08 - Why People Give Up On Outsourcing

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Transcript of this episode:

People get so excited about the idea of outsourcing. They want to get stuck in so they can “buy time” and spend all the extra time doing whatever they love. Sometimes I go to parties or lunches or whatever and inevitably people ask me what I do. When I tell them about how involved I am with outsourcing, their ears prick up and they become more interested in the conversation. “I’ve always thought about getting a virtual assistant to help with my admin” they might say, or “I love the idea of getting a website made so cheaply”. You know the sort of thing I’m talking about.

So if outsourcing is one of the key components on the path to success, why do so many people not follow through?

In this episode I am going to address some of the fundamental blockages and talk about why they occur and how to avoid them.

The good news is that all the problems are fixable.

To start with, let’s talk about the key reasons that people give up:

1. They don’t know where to start
2. They write poor job descriptions and get poor freelancers
3. The work they get done isn’t as good quality as they wanted
4. It’s more trouble than it’s worth
5. They micro-manage their workers and waste their own time
6. They are unsure of the legalities.
7. The are worried about security.

Let’s discuss each in a little more detail.

Number 1: they don’t know where to start. Well, golly. I’d like to think that by now that would not be the case. Those people that I would meet at the cocktail parties really just have to listen to the podcast and they could get an idea of how to start, right? Just to recap, it would look like this:

• Clearly describe what you are looking to get done – include sketches, notes and anything else that would assist a remote employee to complete the task
• Write a job ad detailing the requirements
• Go on an outsourcing platform such as Fiverr, Upwork or 99 Designs
• Hire a freelancer
• Get stuff done

It doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. Sure, it can be intimidating the very first time you try it, but isn’t everything? Just dip a toe in the water and start with an easy project so you can see what’s what.

Number 2: They write poor job descriptions and get poor freelancers

I want to make it clear that even if you have a great job description there is a chance that you might end up with a poor freelancer. Sometimes that just happens. But it’s encumbent on you as the outsourcer to do a few small things to try to get the best outsourced worker that you can.

Start with a good job description. That includes clear instructions, a concise outline of the project and make sure your goals and expected outcomes are clearly communicated.

The second step is to make sure you spend some time going through the applications. Sure, you can hire the cheapest available worker – I once hired someone for 80 cents an hour just to see how it would go. Not surprisingly, it didn’t go well. You don’t have to employ someone from a specific geographic region, either. If the talent that you require happens to be in the next street, then great – go for it.

You have to get the best person for the job, not the cheapest pay rate. If a good result is what you’re after spend some time choosing the right person. Otherwise you’ll get a second rate job, then you’ll get disillusioned with outsourcing and you’ll give up.

Number 3: The work they get done isn’t as good quality as they wanted

Nip that in the bud! This topic is discussed in the episode called “how to handle a problem freelancer” but suffice to say: you have to make sure that work that is below your level of expectation is stopped before it becomes a big problem.

If you’re paying for the project on an hourly basis you can keep a close eye on what’s going on and give instructions accordingly. If it’s a one off or set fee, you don’t have quite the same amount of investigative ability. So what does it all come down to? A clear and concise job description. Make everything crystal clear, go over it with the freelancer to ensure they have no problems with what they are supposed to be doing.