LimeExchange, the first socially networked online services marketplace, launches today in the United States, giving entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the U.S. and around the world a place to go shopping for project outsourcing.
Increasingly, entrepreneurs and SMBs are challenged to display quick results. Adding to this pressure is a “devastating skills shortage” in the U.S. that Gartner says is threatening business growth. Project outsourcing helps companies adjust their go-to-market and delivery plans to meet increasing business needs for this new reality of constrained resources.
“Now small businesses and entrepreneurs in the U.S. and around the world have new options,” says George Searle, CEO, Lime Spot LLC, U.S. “LimeExchange makes it easy for businesses of every size to build tight, productive relationships with talented service providers anywhere on earth. The benefits of outsourcing are no longer exclusive to the Fortune 1000.”
LimeExchange breaks the mold of first-generation online services marketplaces, going beyond mere matching of buyers and sellers or simple “feedback” rating systems. Instead, LimeExchange delivers practical service provider evaluation, integrated delivery management, focused knowledge networking, and contemporary social networking tools, which SMBs and entrepreneurs need in order to establish and sustain profitable business relationships.
“LimeExchange supplies the gateway for SMBs and entrepreneurs to achieve agility and cost effectiveness via outsourcing to the right talent,” says Pawan Agarwal, Head Operations, Lime Spot, India. “Businesses now realize that productivity and predictability are more important business factors for outsourcing than just cost. LimeExchange provides SMBs and entrepreneurs tools to tap into global resources, manage risks, deliver repeat business, and increase quality, which ensures faster time to market,” says Agarwal.
Now, after its launch in India met with success, LimeExchange opens the marketplace to the rest of the world with new and enhanced features and applications, including:
— Complete Service Provider Evaluation: The ‘POC’/Pilot project feature enables an opportunity for buyers to assess the work of providers through a small “pre-contract” demonstration of providers’ ability, while granting service providers an opportunity to showcase their capabilities to prospective buyers.
— Delivery Management Suite: A suite of intelligent management and collaboration tools where scope of work, payments associated, project progress and tasks/issues are clearly managed with help of ‘Message Boards’, ‘IM’, ‘Milestone Based Payments’, ‘Kick Off Checklists’, ‘Issue Tracker’, and more.
— Knowledge Network: An integrated ‘Questions and Answers’ feature now provides SMBs, Entrepreneurs, and Service Providers with a focused knowledge networking platform.
— Connect: A first to online outsourcing, ‘Connect’ allows all users to build an online business network and build trusted relationships in their network.
For service providers, LimeExchange provides increased business opportunities through expanded global reach, knowledge and business networking, and reputation management. Sign-up, bidding, and membership are free. Providers pay only a flat eight percent commission to LimeExchange upon the successful completion of a project.
LimeExchange currently facilitates the exchange of services in the following areas: web design and development, graphics design, programming, audio/video, corporate blogging, blog theme and plugin development, networking, IT consulting, writing and translation, legal consulting, finance and accounting, data entry, administrative support, market research, and business plan development. Other service disciplines and features will be added over time.
SMBs and Entrepreneurs can post their requirements at http://www.LimeExchange.com .
ABOUT LIME SPOT LLC
Lime Spot is a forward-looking Web company focused on creating and delivering user-driven Web applications and services. The Lime Spot team brings together some of the sharpest Web development minds in the U.S. and India to work on innovative products in the spheres of brokerage, community, and commerce, with a focus on quality design and rapid development practices. Lime Spot LLC is currently home to: LimeExchange ( http://www.LimeExchange.com ), LimeDomains ( http://www.LimeDomains.com ), and LimeBits ( http://www.LimeBits.com ).
ABOUT LIMEEXCHANGE
LimeExchange is a service of Lime Spot LLC, a Lime Group company. LimeExchange is the marketplace for global talent on demand. Service buyers can find the talent they need on demand by posting their project requirements on LimeExchange. Service providers can find and bid on projects, and start building profitable business relationships with clients around the globe by setting up a free profile at http://www.LimeExchange.com . To know more visit the official LimeExchange blog: http://blog.LimeExchange.com