Protecting Both Sides

In the third quarter of 2011, over 150,000 jobs were posted on Elance. This amounts to over 50,000 new jobs per month and almost 1,700 a day. With the growth Elance has seen since inception, and an over 100 percent increase in the last year alone, you can expect that the number of jobs posted will continue to rise.

In the same vein, and closer to the hearts and wallets of clients and contractors alike, over $37 million passed from clients to contractors in the same quarter. This means over $12.5 million per month and over a whopping $400,000 in transactions per day. Elance is big business and expanding fast.

All this is good news for clients and contractors alike. More and more work is available while simultaneously the quantity of freelancing talent to choose from increases by the thousands each week. It also underlines the changing business-scape of the world.

With all this ecommerce going on and money changing hands, how is Elance protecting both sides of the equation? This is an important question and one worth spending time exploring. We can look at it from a couple of perspectives.

One, how is Elance ensuring the smooth communication and agreement of business terms through its platform? It’s one step to agree on a project, and another to outline the legal terms and conditions and ensure the smooth flow of payments.

Two, how is this accomplished all the while walking the fine line between sharing information yet maintaining privacy?

CYBER SNAGS

Elance provides legal agreements for the use of clients and contractors. However, the cleanest way to solve trouble is to avoid it in the first place. Establish a habit of always communicating clearly, nip problems in the bud before they grow into oaks, and use these contracts to set a professional tone.