We often turn to conventional avenues when faced with increased volume or demand. We typically find some remote workers, Managed Services Providers, or temporary workers. While those methods are effective, it may be time to consider creative outsourcing strategies beyond the conventional. This article will explore unconventional approaches like task-specific partnerships, micro-task outsourcing, and freelancing platforms. These tactics can help you quickly scale without overwhelming your internal resources and smooth operations.
Task-Specific Partnerships
Let’s start with task-specific partnerships. Task-specific partnerships are acute relationships with external entities to address only a specific business need or project for which you don’t specialize or need additional capacity. Using expertise, resources, or capability to complete tasks more efficiently or reach a particular goal without committing to a long-term or comprehensive collaboration is essential.
Let’s say you have a software development company. Your company is experiencing a sudden surge in demand for specific software applications. Due to a recent trend, the demand has spiked, and your team needs to meet the demand without compromising quality. You decide to enter a task-specific partnership with a specialized external firm. Their expertise in the required technology allows them to quickly build the software application, helping you meet the market demand and capitalize on the trend while maintaining your reputation for quality.
Once the project is completed, the partnership ends. You return to your normal operations, as does your partner tech company. It’s a small commitment and a quick collaboration with a qualified company to reach a goal. In contrast to hiring temporary workers, online workers, or forming a permanent partnership, this can be a better solution when faced with increased volume.
Micro-Task Outsourcing
Now let’s look at micro-task outsourcing. Sometimes your capacity is stretched and delegating some simple tasks to someone else could free up internal capacity for core tasks. Micro-task outsourcing is giving those small talks to external individuals. It is often done through online platforms or gig economy services like Amazon Mechanical Turk or Clickworker. The tasks are usually short, well-defined, and able to be completed remotely.
Micro-task outsourcing companies are a resource to consider. The platforms offer access to a diverse pool of skilled professionals. These professionals can be engaged on a project-by-project as needed, and your core employees remain consistent and utilized correctly. The traditional hiring process can be time-consuming and costly, but freelancing platforms allow businesses to hire freelancers quickly.
Speed is crucial when there is an urgent need. Freelancers typically have specialized skills and expertise in various domains. You can leverage these skills to handle tasks or projects outside your current staff’s competencies. It’s a scalable solution because you can hire short-term or long-term employees as needed. Talent on freelancing sites is global. They enter these platforms from around the world and often provide a fresh perspective on the work. Outside of adjusting to your specific company, there is typically a significantly shorter training time, reducing the administrative burden. These platforms also handle administrative tasks, such as payment processing, contracts, and communication. This, in turn, frees up your administrative team to conduct their core activities and maximize their time.
Case Study
Let’s say you have a small e-commerce business called Dinosales and are experiencing a sudden surge in orders from the holiday season. To handle the increase in demand, you have decided to try out micro-task outsourcing. You choose a platform and post small tasks such as labeling and packaging the product, printing shipping labels, and organizing shipments. Two days later, you receive a list of registered independent workers who have picked up the tasks. They complete them remotely and returned the results to Dinosales. This allowed you to quickly scale up the order processing without fully hiring additional permanent staff. Once the holiday season ended and the order volume returned to normal, Dinosales no longer needed the micro-task outsourcing platform. It is the perfect temporary demand spike solution.
Tips for Hiring Freelancers
When hiring freelancers, here are a few suggestions to keep in mind:
- Be sure to have your project well defined so that the expectations are clear for the freelancer.
- Do your research and choose an outsourcing platform that meets your needs.
- Check the portfolios and reviews that your potential candidates prepare, as these provide great information about who they are, as well as their experience and skill level.
- Strong communication skills are needed to manage freelancing relationships, as freelancers are often global.
- Ask direct questions about the expertise of any potential freelancer. You will want to hear examples of similar work that they have done in the past. Talk about your budget and timeline for the project together with the freelancer. They must understand and have clear goals and deadlines.
- Above all else, spend time conducting virtual interviews. Words on paper are okay, but a video interview will teach you much more about them. It shows personality, indicators of work ethic, and can show commitment to your project.
- Consider testing freelancers with a smaller, less critical project to gain your trust and then move them on to something more significant once trust has been established.
- Make sure your freelancers are a cultural fit, especially if they will work with other people in your organization.
When demand increases, use outsourcing platforms as they are flexible, affordable, and potentially a great way to find new permanent workers to aid in your company’s growth.
