vWorker Site Improvements (and Bug Fixes) Blog: Rollout 2011-06-02

1) vWorker Best Practices:

http://www.vWorker.com/RentACoder/DotNet/Docs/BestPractice_OutsourcingModel.aspx

a) Enhancement: (Note: the release of this feature is just a small initial version, and will be expanded greatly with future updates).

Since we started doing business in 2001, we've seen hundreds of thousands of outsourcing projects finish successfully. Unfortunately, we've also seen tens of thousands that didn't. Too many of these happened because the employer didn't understand how to outsource or use site features and protections properly. And these easily avoidable mistakes unnecessarily cost employers countless sums of money and man-centuries of wasted time and effort. So we created the Best Practice Outsourcing Model to educate employers on how to avoid these problems in the first place. The practices also discus "black-belt" techniques that take project success rates to the next level.

Includes information on:

i) How to save 56% on the vWorker fee

ii) Which payment model has the highest success rate

iii) Why pay-for-deliverables fails on larger projects (and three alternatives…including the new “Hybrid model”).

2) vWorker long term cost comparisons:

http://www.vWorker.com/RentACoder/DotNet/docs/ComparevWorkerFeeToCompetitors.aspx

a) Enhancement: Compares the long-term costs of using vWorker versus competitors, when using “Outsourcing Best Practices” on both sites:

3) vWorker Fee page:

a) Enhancement: The screen was made easier to read by removing clutter, and reformatting the text and the popup size. Additionally: new information on “how can I save the most on the fee” was added:

b) The above links go to the new “Best Practices” page and “Competitor cost comparison” page (mentioned above).

4) Competitor matrix:

a) Enhancement: old matrix didn’t properly list all the fees charged by competitors. Specifically it did not include arbitration fees by Guru and additional project fees by Freelancer:

5) Triple-point guarantee:

a) Enhancement (wording change): The triple-point guarantee formerly was described as this:

“Work will be delivered 100% to-contract, on-time and in the industry expected manner or your money back.”
(above example from : http://www.vworker.com/RentACoder/advertisement/LandingPages/Performable_PHP.asp)

However, this did not bring up the important point that the guarantee also ensures that the work will also be delivered “to-budget” for the employer. So all references to the old wording was changed to:

i) “Work will be delivered 100% to-contract, on-time and on-budget or your money back.”

The “Industry expected manner” clause is still a part of the guarantee, but has been moved under the “to-contract” portion of the legal contract (to make it clearer):https://www.vworker.com/RentACoder/DotNet/misc/Legal/SoftwareBuyerLegal.aspx

6) Tech Sherpa FAQ:

a) Enhancement: added new item: “How is a Sherpa safer than using a general contractor?”

7) Payment types/guarantees:

a) Enhancement: Added links on new information on project completion rates of different types and the option to use a Sherpa:

i) Project posting page:
This same information was added to the project posting page:

8) vWorker versus competitors (summary forms)

a) Enhancement: added information on the long-term costs of using vWorker versus Elance and oDesk, when using vWorker Outsourcing Best Practices (and links where the user can get more information).

Elance:

i) http://www.vWorker.com/RentACoder/ElanceVersusVWorker_ForEmployers.aspx