28 September 2009 | Freelancing Tips, Newsletter, Outsourcing Tips | Jacqui

We’re always talking about building long-term relationships on oDesk, about building success for both buyer and provider. We practice what we preach in our customer service department. It has nearly doubled to 17 providers in five months — and performance metrics are growing faster, even as provider turnover drops to practically zero. That last stat, one longtime provider says, comes from having a strong team environment.

“Things change when you love your work,” says Jasmine Sison, who has been with the team for two years. “I am always looking to find new ways of making my work easier and faster without sacrificing quality.”

Jasmine quit her in-house job and has worked full-time for the oDesk team since January ‘08. She notes that the posting that led to this great fit seemed perfectly suited to her from the start — it wasn’t just work she could do, it was work she wanted to do. “The position was something that interested me and I am very good at doing,” she says. “A nice combination of my education, acquired skills and experiences that I have gained from other work and work environments.”

As director of customer service, Shannon Adkins makes sure the job stays interesting, and that her providers continue to feel engaged, with brief weekly training sessions in which they troubleshoot a recent difficult case. She also uses oDesk’s transparency to keep everyone involved. “All metrics are published to the entire team, and all team members know how they are doing relative to their peers, as well as how oDesk as a whole is doing.” And those who are doing well receive bonuses.

But Shannon looks not just to the present, but the future: “We provide a clear guideline of how to move up in the organization, from entry level to team lead or specialist.”

“My potential is being discovered and my existing skills are honed and challenged,” Jasmine says. “I love learning, and I get my daily dose from this team.”

For more on how oDesk makes remote work work, read our full case study.