Comments on: Is People Per Hour any use? http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/04/17/is-people-per-hour-any-use/ Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:44:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Mat http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/04/17/is-people-per-hour-any-use/comment-page-1/#comment-1489 Mat Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:08:51 +0000 http://freelanceunbound.wordpress.com/?p=843#comment-1489 In response to barbara: PPH may well try and keep your money to earn interest on it, but i'm sure a quick e-mail to the FSA (Financial Services Authority) would solve any slow payment problems people might have with PPH. Threaten most companies with their governing bodies and they will bend over backwards for you ;) Energy Suppliers - Mention OFGEM Telecommunication Suppliers - Mention OFCOM Insurance or any financial organisation - Mention the FSA In response to barbara:

PPH may well try and keep your money to earn interest on it, but i’m sure a quick e-mail to the FSA (Financial Services Authority) would solve any slow payment problems people might have with PPH.

Threaten most companies with their governing bodies and they will bend over backwards for you ;)

Energy Suppliers – Mention OFGEM
Telecommunication Suppliers – Mention OFCOM
Insurance or any financial organisation – Mention the FSA

]]> By: barbara http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/04/17/is-people-per-hour-any-use/comment-page-1/#comment-384 barbara Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:29:46 +0000 http://freelanceunbound.wordpress.com/?p=843#comment-384 Do not go freelance with these people because once you begin to work for someone they automatically deduct £15 from your salary and getting paid through them is a nightmare.They get their money from the person who hires you £24, so theY are making pots of money and interest as well on your salary ,DO NOT GO THERE! Do not go freelance with these people because once you begin to work for someone they automatically deduct £15 from your salary and getting paid through them is a nightmare.They get their money from the person who hires you £24, so theY are making pots of money and interest as well on your salary ,DO NOT GO THERE!

]]> By: Charlotte http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/04/17/is-people-per-hour-any-use/comment-page-1/#comment-352 Charlotte Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:05:33 +0000 http://freelanceunbound.wordpress.com/?p=843#comment-352 As a freelance web designer having tried people per hour, a lot of your comments ring true for me too. Websites like this work for people that want to compete on price, but not quality. Many posts ask for a company website for £250 which amounts to one day's work for someone like me with 8 years experience. I suppose this is likely to happen in an online marketplace as the prospective client does not have any relationship with the suppliers. In marketing terms, an ad which mentions product prices is a 'direct response' ad, where as those which generally convey the quality of the brand are 'awareness' ads. These terms could also be applied to how you market yourself as a freelancer. If you compete on price, then you're doing the 'direct response' ad i.e. 'I can do it the cheapest on People Per Hour', if on quality, then it's 'awareness' and you're promoting yourself via word of mouth, networking etc. So I think that it depends on whether you choose to compete on price or quality as to whether PPH is the right tool. As a freelance web designer having tried people per hour, a lot of your comments ring true for me too.

Websites like this work for people that want to compete on price, but not quality. Many posts ask for a company website for £250 which amounts to one day’s work for someone like me with 8 years experience.

I suppose this is likely to happen in an online marketplace as the prospective client does not have any relationship with the suppliers.

In marketing terms, an ad which mentions product prices is a ‘direct response’ ad, where as those which generally convey the quality of the brand are ‘awareness’ ads.

These terms could also be applied to how you market yourself as a freelancer. If you compete on price, then you’re doing the ‘direct response’ ad i.e. ‘I can do it the cheapest on People Per Hour’, if on quality, then it’s ‘awareness’ and you’re promoting yourself via word of mouth, networking etc.

So I think that it depends on whether you choose to compete on price or quality as to whether PPH is the right tool.

]]> By: Paul http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/04/17/is-people-per-hour-any-use/comment-page-1/#comment-135 Paul Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:36:56 +0000 http://freelanceunbound.wordpress.com/?p=843#comment-135 I've had a reasonable amount of work from PPH (over 2K in value), but it helps that I came across it early on and managed to get some feedback. In general the project specifications are awful and it's usually taking a stab in the dark when making a bid. I have won bids only to cancel my acceptance when I discover the project is different to what I had expected. Low budgets (ebay clone for less than £250 kind of thing) abound but I have had several projects with reasonable budgets and see that I sometimes lose out to competition where the buyer has accepted a higher bid. In general, though the PPH site often feels like the buyers want a lot for very little and the project descriptions themselves often barely literate. Generally, my work through PPH has been at a much lower rate than I'd often charge and that 10% sometimes hurts - especially the £15 minimum for quick jobs. I’ve had a reasonable amount of work from PPH (over 2K in value), but it helps that I came across it early on and managed to get some feedback.

In general the project specifications are awful and it’s usually taking a stab in the dark when making a bid. I have won bids only to cancel my acceptance when I discover the project is different to what I had expected. Low budgets (ebay clone for less than £250 kind of thing) abound but I have had several projects with reasonable budgets and see that I sometimes lose out to competition where the buyer has accepted a higher bid. In general, though the PPH site often feels like the buyers want a lot for very little and the project descriptions themselves often barely literate.

Generally, my work through PPH has been at a much lower rate than I’d often charge and that 10% sometimes hurts – especially the £15 minimum for quick jobs.

]]> By: Finisterre http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/04/17/is-people-per-hour-any-use/comment-page-1/#comment-134 Finisterre Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:23:11 +0000 http://freelanceunbound.wordpress.com/?p=843#comment-134 I have done four or five projects via PPH. It is easier for me to get work because I am bidding on legal projects, which average around 5-12 bids, but even so I bid on around five projects for every one I am awarded. I agree that the way the site is structured, where the client can state a maximum bid, drives down prices, and I resent the 10% commission, but at least they are reliable and offer an escrow service. However, my partner, who is a freelance copywriter, has bid for dozens of projects without success. As you say, FUB, it's a vicious circle in terms of getting recommendations and work. I have done four or five projects via PPH. It is easier for me to get work because I am bidding on legal projects, which average around 5-12 bids, but even so I bid on around five projects for every one I am awarded.
I agree that the way the site is structured, where the client can state a maximum bid, drives down prices, and I resent the 10% commission, but at least they are reliable and offer an escrow service.
However, my partner, who is a freelance copywriter, has bid for dozens of projects without success. As you say, FUB, it’s a vicious circle in terms of getting recommendations and work.

]]> By: freelanceunbound http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/04/17/is-people-per-hour-any-use/comment-page-1/#comment-133 freelanceunbound Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:39:53 +0000 http://freelanceunbound.wordpress.com/?p=843#comment-133 Interesting. If any readers have experience with any of these sites, please feel free to comment... Interesting. If any readers have experience with any of these sites, please feel free to comment…

]]> By: Jonny http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/04/17/is-people-per-hour-any-use/comment-page-1/#comment-132 Jonny Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:27:27 +0000 http://freelanceunbound.wordpress.com/?p=843#comment-132 In addition to the extremely low wages that are available, PPH have a habit of including all sorts of hidden costs in their use of the website as well like 'connections' where you/a client have to actually pay to be put in contact with each other. You would think that the subscription fees and commissions that PPH take would be enough but apparently not. When you add everything up, there are cheaper and more user friendly sites around. You might find more value in www.professionalsupermarket.com or www.elance.com. Over to you :) In addition to the extremely low wages that are available, PPH have a habit of including all sorts of hidden costs in their use of the website as well like ‘connections’ where you/a client have to actually pay to be put in contact with each other.

You would think that the subscription fees and commissions that PPH take would be enough but apparently not. When you add everything up, there are cheaper and more user friendly sites around.

You might find more value in http://www.professionalsupermarket.com or http://www.elance.com. Over to you :)

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