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LimeExchange is the first socially networked online services marketplace
helping SMBs around the world benefit from global outsourcing by providing
global talent on demand and giving outsourcers a place to sell these services.
In an interaction with Dataquest, Pawan Agarwal, head of Lime Spot India talks
about the companys plans and strategies. Excerpts
Can you elaborate on LimeExchange?
LimeExchange is the first socially networked online services marketplace helping
SMBs around the world benefit from global outsourcing by providing global talent
on demand. Its a talent marketplace that brings outsourcing to smaller
businesses and smaller service providers, and connects these two fragmented
communities in a way that opens the door to new opportunities for each. By
simplifying the contacting, contracting, and controlling of projects,
LimeExchange will provide SMBs a place to go shopping for outsourcing services,
and, at the same time, will give outsourcers a place to sell these services.
What will be your business model for offering services?
Our revenue model is built on the pay-for-performance basis; we only make
money on successful completion of projects and charge a flat 8% commission on
the project amount.
What would be your market strategy to tap the SMB segment in outsourcing?
Our primary targets are small service providers and individuals who have not
been able to compete for global work due to cost, risk, complexity, and lack of
scale.
To reach out to the user, we plan to use new media and print advertising
extensively in major outsourcing destinations like Russia, India, and Romania.
We also plan to conduct events and road shows across tier-1 cities in India and
gradually cover tier-2 cities as well.
LimeExchange is also targeting strategic alliances with the existing portals
in India, the US, and other countries. We plan to do similar events in the US,
Canada, the UK, and Australia to educate and attract SMBs and entrepreneurs. We
would very soon launch an affiliation framework to enable every user to benefit
from marketing LimeExchange.
How can SMBs use the LimeExchange Connect feature?
The SMB businesses can sign up and post their projects on LimeExchange for
free, and theyll receive free proposals from LimeExchanges global pool of
professional service providers, contractors, and freelancers.
Using LimeExchanges Connect social networking features, buyers can make
well-informed decisions about service providers before they award a project.
They can check references with other businesses in their trusted network. They
can limit bids in their trusted networks or the networks of others they trust.
They can request or generate qualified referrals. And they can research
satisfaction ratings, talents and skills, completed project portfolios, and
blogs to get a well-rounded picture of a service providers qualifications,
suitability, and reputation.
Please explain the next level of bidding in LimeExchange...
Once they narrow the field, we will provide all tools buyers need to
negotiate pricing; award projects; escrow payments; review, approve and
communicate with service providers. For service providers, LimeExchange provides
global marketing reach, relationship and reputation management, and financial
benefits. Signing up, bidding, and membership are free and providers pay only an
8% commission at the successful completion of the project.
New bidding opportunities appear automatically in the providers inbox.
Escrowed payments help ensure that service providers arent burned by
unscrupulous buyers. Initially, we connect buyers with service providers in
areas like accounting, administrative support, blog theme and plug-in
developers, business plan developers, computer programmers, corporate bloggers,
data entry professionals, finance professionals, graphic designers, IT
consultants, legal consultants, networking professionals, website developers,
and writers.
Stuti Das
stutid@cybermedia.co.in
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