Turning A E-Commerce Store’s Outsourcing Struggle Into A Great Success

Finding quality, reliable talent isn’t always easy. Freelancers can quit or disappear mid-project, leaving you stranded.

In this case study, you’ll learn how one client was able to turn around his business & projects with a little help from Freeup.

Let’s get started!

Background

Footcare UK is an online retailer that sells high-quality medical products–generally offered to podiatrists—to the public on eBay, Amazon, and www.footcareuk.com. 

Their mission is to offer a foot care product for any type of foot problem a person could encounter. 

Run by two brothers, Chris and Paul Hepworth, and inspired by their father who ran a podiatry practice from their family home, Footcare UK now has 10 in-house staff including warehouse, customer service, marketing, purchasing, and IT development and support.

Difficulty With Hiring On Other Platforms

Before he used FreeUp to hire freelancers for Footcare UK, Paul used to use People Per Hour, a freelance community based in the UK. 

The freelancers on that platform, in Paul’s experience, were not accountable to anyone. He explained, “They can disappear mid-job or disappear right afterward. They have no interest in establishing a long-term relationship and we have no way of verifying their actual experience.” 

At the moment, Paul said that FreeUp is Footcare UK’s top choice for any potentially outsourced jobs.

How FreeUp Helped Solve The Problem

For example, Paul said he was recently trying to complete a project centered around developing a series of 42 infographics to be used on their website. 

He had previously worked with three other graphic designers outside of FreeUp on the project, which, he said, “proved to be a nightmare in terms of cost and execution.” 

A freelancer from FreeUp stepped in and helped Paul finish the project, which was occupying too much of his time. Vin, a design freelancer on the FreeUp marketplace, was able to work with Paul in real-time to adjust all the images to how he wanted. 

“It was a lifesaver,” reflected Paul. 

Paul said Footcare UK has established a great relationship with some of the freelancers they’ve worked with who now know their business and products. 

“The friendly, long-term approach we use has helped me out many times when I have simply been too busy to complete what I need to do,” Paul added. “Someone who knows the brand can step in and make it happen.”

Expanding Work With Freelancers

In addition to the 10 members on staff, Footcare UK also hires freelancers to take on projects and help in-house staff optimize their time. 

Footcare UK has been using FreeUp for three years now. They typically hire graphic designers, virtual assistants (VAs), as well as customer service assistants who handle responses during the staff’s out-of-office hours. 

They also use FreeUp to find and hire additional support for their IT department, mostly to handle uploading and correcting Footcare UK’s Amazon listings. Outsourcing this task continues to prove to be a great time saver for the valuable on-staff IT resources.

Paul Hepworth, marketing director for Footcare UK, said that FreeUp greatly benefits his business because it has allowed him to be more available and to give more time to high-priority projects. Outsourcing has overall enabled the business to become stronger. 

Paul explains a full-time member of staff who has an assistant can achieve an additional 50% of their work output. He said that hiring freelancers has also helped in meeting their business objectives without having to expand office space, which is costly and very limited as of now. 

What Makes FreeUp Different

Flexibility and communication are two of the main things Paul loves about using FreeUp to find and hire freelancers. 

He said, “I love how it can help me turn an idea into a reality—how we can explain a request to FreeUp customer service and they understand our needs to help connect us with the right people. No other platform I have found comes close.” 

In addition, he said that he appreciates the fact that [FreeUp staff], personally get involved and are always trying to keep the clients connected. This effort goes a long way in helping Footcare UK’s confidence in the platform and in their confidence in expanding their outsourced operations in the future as well.

Conclusion

After three years of using FreeUp, Paul said it’s hard to imagine life without it. FreeUp and the freelancers on the marketplace are helping business owners like Paul around the world grow their businesses and meet their goals.

Plus, FreeUp helps Paul balance the many things life can throw one’s way. FreeUp has made it possible for him to take care of his family while developing his business. This, he says, is the most important benefit he gets from FreeUp. 

“Quite often I find myself Skyping via my iPad or phone while making dinner for the kids or taking them to school and doing both dad stuff and work stuff. It’s only been made possible through this platform, which is why it’s hard to imagine life without it”.

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