| Anyone that hasn't heard of outsourcing by now must | | | | than Outsource. |
| be either hiding in a cave or not working in the service | | | | Outsourcing vs. Outtasking |
| industry. Call Centers are front and center, but it | | | | Outtasking is where certain tasks are contracted out |
| seems outsourcing is spreading to every nook and | | | | and the main function is kept in-house. This option, with |
| cranny of the economy. On a recent trip to Manila in | | | | effective management, can give the best of both |
| the Philippines, a job fair was held for 65,000 | | | | worlds. Examples of tasks that can be Outtasked are |
| vacancies in Call Centers. Other statistics are just as | | | | Link Campaigns, Article Writing, Directory Submissions |
| shocking. India is set to emerge as a $17 billion | | | | and Article Submissions. |
| knowledge outsourcing destination by 2010, states a | | | | Tips for Managing Outsourcing Partners |
| new industry study. (Confederation of Indian Industry | | | | - Develop relationships. Pay a fair amount or on the |
| (CII) May 2005) Three-quarters of U.S. companies | | | | high side. Use the same person. Develop and train |
| outsourced some or all of their information technology | | | | them. |
| activities in 2004, and that percentage is likely to | | | | - Spell out what you want. The more detail and the |
| increase this year according to Global Outsourcing | | | | more specifics you can give a freelancer of what you |
| Report March 2005. | | | | want, the better the finished product will be. |
| Outsourcing is seductive with skilled and educated | | | | Freelancers have no imagination and now way of |
| native English speaking labor available for $4 or $5 per | | | | knowing what you want. They are in a different |
| hour. Many newcomers to outsourcing or contracting | | | | country and culture -- all they have to go on is what |
| out have the naive idea they can just 'throw it over the | | | | you tell them. |
| fence for $4 an hour' and are predictably disappointed. | | | | - Keep in touch. Ask for progress reports and updates. |
| Indeed, the big boys are having difficulty as well. In a | | | | Unless you have worked with someone and then hired |
| recent study, 'Calling a Change in the Outsourcing | | | | them full-time, freelancers are juggling different |
| Mode' surveying 25 large organizations with a | | | | contracts. Keeping in touch keeps your contract at the |
| combined $50 billion in outsourcing contracts found that | | | | top. |
| 70% a more cautious approach. One in four | | | | - Move forward in stages. First, do contracts. Then, all |
| companies has brought outsourced functions back | | | | going well, regular contracts. Next part-time. Finally, |
| in-house and nearly half have failed to see the cost | | | | after you have developed a relationship, offer full time. |
| savings they anticipated as a result of outsourcing." | | | | - Tell them what you want and offer to pay a slightly |
| Outsourcing, using freelancers and contracting out is still | | | | higher fee in order for them to do it. Writing articles |
| a very viable strategy that can reduce costs and | | | | especially, is difficult to get exactly what you want in |
| increase productivity substantially. It just isn't quite as | | | | exactly 500 words. And if it's a longer, more in-depth |
| easy as 'throwing it over the fence!' | | | | article, that's a bonus and more likely to be syndicated. |
| Outsourcing SEO? | | | | - If you are contracting for articles, you have to |
| In general, the more important the service is to your | | | | specify in advance that they will be original. And when |
| business, the better to have it in-house. If SEO/SEM is | | | | you receive the completed work, check for plagiarism. |
| mission critical to your business and you already have | | | | Popular Misconceptions |
| qualified people on staff, outsourcing would be a | | | | The more time YOU put into it, the better the project |
| mistake. If you don't have SEO trained staff, | | | | will be. Outsourcing doesn't mean you just give the |
| developing SEO capability from scratch is a long road. | | | | whole thing to someone else in the Philippines or in |
| The learning curve is steep, and like most skills, the | | | | India. The more time you spend managing the project |
| very competent people are the experienced ones, | | | | the better the result. |
| who have been doing it for years. You might want to | | | | When I contract for 10 articles, I spell out exactly what I |
| hire an experienced person to work for your company | | | | want including, target audience, education level, tone, |
| and have them train others as part of their job. | | | | type (information or how to) keywords, suggested title |
| This can be difficult as well, because generally people | | | | and length. When I get them back I read them over |
| hired into this kind of situation will keep the secrets to | | | | carefully and edit them. If I don't like them, I ask for a |
| themselves. In addition to the perennial problem of SEO | | | | re-write. Overall, it is cost effective, but it still takes time. |
| -- the really good ones make too much money on their | | | | Outsourcing or Outtasking is still work. It is just not the |
| own so keeping really good people is almost | | | | same kind of work. Do it properly and you learn a |
| impossible. | | | | valuable skill that can reduce your costs substantially, |
| There is another other option, though -- Outtask rather | | | | and increase productivity. |