vWorker has recently conducted case studies of successful employers and workers on the site. During the next few weeks, we’ll be releasing a new story each week; describing the story of how an employer was able to use vWorker to develop/enhance their business or how a worker is able to financially support themselves through the work earned on vWorker.
Igor Vavrica:
Igor Vavrica (screen name Duplex) is from Mascot, NSW, Australia. Igor is in charge of business development for Duplex Australia and overseas duplex building projects in one of the most expensive markets in the world: Sydney, Australia. A vWorker programmer created a website for him that slashed his project preparation time (from 16-18 weeks to just 3-4) and gave him a significant competitive advantage over rivals. Other vWorkers enabled him to revamp his website and increase his business leads by an amazing 1,200%. Each finalized contract produced an additional $700,000 in revenue, and added signficantly to his bottom line.
Igor shared the following with us about his experiences on vWorker.
1a. Why did you start your business?I am a qualified architect specializing in residential architecture. Duplex Australia evolved as a result of sheer frustration: having my projects 'butchered' by incompetent builders and battling the 'red tape' created by bureaucracy on local government level. The desired end result was having happier clients (quality of workmanship) and not losing any more hair (dealing with bureaucracy). I am happy to report that this business model is excelling on both fronts.
1b. What unique need/niche do you fulfill?
Housing land in the Sydney Metropolitan Area (where the business is based) is one of the most expensive in the world. We are talking $350,000 for a block of land that is 1.5 hours drive from the city and over $1M for land that is within 20 minutes of the city. And this is for land only! Duplex development means building 2 adjoining houses on a single block of land. Clients are happy, as their cost of land (per dwelling) is halved. Government is happy as there is no additional burden on infrastructure. We are happy as we handle an increased number of projects and generate a nice profit.
The second component, unique to this business, is utilizing WEB based software to assist in matching designs and land. With 38 local government areas (councils) in Sydney, all of them with different development control rules, this is the only way to get qualified answers in real time. Because of this advantage, our project preparation times are 3-4 weeks, compared to 16-18 weeks experienced by our competitors.This is also the area where we heavily relied upon vWorker and workers associated with vWorker.
2. How did you find vWorker? What obstacles did you run into that vWorker helped you solve?
Through a personal friend, who had an incredibly complex algorithm for a computer game created in a very short time and at a very reasonable price by an Eastern European mathematician on vWorker.
3. Who were your key virtual workers?
KGT-3D is a very professional 3D artist who produces work of exceptional quality. Marius.bucur has a very well honed set of C++ skills, something that is getting easily forgotten in today's 'cut and paste' development environment.
4. How has your business grown? Our business grew form 10 inquiries per month (static website, before vWorker) to an average of 120 per month. This may appear to be a rather small number, so let's not forget that our average contract is worth around $700,000. 2 1/2 years after upgrading the website, we have over 3,000 registered (and qualified) users.
5. What advice do you have for others who are starting the same way you did?
a) When dealing through vWorker, plan your activities and clearly describe your needs and expectations. A detailed and clear brief is a must. It helps workers understand the project. It helps communication between parties during the project. It helps you win arbitration (if it comes to that).
b) Follow vWorker rules. They are in place for a reason. This is especially important when communicating - do not communicate offsite.
c) If starting or revamping your business, so it relies heavily on IT, do a lot of research before your commit. It is very hard to alter business or operational concept once a change has been made.
d) Be unique. Template business and template websites may be cheaper - but they will result in average quality, average design, average clients. Can you afford average profits and business satisfaction?
e) If you are a worker, PLEASE read the brief. 80% of my initial correspondence with workers, upon posting a project, comes down to asking them to read the brief—the answers are already there and there was no need to ask the questions.
f) If you are a worker, please respond only to invitations that are within your field of expertise. This is especially relevant to web coders embarking upon graphic design tasks. Being able to fire-up Photoshop does not mean that you can design.
6. What is your favorite feature on vWorker?
Speed and the sheer number of available workers worldwide. It is very hard to imagine a task that would not be within competence and comfort zone of at least several workers.
7. What has been your experience in mediation/arbitration?
I find it quick, sharp, and to the point. The concept may appear to favor employers, but I am yet to witness an arbitration where a party was dealt with unfairly.
8. Do you have any tips/tricks/secrets about vWorker that you’ve learned that you’d like to share?
Only one: once work on the project has commenced, stay in touch with the worker. It is important for both parties—for the employer to stay informed of the progress, and for the worker to confirm, repeatedly, that they are on track and that they will not be unnecessarily re-writing code.
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