Comments on: To Outsource Or Not to Outsource? http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/ publishing content to inspire Sat, 31 Mar 2012 01:20:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bootstrapper » The 100 Best Business Finance Posts of All Time http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/comment-page-1/#comment-47744 Bootstrapper » The 100 Best Business Finance Posts of All Time Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:25:48 +0000 http://mindpetals.com/blog/2007/02/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/#comment-47744 [...] To Outsource or Not to Outsource: Consider whether or not outsourcing is right for your business by reading this post. [...] [...] To Outsource or Not to Outsource: Consider whether or not outsourcing is right for your business by reading this post. [...]

]]> By: Luc Arnold http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/comment-page-1/#comment-6259 Luc Arnold Tue, 20 Feb 2007 16:44:13 +0000 http://mindpetals.com/blog/2007/02/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/#comment-6259 Thanks David, No worries... i think the service i am building over time will become more and more needed to handle admin aspects of web business. Don't want to plug too much on here ;) SEO is one of those things best left to the person running a site because its marketing and i think that any good business owner should always have control over their marketing to be truly successful. Just my thoughts on that, Luc Thanks David,

No worries… i think the service i am building over time will become more and more needed to handle admin aspects of web business. Don’t want to plug too much on here ;)

SEO is one of those things best left to the person running a site because its marketing and i think that any good business owner should always have control over their marketing to be truly successful.

Just my thoughts on that,

Luc

]]> By: David Askaripour http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/comment-page-1/#comment-6257 David Askaripour Tue, 20 Feb 2007 15:27:05 +0000 http://mindpetals.com/blog/2007/02/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/#comment-6257 Luc, you make a great point and I look forward to checking out your new service. Thanks for the insight. Lee, thanks for augmenting this article with some great content, much appreciated. Brian, I totally agree. It's not worth skimping on the research time when seeking a quality freelances. It may feel like a waste of time, but when you are saving money in the long run it doesn't seem so trite. Well said. Ahh... SEO... yeah don't get me started. Those companies make me sick --- "top of google listing in a week!" Yeah... right...! hah Luc, you make a great point and I look forward to checking out your new service. Thanks for the insight.

Lee, thanks for augmenting this article with some great content, much appreciated.

Brian, I totally agree. It’s not worth skimping on the research time when seeking a quality freelances. It may feel like a waste of time, but when you are saving money in the long run it doesn’t seem so trite. Well said.

Ahh… SEO… yeah don’t get me started. Those companies make me sick — “top of google listing in a week!” Yeah… right…! hah

]]> By: Luc Arnold http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/comment-page-1/#comment-6253 Luc Arnold Tue, 20 Feb 2007 14:43:21 +0000 http://mindpetals.com/blog/2007/02/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/#comment-6253 Good point Brian about optimization, The problem is that most small businesses really need to learn this themselves because to employ someone into a project means that there needs to be trust on both sides of the relationship. Also the best SEO gigs turn into rev. share opportunities which most small guys cannot afford. Basically what i am saying is that unless you are willing to pay and build a solid relationship do the SEO yourself... you'll see the best results over the long run. Luc Good point Brian about optimization,

The problem is that most small businesses really need to learn this themselves because to employ someone into a project means that there needs to be trust on both sides of the relationship. Also the best SEO gigs turn into rev. share opportunities which most small guys cannot afford.

Basically what i am saying is that unless you are willing to pay and build a solid relationship do the SEO yourself… you’ll see the best results over the long run.

Luc

]]> By: Brian B. http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/comment-page-1/#comment-6172 Brian B. Sun, 18 Feb 2007 21:05:05 +0000 http://mindpetals.com/blog/2007/02/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/#comment-6172 Hi David, Great post. What you say is true. Being a startup providing the web design/development etc.. services to customers in the U.S. I have outsourced & offshored multiple times to handle the increase in clients and business I was getting. I really have not had a bad experience since I spend a good amount of time to look for a mix between quality and cost. I try hard to make sure that I can establish a relationship so I can work with them in the future. The best advice I can give is to take your time and do the research when doing outsourcing. Look for reviews on multiple freelance/ outsource sites for the same Freelancer. Review their portfolio to see if they have a)experience in your industry or similar b)meet your quality expectations. Be extra careful about those trying to offer website optimization services. If they guarantee you #1 spot for all of your keywords, that is a big sign they are full of it. Unless your target is not a heavily diluted market or the words are very specific it is hard to make a hard guarantee on keywords instead of results. The extra time you spend up front may save you extra time, money and stress down the line. Being a startup, time is a great asset to use. Thanks. Brian Hi David,

Great post. What you say is true. Being a startup providing the web design/development etc.. services to customers in the U.S. I have outsourced & offshored multiple times to handle the increase in clients and business I was getting.

I really have not had a bad experience since I spend a good amount of time to look for a mix between quality and cost. I try hard to make sure that I can establish a relationship so I can work with them in the future.

The best advice I can give is to take your time and do the research when doing outsourcing. Look for reviews on multiple freelance/ outsource sites for the same Freelancer. Review their portfolio to see if they have a)experience in your industry or similar b)meet your quality expectations.

Be extra careful about those trying to offer website optimization services. If they guarantee you #1 spot for all of your keywords, that is a big sign they are full of it. Unless your target is not a heavily diluted market or the words are very specific it is hard to make a hard guarantee on keywords instead of results.

