If all the processes in your project are in one way or another spinning around you, and you simply have no time for all the functions, you urgently need to learn how to delegate! Even if you have just started your project today, you probably cannot be a multi-legged and many-legged person, so you will have to resort to outsource services anyway.
Who is an outsourcer?
Outsourcing is transferring of business tasks by a company to another company on the basis of a contract. In simple words, an outsourcer is a performer of your tasks in the required field.
Suppose you need a website. You conclude a contract with an offshore development organization to provide services to your company. It has its pros and cons. The advantage is that you can get what you need for a reasonable fee. And the disadvantage is that an outsourcer is a person not from your team and not familiar with your philosophy, he/she does not have your vision and will not be able to go deep into a project, as your local staff would do.
Therefore, the best solution, of course, is to form a team. But some tasks are still easier and cheaper to outsource.
How to work with an outsourcer?
- Search for an outsourcer. To find a performer for a certain type of activity, whether it’s accountancy, photography, landing, marketing, etc., you can start with the easiest way – ask for recommendations from familiar entrepreneurs.
They have probably already worked with outsourcers and can recommend smart people.
If not, then go to freelance exchanges – there are many on the Internet. Place your task there, receive requests, and choose the appropriate candidate.
Another way to find a performer is to visit job search websites where you can publish your job offerings.
You can also contact a company to find the right specialist for you. You enter into a contract with an organization that performs a task you have assigned. This option will cost you dearly, but the work will be completed in time and of high quality.
- Candidate selection. What should you be guided by when choosing a candidate? Of course, his/her portfolio and experience in performing the type of tasks that you need. It often doesn’t matter if they have a diploma or high education, the main thing is what experience a person has and what he or she will deliver to your project, how fast and qualitatively he/she will be able to accomplish your task.
Not all tasks will require you to have an experienced and skilled guru, some may be performed by newcomers who want to try their hand at the outsourcing and freelancing market. For example, tasks like searching for appropriate images for a website, processing photos or sending e-mails, can be assigned to an inexperienced candidate. This will not cost you much because the tasks are not complex, and a newcomer will do them for the sake of experience rather than income, and you will get rid of the routine.
- Where to start a collaboration? Depending on the task at hand, you decide whether or not you should sign a contract for service. If a project is long enough and you do not want to risk large sums of money, it is better to conclude a contract. If the project is small and does not take long to complete, you may decide not to sign the contract.
So, what kind of contract do you sign? Either a refit contract or a paid services contract on a pay-as-you-go basis.
If the contractor is a legal entity, they pay the tax themselves. And if it is an individual, in addition to payment of wages, you will need to pay social contributions, and the freelancer will pay 13% personal income tax.
- Control of the work done. When you work with someone who is not on your staff, you risk losing sight of them quickly. A person may simply not be in touch, e.g. they may fall ill. Therefore, it is necessary to control the process of work.
To do this, you will need tools such as a CRM-system or just a Megaplan which will help you set of tasks and monitor the progress. Assign control points – what should be done and deadlines, keep track of the process.
You will also need tools like remote access to the performer’s PC to be able to show some moments on the screen, a messenger (Skype) for fast communication, GoogleDocs for “live” control of tasks execution and full reporting in tables.
Undoubtedly, the outsourcing market is multifaceted. But we have tried to list the main points so that you can understand who an outsourcer is and how to work with them.