This Blog is intended to help people like me who have been burnt too many times trying to outsource software projects to so called independent software contractors.... beware. Please contribute your experiences, so that we can all learn from each others experiences.
You may think that you are getting a fantastic deal as they offer you a rock bottom rate and take a small upfront fee. I have been burnt 4 times... as I am a trusting person so I always wanted to give each independent guy a fair chance. But they all take a small advance payment. Then they promise to deliver the solution in a specified period of time. Once they get closer to the delivery date, you usually cant get through to there phones as they avoid your calls. Invariably you get through to them days later at which point you are desparate for your software and hence cautious not to upset them. The Independent contractor then demands more funds, or else threatening not to release the software. So you pay him a further 40% - 50%. With only 25% left to pay him the Contractor is now in the driving seat. He will deliver you the software at this stage, I gurantee you it will be substanded. The contractor will now say that your change requests are out of scope and demand more funds. This has been the story of my life. At this stage I usually agreed to pay them more.... but this never resolved the issue. My advise is tell him to piss off... Dont outsource software to Independent Contractors.... Since they dont represent a company they find it easier to let you down...They dont really care about reputation... just cash in hand.... The 4 projects I outsourced were to Independent contractors based in India.
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This is good stuff. But I have also had experiences in outsourcing. Your error is that you have been outsourcing to Individuals. Work with a company with a fair track record and a couple of references and I promise you opinion on outsourcing will change
ReplyDeleteAgree with Roger. I have outsourced many projects to company to companies in the India and Sri Lanka. My experience has been very satisfactory
ReplyDeleteHey Robin can you give me the names of the companies you work with. Also what technologies did you outsource to them
ReplyDeleteYes I will be glad to let me look them up and post them shortly
ReplyDeleteThanks also please let me know which technologies you outsourced. prices if not confidential would also be appreciated
ReplyDeleteCheck out my Blog on rogerbale.livejournal.com I have had some good experiences outsourcing to Sri Lanka. India was also good for a while
ReplyDeleteThe company was Efutures private ltd. url www.efuturesworld.com I gave them Java, PHP, and .Net Projects. They charged $15 to $25 per man hour. I recommend Efutures.
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