Choose a programmer
The sites also offer a feedback section similar in its feel to eBay's, where you can read the comments of previous clients. The general rule is that the better the feedback, the higher the price, but equally the better the end result will be.
As most of the programmers who use the site will be based overseas, you need to consider the fact that you might not always be able to get in contact with them.
When I had the programming work for QuickQuid.com written, the lead developer went missing. I tried everything from faxes to phone calls to get in touch with the chap but to no avail, he had literally disappeared. He may even have died - I just didn't know.
However, if they do disappear, you don't pay and you just move onto someone else and hope that they are more reliable.
Outsourcing programming is not for everyone, you do need to be technically literate and know exactly what you want. If you don't provide a clear project specification, you will not get the code you require. Similarly, if you don't know what you're talking about then you won't know if you're being spun a yarn by some con-artist on the other side of the world.
As a rule, you should never pay in advance, but instead use an escrow service where the money is held in the programmer's name but only released when the work is completed.
If you are not technically proficient but wish to take advantage of outsourcing for programming, there are a number of UK-based outfits that will manage the service for you and create the specifications required for the programmer.
When I was researching this article, I remembered that an old university friend, Boaz, was recently poached from his investment-banking job to run the UK office of such a firm.
His company, SRL-UK provide a London base for programming requests to go into and they then use programmers and other technical whiz-kids in Israel to complete your project.
You pay Israeli rates, rather than British costs, and while it's not as cheap as outsourcing to a boff in India, you get the advantage of being able to chase someone in the UK who will manage the process for you.
There is much to be gained through outsourcing and, provided you know what you're doing, it's an excellent way to reduce your costs and perhaps gain the sales and programming staff you always dreamed of but could never afford to employ on a full-time basis.
Benjamin Cohen is the founder of QuickQuid.com and CyberBritain.
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