How to Outsource Without Being a Jerk

By Victoria Stoklasa, CEO

Have you ever visited the website ClientsFromHell.net? This site accepted submitted stories about freelancers and specialists who work with companies who make work miserable. Here’s an example of one of the posts from Clients From Hell:

Friend: "You’re seriously going to charge me for your art? But we’re friends!"
Me: "The only art I don’t charge for is when it’s a gift, so…"
Friend: "Eh, fine then. I’ll just wait until Christmas."

Pretty terrible, right? Well, you might be surprised how easy it could be to accidentally become a terrible jerk when you outsource work. Here is our advice for the best way to work with outside sources.

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Be Clear

Have a strong idea of what you want your outsourced professional to do before you contact them. Make a list of what your company does, your mission with the outsourced material, your ideal client persona, and so on. This will save time and help your outsourced workers get their boots on the ground right away. Also, make sure you are clear on instructions—for example, how many prints you need, or what the copy of advertisements should be. Clarity will prevent having to send work back for fixes.

Be Honest

Would you want to work with a company that says it can deliver what you need, when in reality it can’t? That’s why you should match your clarity with a healthy heaping of honesty. Be up front about your expectations, your budget, and your deadlines. Plus, be honest about the things you don’t know—whether it’s missing details on your end or jargon that the specialist uses.

Be Respectful

One of the biggest reasons companies outsource work is because they need a specialist who can do what the company cannot. For example, companies who don’t have the time, manpower, or expertise to manage their social media would come to Bon Visto Media. This is part of the reason why it’s important to respect outsourced workers—they tend to know what they are doing. Be open to whatever suggestions they might bring to the table, since it’s usually based off of years of experience.

Be On Time

Along with the need for a specialist, another big reasons that companies outsource work is that it saves them time so they can focus on the operations of their business. If you expect your outsourced work to arrive on time, it only makes sense that you should be on time as well. Help freelancers and outside businesses meet their deadlines by getting all information to them early and often.

Pay Them

It sounds obvious, but to some terrible clients, it’s not: Pay for what you receive! You would want to be paid for your work for your company, and so would freelancers and outside companies you work with. When you outsource work, you are paying for more than just the final product—you’re also paying for the labor, the personalization, and the expert touch that only a specialist can provide. 

Have you had a client from hell? Do you have advice that we missed? Leave a comment and let us know!