popular products like phpLD.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tony Shepherd
    You got a subscriber list, or a good sized blog readership Snow_Predator?

    If so mail them and let them know what sort of work you want doing. You'll find some quality outsourcees among your own subscribers I guarantee it

    Tony
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  • Profile picture of the author Derek S
    yeah for some reason the article writers seem to be the worst. oDesk and other programs really need to make it so when you have actually hired a FULL TIME worker, they can no longer apply or work for others in the system. They tend to always be looking for the next best thing on that site and spending less and less time working on the projects they have actually got hired to do.

    Just like any part time low level job here in North America, they treat their work like a job and not a career sadly. I'm already looking into hiring local employees come fall instead of oDesk just so they can be in my building working under me and not a world away.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ralf Skirr
      yeah for some reason the article writers seem to be the worst. oDesk and other programs really need to make it so when you have actually hired a FULL TIME worker, they can no longer apply or work for others in the system.
      Great suggestion! Their job adverts should be banned all over the internet.


      Seriously though, I had several full time people on my payroll, and easily find them continuously updating their job search profiles on several freelancing sites.

      Ralf
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  • Profile picture of the author HelpingYouBeAnExpert
    You have to get ripped off is you want to use VA's it's just life
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  • Profile picture of the author omk
    LOL, I know - that's the oldest excuse in the book
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  • Profile picture of the author GetMoreTraffic
    It's find to hard reliable people, but they are out there. When you have a few, hire a project manager to kick butt and ensure that everything is done on time.
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  • Profile picture of the author Martin Bauer
    I thought it was only happening to me Somehow, he is able to write 500 word article in an hour and also when I require 300 word article, it also takes 1 hour. Huh?
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    • Profile picture of the author Stephen Lessey
      I would agree that some are lazy, but depending where you outsource, some workers dont know enough expressions to use for unexpected events that delay work.

      Just be in thier shoes for a second, they want to get the business from you, so they will say things to make you choose them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Janet Scettrini
    Listen, when looking for outsourcers, pay extra for good quality. Screen them extensively. Don't just take the first person to walk through the door. If it's a mother who is supporting her family with this work, you can bet she'll be more on it than some lazy college student who needs beer money.

    J
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    • Profile picture of the author Snow_Predator
      Originally Posted by RichardF View Post

      Yeah finding reliable people to outsource to is HARD. My experiences are about the same as yours. I'm also often guilty of cutting them too much slack, but I'm starting to learn to cut poor workers off immediately and not give them one chance after the other.
      Yeh, I'm guilty of that too. I think I'm too 'nice' as an employer.

      Originally Posted by GameVoid View Post

      "My computer crashed" is the 21st century "the dog at my homework".
      lol nice. I've also had the ole 'Oh my bank shut down so I can't accept payments'.... I wonder what the school to equivalent to that is?

      Originally Posted by FredJones View Post

      Never ever let someone enjoying a slack enjoy it. If someone is overbooking and under-delivering, let them have one order lesser (yours). Helps both them and you.
      Yes, I use Odesk because I can hire someone for just one article. If they slack around, have attitude (I've had one with tremendous attitude, lol), or produce rubbish work, they get paid, but they never hear from me again.

      Originally Posted by seobro View Post

      OK so I have said this before and with say it again. Bro, you get that for which you pay. If you pay peanuts you will get monkeys to work for you. There is a reason that top authors command top dollar and it is that their work has excellent conversion.

      Keep that in mind next time you start complaining about the quality of the work being poor. What are you doing to motivate workers to product quality copy?
      Shut up

      Originally Posted by JamesGw View Post

      People don't really change. A lot of people working online (not all, or even the majority) are doing so because they don't have the discipline to have a real job. It carries over into their online work, which is why you often see "Seller failed to deliver on time" in Fiverr, your issue, or people just failing in general.
      Yes, I'm pretty sure that's the case with many freelancers. I think the vast majority of people need to be physically monitored in order to be the least bit productive. That's why most people hate their boss at work. If the boss were to let his employees do whatever they wanted, they'd get no work done.

      Originally Posted by JMichaelZ View Post

      This is so different from my own experience with hiring folks as outsourcers.

      I have always, without fail, had not only on-time delivery of content services, but in many instances had extra added to my order. And always with courteous emails and helpful suggestions.

