Do you know how to transact safely through Guru.com?
Our staff takes great care to maximize the convenience and security of your hiring process, but as in any marketplace, online or off, it is important that you handle yourself with precaution. By using a few of our online tools, and making the proper research and arrangements, you can guarantee your full safety and satisfaction through Guru.com!
Once you have received quotes from Freelancers, employ the following tools and tips to ensure the success of your project.
Research Freelancer feedback and statistics
The first step in creating a safe and successful working relationship is to make sure you're picking the right person for the job. By viewing a Freelancer's feedback and statistics (all of which comes from your fellow Guru.com Employers) you can determine the likelihood of the project meeting your expectations. If Freelancers have a history of fine performance and reliability, they're likely to keep up the good work.
- Does the Freelancer have a five-star rating from other Guru.com Employers?
- How much money has the Freelancer earned through Guru.com?
- How many feedback reviews has the Freelancer received from other Employers, and what do the Employers have to say?
- Does his or her work style seem compatible with yours?
Ask yourself questions like these when reviewing the Feedback tabs in Freelancers' profiles, keeping in mind that a Freelancer's past success suggests future success.
Document Your Expectations
When you have found a Freelancer you trust and wish to hire, you must send an official Guru.com Project Award. If the Freelancer accepts, ask him or her to create and upload an online Project Agreement in which you establish a project plan (including details, scope, and payment terms) and milestones (delivery dates). This document ensures that both parties will be on the same page for the duration of the project, maximizing the chances of the project's great success, and upon your approval, the project begins.
Only by sending an official Project Award through Guru.com and only by establishing a Project Agreement can you confirm that the Freelancer is clear about and capable of exactly what the work entails, and ready to complete it. Be as specific as possible in the Project Agreement: The more precise the outline, the greater the chances that the Freelancer will complete the work to your specifications.
Take the risk out of the transaction
Guru.com's SafePay system is a risk-free way to guarantee payment protection. When you pay a Freelancer through SafePay, you pay Guru.com and we pay the Freelancer only after you approve the work. You can even approve work in stages, as a Freelancer reaches certain milestones outlined in the Project Agreement.
If you're not completely satisfied with the outcome or the Freelancer's progress on the project, simply ask the Freelancer for a refund. Should a dispute arise (which happens less than 3% of the time) Guru.com protects you with our Mediation and Arbitration services.
The SafePay service comes at no charge to you. In fact, when you pay the SafePay request by check, e-check, wire transfer, or cash account funds, you earn 1% to 2% money back and a chance to win $100 in Loyalty Dollars. Not only are you protected, but you're rewarded as well!
Exercise caution
When you provide material for a Freelancer to work with (such as a manuscript or source code), never send the lone copy. If the work gets lost or if anything goes wrong with the Freelancer, you'll want to have the original copy in your files.
Save all of your correspondence with the Freelancer. In the rare case of a dispute, you'll be happy you've held onto emails and other communications. You can use Project Messages and Discussions to keep a record through Guru.com.
Do not release sensitive or proprietary information in your project posting. If you must share such information for the completion of a project, do so only once you have hired a Freelancer and bound him or her to a non-disclosure agreement. Also, include in your Project Agreement the terms of copyright and idea development. This is your chance to claim and protect your intellectual property.
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