Lessons in Outsourcing
Like anything else, there are pros and cons to outsourcing your work. The biggest pro, of course, being that it allows you to grow your business. As you take steps further and further from doing the actual grunt work, you can focus on expanding and other high-minded pursuits. You know this, I know this, Big Buisness knows this. I've done it to a certain degree but not nearly as much as I need to.
The problem is finding reliable people for outsourcing. I was lucky in finding my author for site #3 about a year ago. I haven't worked with her much in a while but she was good, reliable, and produced the level of quality I wanted.
My other attempts at outsourcing weren't so successful. I tried to outsource my link building but that turned into a fiasco with everyone and their mom's dog wanting to submit my site to directories and not actual related content sites. That fell through completely. This latest attempt has been for my product. I've been letting someone else edit it while I review their work and ask for changes. This has lead to a long delay in getting the product to market.
Things were going smoothly until this latest incident. I had been emailing the guy last week trying to get together and finish this project but I get no response. Finally I call the guy. He says that he finished it but I know there is no possible way because there were changes that needed information from me to complete.
Who knows, maybe I'm just whining but I feel that I shouldn't have to keep my outsourcers on such a tight leash. Yes, I need to be on top of things and make sure they are doing what I pay them to do, but once you have to start micromanaging them you lose the benefit of outsourcing. What are your thoughts?
The problem is finding reliable people for outsourcing. I was lucky in finding my author for site #3 about a year ago. I haven't worked with her much in a while but she was good, reliable, and produced the level of quality I wanted.
My other attempts at outsourcing weren't so successful. I tried to outsource my link building but that turned into a fiasco with everyone and their mom's dog wanting to submit my site to directories and not actual related content sites. That fell through completely. This latest attempt has been for my product. I've been letting someone else edit it while I review their work and ask for changes. This has lead to a long delay in getting the product to market.
Things were going smoothly until this latest incident. I had been emailing the guy last week trying to get together and finish this project but I get no response. Finally I call the guy. He says that he finished it but I know there is no possible way because there were changes that needed information from me to complete.
Who knows, maybe I'm just whining but I feel that I shouldn't have to keep my outsourcers on such a tight leash. Yes, I need to be on top of things and make sure they are doing what I pay them to do, but once you have to start micromanaging them you lose the benefit of outsourcing. What are your thoughts?
posted by JonnyQ888 at
8:34 PM
4 Comments:
I think the whole outsourcing thing can be a bit of a nightmare. I'm always on the lookout for people who I have an idea about online (programmers, content writers, etc) - and pick their brain for suggestions on how to get things done.
I don't hold much faith in outsourcing. But too - I think you get what you pay for as well. Pay more better service? (It is so hit or miss on the net).
... sorry, that wasn't much help :P
By
The Empress, at 12:07 PM
Well I wasn't looking for help as much as discussion=) You're right, it can be a nightmare but I also think it is necessary. Looking back, I'm thinking that trying to do everything myself led to me burning out. I guess it is just hard to find good help.
By
JonnyQ888, at 4:40 PM
I know I've thought about outsourcing some of thing things I do - or don't do because I HATE DOING THEM (link exchanges, writing content for some sites... because I have too many!) But I'm a little jaded/worried that I'm going to be rooked by people out there.
Have you tried going through sites like elance, etc for people do projects?
By
The Empress, at 11:47 AM
Yeah, I think those are prime examples of what to outsource. The content writing I think is easier to determine whether or not a person will do well for you. The link exchanges though are more difficult, part of the reason I wasn't able to pull it off.
I've gone through Rent-a-Coder for both the article writting and the attempt at link exchanging.
By
JonnyQ888, at 6:10 AM
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