Why, even as the economy improves, freelancers remain indispensable

It has often been said that it's in uncertain economic times that businesses turn to freelancers, but that when the economy looks to be in better shape - as recent figures have suggested - firms are more inclined to get work done in-house or pay another, larger supplier. This raises an important question for the freelance client of one of Sherwin Currid's (http://www.sherwincurrid.com) tax accountants in Surrey - how do you convince a business to continue using you amid what is likely to be greater competition?

First of all, the freelancer should emphasise that they actually have more time to prioritise that piece of work than the larger agency for which it has been pushed to the bottom of the 'must-do' list due to the arrival of a major contract from a bigger client. Freelancers are also more flexible than these larger companies, not being constrained by 9-5 office hours or a contract of employment dictating certain hours. You are much less likely to have a problem with working into the night on an urgent project, making you the natural choice if the client suddenly receives work with a very tight deadline.

Another advantage of a company choosing you is that communication is simpler. The business can speak directly to you, the person carrying out the work, increasing the likelihood of a quick and accurate response to any queries. If that business brings in an external company instead, they are more likely to have account managers and other intermediaries to communicate with, often meaning slower responses and even information getting lost along the way.

Nor does the larger agency necessarily have access to a lot of extra expertise compared to a freelancer. The clients of our accountants in Surrey actually often have very good connections and possess a deeper pool of knowledge than a company, due to the variety of projects on which they work. Indeed, there are many freelancers out there possessing a broad range of skills, meaning that a company can benefit while avoiding the added extras that a company may try to sell to them. In many cases, individual freelancers can also be more experienced than agencies.

A Sherwin Currid accountant in Surrey would also advise their freelancers to remind their prospective client of how often freelancers are used by other companies. Even if they turn to a larger company, that company may still use freelancers rather than have all of the work done in-house, particularly at times when present employees are stretched by high demand. This raises the prospect of the prospective client simply using you to cut out the middle man and the associated extra fees.

Plus, of course, one can't ignore the simple cost advantages of hiring a freelance user of a Sherwin Currid (http://www.sherwincurrid.com) tax accountant in Surrey. Freelancers often work from home, therefore lacking such overheads as a larger office, and their flexibility also helps to make them a sound, cost-effective option, especially for a smaller company. 

Editor’s Note: Sherwin Currid (http://www.sherwincurrid.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637 .