Fiverr: The Cheap Becomes Expensive – Telecom Reseller

The image you see on the left is a “character” that I hired an artist from Fiverr to create for me; I had possibly hoped to use it in an e-mail signature, on social media, or even on my website.

The back-and-forth between the artist and I was extensive. I even supplied an example of a similar character “emoji” that I admired – despite probably a dozen back-and-forth attempts, we still were not able to come up with anything even close to a likeness. (And I would *never* pair red shoes with a turquoise shirt, BTW.)

Heck, my eyes aren’t even the same size.

I will occasionally encounter prospective contacts on LinkedIn who reply to my offer to voice custom IVR prompts for their company: “Oh, we get someone on Fiverr to do it.”

I happen to know of a Fiverr success story: I have a friend who needed a logo for a sporting event, and promptly received five high-quality designs from five different artists and when he chose the winning design, any adjustments/modifications were handled with a minimum of drama.

But more likely, discount gig labor sites like Fiverr will attract novices who are looking to gain experience at a discount rate – kind of like student night at a hair salon. Nothing wrong with that – and salon student night are always closely supervised, especially when the scissors and hair dye comes out.

Here’s some basics to remember before deciding to outsource the voicing of your telephone system to a bargain jobber:

This Is a Pretty Valuable Asset You’re Handing Over

Your phone system, call center prompts, and auto attendant greeting is far too valuable a commodity to be handing over to an amateur – much the same way that your website would be too valuable to trust to someone just looking to get experience. It is the entryway to your company and sets an all-important first impression for your customers. Don’t risk that with someone who’s learning the ropes.

This Is Not Likely Where the Quality Voices Hang Out

There are exceptions to every rule, but generally: experienced, top-level voice talent do not offer their services at a discount or advertise on a “clearinghouse” jobber website. None of my colleagues at the top of their game will feel the need to advertise their services on such a platform. Voice talent with chops have their own websites, set their own rates, and generally don’t offer their services along with a “pool” of other talent. Also –it goes without saying – those of us who do this full time make a good living and don’t need to give it away. You may find that hidden gem on Fiverr – a talented soul with professional work ethic and up to date equipment. That is likely the exception.

The Cheap Becomes Expensive

“Lo barato se vuelve caro”, as the Spanish say. The cheap becomes expensive. What might look like an economical workaround can easily backfire into an expensive mistake. Will this voice talent be available for the future updates and changes that you will inevitably need on your system? Or will you have to do a complete re-cast of the voice? You’ll find out fairly easily that perhaps spending a little extra on an established talent at the onset of the project will ensure a quality voice, with the dedication to do this full time, and be available years down the road for any moderations you may need.

Hire a pro. You’ll never regret it.

Allison Smith is a professional IVR talent heard on platforms globally. theivrvoice.com, @voicegal