The hidden problems with offshore freelancers

Outsourcing small projects offshore looks mighty attractive to a small business person facing high domestic costs for small projects. But outsourcing has its pitfalls and cultural problems.

The main attraction of outsourcing is cost. A small web project by an onshore vendor can vary wildly in terms of cost and quality and the same is true for offshore vendors. But offshoring, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, is a trend.

Online freelance websites are flourishing in the new offshore project business. Marketplaces like oDesk, Freelancer and Guru specialize in presenting businesses with labor, complete with portfolios, reviews and payment systems. According to the New York Times, companies in high-income countries are paying lower wages to workers in India, China, Bangladesh and the Philippines. Meanwhile, freelancers in North America are having a hard time competing with a $5 an hour freelancer from India.

However, some cultural problems in dealing with offshore freelancers have moved work back to American freelancers.

Among them:
– Results may seem vaguely foreign. In color, design and photography, employers can find that work from one country sometimes reflects the aesthetic sensibilities of that country.

– Work time. Work hours can be different, although many Indian companies, for example, advertise they work on American hours. But, in some cases, employers have to work around prayer times and non-American holidays.

– Disappearing workers. If a freelancer decides not to do the project, an employer can give bad ratings, but it doesn’t change the fact that the project isn’t finished. Most employers recommend using larger firms offshore. This also raises prices.

– Strange requests. One employer who hired a tech expert from Pakistan reported that the freelancer requested that he buy high tech products to ship him.

– Misogyny. Freelancers often reflect the biases of their countries. Female employers have reported the uncomfortable feeling that the freelancer doesn’t respect them.

– Language. All freelance companies require workers to qualify in English, but language problems persist.

– Time sense. Deadlines can be less important to freelancers in some countries. Although freelance companies require freelancers to agree to deadlines, some freelancers just don’t take deadlines seriously. Employers usually don’t find this problem in larger foreign companies.

– Communication. On technical projects, very high English skills are required. Freelance companies require proficiency tests in English, but actual ability varies.