The extra time you spend up front may save you extra time, money and stress down the line. Being a startup, time is a great asset to use. Thanks.

Brian

]]> By: Lee Semel http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/comment-page-1/#comment-6089 Lee Semel Sat, 17 Feb 2007 01:25:12 +0000 http://mindpetals.com/blog/2007/02/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/#comment-6089 Hi David, I wrote about this subject on my blog a couple of days ago. http://www.borrowmybrain.com/2007/02/14/startups-outsourcing/#comments Lee Hi David,
I wrote about this subject on my blog a couple of days ago.
http://www.borrowmybrain.com/2...../#comments

Lee

]]> By: Luc Arnold http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/comment-page-1/#comment-6033 Luc Arnold Thu, 15 Feb 2007 20:16:37 +0000 http://mindpetals.com/blog/2007/02/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/#comment-6033 Hello David, Outsourcing is a tricky thing because most people are not accountable for their actions when left to freelance. The main purpose behind WebmasterFarms.com outside of helping people learn more about their websites and the latest advancements behind web technologies is to eventually act as a support company for online business systems looking to outsource certain tasks to cut costs to headcount, overhead fees, benefits, etc. I've found that excellent communication is a rare thing and i suspect that it is something of high value to people. As long as freelancers talk to their customers speed is less of an issue, unless of course you are working with someone that wants things done yesterday. Avoid those people like the plague because they aren't worth the time of energy it will take to manage their needs. Just what i've learned so far. Cheers David, Lucas Hello David,

Outsourcing is a tricky thing because most people are not accountable for their actions when left to freelance. The main purpose behind WebmasterFarms.com outside of helping people learn more about their websites and the latest advancements behind web technologies is to eventually act as a support company for online business systems looking to outsource certain tasks to cut costs to headcount, overhead fees, benefits, etc.

I’ve found that excellent communication is a rare thing and i suspect that it is something of high value to people. As long as freelancers talk to their customers speed is less of an issue, unless of course you are working with someone that wants things done yesterday. Avoid those people like the plague because they aren’t worth the time of energy it will take to manage their needs.

Just what i’ve learned so far. Cheers David,

Lucas

]]> By: David Askaripour http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/comment-page-1/#comment-6026 David Askaripour Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:34:46 +0000 http://mindpetals.com/blog/2007/02/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/#comment-6026 "The 800,000 engineers in India is the same as the 600,000 engineers in China statistic: invalid." Hmm.. maybe I wasn't clear. I was really referring to "India" in that statistic and my source is MSNBC financial channel. As for China, I am not certain. Thanks for the correction. Wow, I had no idea about what it takes to hire someone from China, thanks for that insight. I'll remember that. I guess it doesn't even compare to hiring someone from India, eh? (legally speaking) “The 800,000 engineers in India is the same as the 600,000 engineers in China statistic: invalid.” Hmm.. maybe I wasn’t clear. I was really referring to “India” in that statistic and my source is MSNBC financial channel. As for China, I am not certain. Thanks for the correction. Wow, I had no idea about what it takes to hire someone from China, thanks for that insight. I’ll remember that. I guess it doesn’t even compare to hiring someone from India, eh? (legally speaking)

]]> By: David Askaripour http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/comment-page-1/#comment-6025 David Askaripour Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:30:23 +0000 http://mindpetals.com/blog/2007/02/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/#comment-6025 Hey Aaron, Yeah, I've used RAC in the past. Overall, it's been good but I have ran into some serious issues with the people on their at times. I once had a dude bail on me as well. The best bet when using RAC is to go with someone with an extremely high rating and has "never" had a issue with other clients. You said it perfectly: "You Hey Aaron,

Yeah, I’ve used RAC in the past. Overall, it’s been good but I have ran into some serious issues with the people on their at times. I once had a dude bail on me as well. The best bet when using RAC is to go with someone with an extremely high rating and has “never” had a issue with other clients.

You said it perfectly: “You

]]> By: China Law Blog http://mindpetals.com/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/comment-page-1/#comment-6024 China Law Blog Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:27:31 +0000 http://mindpetals.com/blog/2007/02/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/#comment-6024 The 800,000 engineers in India is the same as the 600,000 engineers in China statistic: invalid. In reality, there are only around 15,000 engineers in all of China with sufficient skills to work for an MNC and I am guessing the figures for China are similar. Where people get into trouble when outsourcing is in not realizing the total costs. Sure, the guy you are hiring in China costs $100 a month, but if you are going to hire him legally, you need to pay all sorts of taxes on that. And if you are going to have a trade secret/IP protection contract that is worth anything at all, you are going to need to have it done by a attorney fluent in both English and Chinese. . . . . The 800,000 engineers in India is the same as the 600,000 engineers in China statistic: invalid. In reality, there are only around 15,000 engineers in all of China with sufficient skills to work for an MNC and I am guessing the figures for China are similar.

Where people get into trouble when outsourcing is in not realizing the total costs. Sure, the guy you are hiring in China costs $100 a month, but if you are going to hire him legally, you need to pay all sorts of taxes on that. And if you are going to have a trade secret/IP protection contract that is worth anything at all, you are going to need to have it done by a attorney fluent in both English and Chinese. . . . .

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