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How to create loyal freelancers ?
Hello all, I'm setting up an unlimited graphic design service and I'm wondering how I can have freelancers work full time on my clients' design and only on those.
(If you're unfamiliar with unlimited digital services, they are not like open outsourcing platforms, they are more like traditional agencies but often hire foreigners to do the jobs)
I don't want to have employees and they don't want to become employees either. But if I guarantee them a monthly or weekly payment similar to a salary (thus save them the hassle of running after clients), and they work from home in a foreign country, I need to make sure that they are going to work only for me.
A coercive solution would be to use software track their presence and their communication with clients. Or count a number of finished projects per month to unlock their payment.
How can I avoid this and what's the best way to have them dedicate their time to my company ?
Should I rely on my brand and how cool it is to work for the mission statement and values I defined ?
Should I pay them more than they could earn elsewhere ? (seems difficult if to begin with I rely on their low rate to compete)
Should I pay them not for the time but for the task ? (more projects completed = more money, seems difficult because projects can be so varied)
Answers
Hey,
I've worked as a freelancer on Upwork.
If I talk about this platform, there are 2 methods that I hope you know:
i. Hourly contract
ii. Fixed Term
After reading your question above, I would recommend to go with the Fixed terms with limited access to the freelancers in the beginning. Through this way, there will be no fear of loosing money for the projects that have not been completed.
These payments are called as milestones.
You need to post the job, put the requirements & after the project is completed, issue the payment.
That's how Upwork works but I think the same strategy can be implemented on these top 5 freelancing platforms.
--
Faisal Rehman
Blogger @ SoftwareSpice.com
It is good if you made a history with the free lancer and become direct then there will be a time you will own understand that this free lancer is trust worthy
For me it is about how you treat and pay them :D
The short answer to your question is you will probably never find an ideal freelancer when you're offering less than an ideal situation. Those are simply the facts.
I don't do graphics but I doubt the situation would be any different than the horror stories from agencies who have UpWorked or Fivered their way out of good paying contracts.
Garbage in, garbage out kind of thing.
Of course my opinion and about $4.00 gets you a coffee these days, but then who can afford $4.00 coffees when nobody sees value in paying for quality services.