[POLL]The trouble with freelancers...?

Having served in the role of "project manager" since around 2000 I've seen it all.
Now I have a dependable workforce, though I still get some work done occasionally by freelancers. Over time, I think you get more experienced with picking good ones. Also, with new people, I NEVER give them a large job. That is just asking for trouble. As people prove themselves, its easier to trust they will return good results for larger jobs.

I think anyone who uses Freelancers will always encounter problems.

I've had a freelancer claim to be from a certain company in Pakistan. After giving them a test run it was clear the quality of work was sub standard. It transpired that the guy never actually worked with this company but knew a friend who worked their and teamed up with him and offered services via elance.

The funny thing is that he had good feedback on Elance. His work was awful.

I now use a regular freelancer in India who produces excellent quality work at a very reasonable price.

Riz

I guess I should join in the conversation too...

I didn't do my due diligence once, and responded to an offer which, in my heart, I should have known was too good to be true. I ended up paying out $400 and receiving nothing in return - the freelancer disappeared with my money, and that of a lot of other people.

Giving people small projects so they can prove themselves and then scaling up is good advice.

Hey Karl,

Maybe to catch both sides of the story, I 'freelance' with technical support, site set ups, script installs, etc., I have very little problems with getting work referred.

Here's the problems I run into.

1. People wanting work done for near nothing. I set a price for what I do and stick with it. If it needs to be done cheap, then someone else needs to do it, but I am always willing to help and can be very flexible.

2. I try to be as clear as possible when I prepare to do something, i.e. access info required, materials needed, pricing, etc, but still can't get the customer to follow instructions. I will get some of what I need, pieces of information to complete the job and once in a while email response totally unrelated to the questions I have asked.

Have gotten around a lot of this with Skype for direct contact.

3. Getting the customer to follow through in a timely fashion. I know things come up, but when I start a job, I need what I need to complete it. If I have to wait, then it costs me money and I will move on to the next job. Sometimes the customer will get mad because I tell them they have to wait until I get caught up. Go figure.

4. I make it clear up front that when the job is finished, I will bill them. Always did this in offline business and it worked fine. When I bill someone, making sure that job is completed to their satisfaction, I don't want to wait to get paid. If they tell me a they have a problem, I will try to work with them, but I don't want to be put off.

It's starting to get to where I will start billing up front to solve this.

Anyway, I know there are a lot of bad apples out there from seeing some of the posts here, but there's always two sides to the story.

Thanks,

John

Success with outsources is all in the level of direction and expectation you provide.