Do you outsource? Can my idea help you save time/money?

[insomniacl]

Hi fellers,

So as you all know, outsourcing is a fantastic way of saving time and money so you can focus on more important things.

If you've ever outsourced on sites like oDesk, there is this great software that helps you keep track of your worker's progress that automatically tracks time, takes screenshots, and bills you weekly. The problem is paying oDesk's huge 10% fees, especially when you already have working relationships with your employees.

I'm thinking of developing an independent app service that does the same thing, letting you track time and screenshots. I would offer a free option and allow users a paid upgrade option to get more out of the service (create more projects, add more workers, record more hours, etc.). You would only pay a flat monthly fee based on the package you want.

So do you think this is a good idea? Is it a service you would use, or pay for? How do you currently manage employees now? Would love to hear your opinions. Thanks guys

PS. You can check it out here. Its not available yet, but sign up to be notified of the free beta phase.
http://www.hivedesk.com

[AlexMoen]

I think it's a fairly good idea if you're able to put together a program like this, and I think that there is a market out there for something like this. However, I personally would not use this software when I outsource my work. I outsource for 2 reasons: 1) I don't want to/can't spend the time doing something myself, or 2) I need a professional that can do something I cannot do. So, I do not want to see what my workers are up to every 10 minutes, and even if I could, I may not be able to fully understand what exactly they are doing. Aside from that, I only pay for complete and finished projects (not hourly), so it doesn't matter much to me how they get to the finish line as long as they do.

But, that does not mean there isn't a market. Plenty of managers and companies handle their business like that- just not myself in particular.