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Hourly and Project-Based Services are available to solve a unique problem that occurs when working with freelancers. For those of you who have worked with freelancers, you know it’s a hit or miss, depending on who you’re working with. Sometimes you’ll get quality work and other times you run into problems ranging from lack of communication, pushed deadlines, etc. 

What are Hourly/Project-Based Services?

Hourly and project-based services are an alternative to hiring freelancers or full-time staff. They’re both services that give you the freedom of a freelancer with the oversight of full-time staff. In this case, freedom means being able to hire a professional without the long-term commitment. You are also able to avail any type of professional that can do the job remotely, the industry and type of role aren’t factors in most cases. Hourly services are, as its name suggests, a service style where you select a specific number of hours and the type of staff, then that type of staff will be assigned to work for you for the allotted time. Project-based services are similar to hourly, with the exception that the professional working for you is only finished when the project is completed.

How does it work?

The flowchart for these services usually goes:
  1. The consultation stage is where you talk to the service provider and discuss what tasks you need to be completed and advise on how many hours you may need. Ultimately the number of hours you need is your choice. It is also where they will be selecting the appropriate staff type to complete your work.
  2. Settling your account is as easy as sending the full payment for the job. Most providers will ask for it upfront. Make sure to ask about payment options if you’re curious as they change depending on the provider.
  3. Once the staff is assigned, work will begin. Depending on the agreement, you will either be in direct contact with said staff, with the ability to communicate with them regularly or be assigned an account manager to handle your staff. Each setup has its merits and risks, talking to the service provider will allow you to figure out which one is best for you.
  4. At the end of the allotted time or at the end of the project, all works are transferred over to you. For example, if you had a project-based web developer, they’d hand over all the logins to your project.

Pricing

The price of these services will differ depending on the provider, but for the most part, the type of staff, number of hours needed, and type of project will all affect pricing. A general rule of thumb is that the price per hour gets cheaper as the number of required hours increases. For project-based work, the type of staff and scope of work are taken into consideration.

Who does this Service Benefit? / Is this the Right Service for You?

Any business that has a singular project would benefit from these services. Small businesses that lack the capital to hire a full department dedicated to a project can finish something like a website build without having to worry about hiring staff full time. For businesses that already have a department but can’t afford to take their current staff off their main tasks, availing hourly or project-based staff to complete said tasks is a viable option.

What Roles can be Hired this way?

Any role that can be outsourced full-time can be hired on an hourly or project basis. Normally these jobs are short-term, usually lasting 6 months or less, but they can last longer.  The most common use for this service would be seasonal customer service accounts. Holidays and big events always have a big influx of customers and hiring seasonal staff lets your company prepare for that. Another commonly hired role for either service would-be web developers, whether it’s an app or a website that needs to be built or revamped, hiring one on an hourly or project basis is a cost-effective alternative to hiring full time.

The Wrap Up

Hourly and project-based work is a great alternative to hiring freelancers due to the flexibility and security offered by it. Finding a provider who is offering exactly what you want may take time, but the possibilities for these services are endless. In the event that you like the service and want to switch to a full-time model, going from an hourly or project-based employee to recruiting your own full-time remote staff is an easy switch with the right BPO partner.