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Saturday, 27 November 2010
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Is big business coming after the freelancers lunch?
In the latest issue of Outsource Magazine (Issue 21, Page 78: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxteu/EMP/OutsourceIssue21/#/78) Dr Bharat Vagadia, CEO of Op2i wrote a piece on SME Outsourcing which raises the spectre of the big boys in BPO and KPO eyeing up what is currently the small, independent freelancers meal ticket.
Dr Vagadia says "With the large enterprise market beginning to saturate in terms of opportunities for vendors, all have eyes firmly fixed on the SME market as the next target for growth". A cursory search on Google reveals Vagadia is likely right, everyone that's anyone in outsourcing thinks SMEs are the next cash cow.
So, should this sound alarm bells for the freelance VAs in the Philippines, programmers in Russia and researchers in India?
My gut thinking is there is some cause for concern. The big boys have plenty of muscle and financial resources at their disposal, they have the ear of the global media machine and they have the wherewithal to saturate and dominate this growing market. But, do they have the nous? Do they have the intimate understanding of the intricacies of doing business on such a small scale?
I have no doubt they can break into the market, displacing, or more likely swallowing up an army of independent freelancers as they go, but can they make it pay, for both the ex-freelancer and their shareholders? Can they convert this sector into a significant enough addition to their bottom line to be able to generate a dividend from it? Maybe not. Or, not yet anyway.
There are of course other ways the Outsourcing giants can break into the market. One of these would be through freelance marketplaces. So, what impact will the big boys muscling in on the market have on the current big boys like Elance, oDesk, vWorker, Freelancer and the like?
This depends on the route they take. They could take a hard-nosed, arrogant approach, and decide the marketplaces are an unnecessary evil or middle man and seek to enter the market without them. Or, they could take a more level headed approach and appreciate these are the very people who have been building, supporting and nurturing the very market they want to enter.
Those large companies who appreciate the latter and afford the existing online outsourcing marketplaces the respect they deserve are more likely to succeed.
I think, some will take the high road and some the low road. Many will fail along the way.
Those who take the time to understand the micro-outsourcing industry, nurture relationships with the current leaders in the field and learn from them will have the best shot at not only capitalising on the recent growth in SME outsourcing, but pushing the boundaries and making it mainstream.
About the Author
Saif Bonar is Founder of WhichLance.com, the online outsourcing comparison site. He produces the Freelance Marketplace Review, on a quarterly basis and has over 7 years experience on both sides of the fence of micro-outsourcing.
Dr Vagadia says "With the large enterprise market beginning to saturate in terms of opportunities for vendors, all have eyes firmly fixed on the SME market as the next target for growth". A cursory search on Google reveals Vagadia is likely right, everyone that's anyone in outsourcing thinks SMEs are the next cash cow.
So, should this sound alarm bells for the freelance VAs in the Philippines, programmers in Russia and researchers in India?
My gut thinking is there is some cause for concern. The big boys have plenty of muscle and financial resources at their disposal, they have the ear of the global media machine and they have the wherewithal to saturate and dominate this growing market. But, do they have the nous? Do they have the intimate understanding of the intricacies of doing business on such a small scale?
I have no doubt they can break into the market, displacing, or more likely swallowing up an army of independent freelancers as they go, but can they make it pay, for both the ex-freelancer and their shareholders? Can they convert this sector into a significant enough addition to their bottom line to be able to generate a dividend from it? Maybe not. Or, not yet anyway.
There are of course other ways the Outsourcing giants can break into the market. One of these would be through freelance marketplaces. So, what impact will the big boys muscling in on the market have on the current big boys like Elance, oDesk, vWorker, Freelancer and the like?
This depends on the route they take. They could take a hard-nosed, arrogant approach, and decide the marketplaces are an unnecessary evil or middle man and seek to enter the market without them. Or, they could take a more level headed approach and appreciate these are the very people who have been building, supporting and nurturing the very market they want to enter.
Those large companies who appreciate the latter and afford the existing online outsourcing marketplaces the respect they deserve are more likely to succeed.
I think, some will take the high road and some the low road. Many will fail along the way.
Those who take the time to understand the micro-outsourcing industry, nurture relationships with the current leaders in the field and learn from them will have the best shot at not only capitalising on the recent growth in SME outsourcing, but pushing the boundaries and making it mainstream.
About the Author
Saif Bonar is Founder of WhichLance.com, the online outsourcing comparison site. He produces the Freelance Marketplace Review, on a quarterly basis and has over 7 years experience on both sides of the fence of micro-outsourcing.
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