After the time and expense, they had been left with nothing. Not even any ground work to pass onto the next developer. I’m not exactly sure why, but I imagine it was a case of things getting lost in translation, incompetence on the suppliers part and possibly a lack of communication from the company themselves (though when I spoke to them they seemed extremely well-informed to their needs).
This situation can be avoided.
Freelancing is becoming a popular choice for web professionals and because of this, employers are finding themselves spoit for choice in an overflowing freelance market. If you are a company looking to outsource work to agencies and freelancers, these horror stories can be avoided. Simply heed these lessons when searching for a suitable candidate.
Choosing the right supplier
Do your research
When you receive a job application, take some time to research the potential supplier. They should have provided their portfolio and some work examples. Look at what they have done and ensure it is up to scratch. You could even contact their previous clients to question their service.
If you're looking to hire somebody in the long-term or if you require them to work from your office, it might be worth checking out their MySpace, Facebook or other public profiles. This might seem a little sneaky but it will give you a quick heads-up on their personality before you interview them.
Don’t trust people that will work for peanuts
This is a tough one; it’s SO easy to go for the cheapest option. But remember the saying – you get what you pay for. I’ve seen it many times; if somebody is willing to work for £2/hour, you don’t need to be a genius to know that their performance will match their wage. If you're looking to hire a freelancer, expect to pay at least £15/hr for a good job.
Communication is key
If you cannot talk to your supplier over the phone, you cannot work with them. E-mail and instant messaging is just not sufficient for projects of any depth.
Professional conduct
If your prospective supplier does not appear professional, don’t waste your time. I once had an application saying “hi i can do work cost cheap and quality will be better than expected” with zero punctuation, grammar and awful spelling. I didn’t even get a chance to reply as 4 minutes later another email from the same guy came through, practically begging me for the work. I was left with no choice but to reply saying “Sorry the position has been filled”.
Don't expect a professionally crafted letter written by somebody with an English Degree, but do look for basic signs of literary understanding.
Be warey of foreign suppliers
This is another tough one because it’s hard not to tar everybody with the same brush. I’ve been outbidded on pretty much every project I’ve ever applied for by people from India offering to work for literally nothing and their status as a supplier would fail on every point made in this article. This is absolutely not to say that all foreign suppliers are rubbish, but you really do need to filter out the less than able suppliers.
Common sense
In essence, picking the right supplier is common sense. Don’t allow price to dictate your choosing, and ensure that the prospective supplier has a good amount of work behind them and can provide exactly what you need. Otherwise you might end up throwing time and money down the drain.