      My adventures in outsourcing have always been very beneficial transactions without anger or hard feelings or non completion fo services. I have actually been very pleased with my success in finding great people to work with.
      Hmmm... are we talking about the same 'outsourcing' here? "On-time delivery"?? .... I think you may have outsourcing confused with Domino's Pizza :p

      Originally Posted by dvduval View Post

      Thanks for the reminder. I need to go over to odesk and cancel some contracts.
      Me too .

      Hey, you know what I sometimes do? When I post a job, I sent a short message to every applicant who SEEMS fit for the job. In the message I send them a small update regarding the job, or I detail a tiny change to the job description (which doesn't change the nature of the job at all, and is not objectionable in any way) and ask them if they're OK with it.

      Half of them don't ever reply to that message, so it helps me to weed out the ones who probably wouldn't have bothered if I had started a contract either.

      Originally Posted by Derek S View Post

      yeah for some reason the article writers seem to be the worst. oDesk and other programs really need to make it so when you have actually hired a FULL TIME worker, they can no longer apply or work for others in the system. They tend to always be looking for the next best thing on that site and spending less and less time working on the projects they have actually got hired to do.

      Just like any part time low level job here in North America, they treat their work like a job and not a career sadly. I'm already looking into hiring local employees come fall instead of oDesk just so they can be in my building working under me and not a world away.
      Excellent idea. Yes, methinks it's far better to have your employees under your own watchful supervision.

      Originally Posted by HelpingYouBeAnExpert View Post

      You have to get ripped off is you want to use VA's it's just life
      You've gotta plow through the stack of hay to find the needle. (the needle being the clean, shiny, GOOD outsourcee.... ignoring in this analogy of course, the fact that a needle is sharp and will sting you and make you bleed when you find it)

      Originally Posted by RobTheCopywriter View Post

      It's find to hard reliable people, but they are out there. When you have a few, hire a project manager to kick butt and ensure that everything is done on time.
      Yes, that's the next step! I need to look into getting a project manager. Perhaps some sort of outsourcing company where outsourcees work in the same building and there is a project manager wielding a whip who goes around making sure I'm getting my money's worth ^_^
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  • Profile picture of the author mikemeth
    Yeah happens to me also sometimes, but I now have 3 reliable folks so finally I found good ones
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  • Profile picture of the author Troy Broussard
    I don't think it's so much laziness as it is unpreparedness. The fact is that many freelancers are doing it part time while still holding down another job or are just very inexperienced in freelancing.

    On top of that, there is the anonymity of the Internet which seemingly gives people the courage to do and say things they would not do face-to-face. It is as if they think that just because somehow they can't see you on the other side of the monitor, their failure to do what they said they'd do is somehow less important.

    Recently I had a customer unsub from my list and leave a very nasty message. Something I can absolutely guarantee the person would not have said to my face. However, I took a deep breathe and responded (could have just ignored it and many times I do) and explained the situation that the customer was frustrated with and that it was not really with me that they were irritated but rather PayPal. I didn't make excuses, just educated them politely.

    The customer replied later than evening SHOCKED that I had provided such a courteous response and not only rejoined the list but purchased a couple of products.

    You just never know... really you don't. Had another full time writer that tragically lost her husband at a very young age and we went out of our way to give a month off with pay due to the situation and the person had been with us a long time, etc... My biz partner and I felt good about it - that we'd done the right thing, but the writer quit work a week later without hardly so much as a thank you much less any notice, despite us holding a position for her for six weeks.

    In the end, all you can do is do right by the man in the mirror - you'll win some, you'll lose some...
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  • Profile picture of the author arnoldsn
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author shaunyb1
      Yeah its sure a journey.. once you read good feedback prior to engaging with them, then give them a few test articles and take it from there. I think feedback is critical, and only work with those who are proven through prior feedback.

      Some will be good at grammar, some won't. Some will be happy earning $12 a day, for others its $100 a day. if you mix in the unknown then expect the unknown in return.

      I wrote full time for a few years before doing IM, which is now my main income. I still occasionally get asked for writing work, sales letters etc., but shy away from it now so I can focus on my own activities, but I commanded a higher price because my content converts at 1% to 2% on average, so for anyone who at that time needed a sales letter, this would have made sense, even if I charged $500, because as long as they can deliver the traffic, it's just time before they recoup their money.

      I started at 1 cent a word, then 2 cents and ended up charging 3 cents, and people happily paid it for my articles. The flip side is I live in the UK and need $100 to $150 a day to survive, so I had to charge more. Fortunately I could.

      I do think you have to be a little flexible though as things do crop up. As long as they contact you BEFORE you have to chase them, then this is a sign that they may be decent people.
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