Solution is quite simply to give them a couple of projects where you wont pay if you dont like what they do. They keep the html on their site till you are happy with it. Then you pay and take delivery via email. Have done this for several clients.

Or just have them do a little test design for you first... or don't prepay... or work only with those people who have good reputation/references... the choice is yours.

we got our own designers, only for our flash and print ads we use other designer with more experiance in that field. Cost a bit extra but you do get it done right and your other stuff can still be done by your in-house designers. I also think that in-house designers are cheaper, plus you got far more control.

We outsource a lot of work, however it's the same people and people we communicate with on a daily basis. If you want some of the best people in th business you can't have them all inhouse IMHO.

Some of the people we use are:
- a girl doing descriptions for all our movies
- a girl doing free sites and gallery templates
- a girl doing all our tour design
- a guy doing banners and other promo
- a guy doing trailers and other promo stuff (inhouse)
- a guy encoding movies and cutting them (inhouse)

It works perfect now, but it took a while to find the right people and I see why many prefer inhouse people only.

and then we are four people taking care of the general stuff inhouse.

We tried some philipines guys without much luck too.

Jim did

I dont know no Jim's with your company.... only SPAZ!!!

BTW nice numbers so far for the program. MML must be pushing osme massive traffic to the BBW site... it is indeed on FIRE!!

From my experience it’s a crapshoot when finding a designer overseas to work for you. We’ve had great experiences with a few designers and a few that were just ridiculous. I’ve never dealt with any outsourcing companies just designers directly.

The best was I caught a guy lying to me about when he uploaded certain work, wsftp shows the date files are uploaded so I knew he was full of shit, I called him on it and he says “ ok you caught me, what’s my punishment?” YOUR FIRED!

all things considered I think we get a good deal with the Filipino workers we have on payroll. They cost a lot less, they do the work. The way i work them they get the work done unbelieveably fast and with a consistant quality. Brian is correct though.. the text... it'll bring tears to your eyes (either laughing or crying depending on the time frame your working in), but my guys are quick correct any problems we find and they are easy to work with.
Bottom line, I dont think we could afford 3 american designers working full time and I am pretty sure we couldnt get the turnaround time we are getting now. Could there be improvements... Hell YES!
But they are doing pretty good work.

Jim