Hey, thanks for tuning in to another Partner Spotlight interview at OutsourceSchool.
My name is Connor Gillivan. I’m the CMO and an Owner of Outsource School.
We’re on a mission to help 10,000+ business owners master hiring virtual assistants and freelancers, and industry partnerships is a big way that we’re able to make it happen.
We’re all about creating win-win partnerships where we are able to grow with other companies in the eCommerce, agency, SAAS, and online space.
In this exclusive interview, we interview Matija Ratkovic from Lancr.
Matija is the Co-Founder & Head of Growth at Lancr. He is also a sales specialist & analyst with experience and education in telecommunications, enterprise software and software development.
We hope that you enjoy the interview and that it brings value to you as an agency business owner.
Connor: Hey Matija, thanks for taking the time to chat with us here. We love getting to know our partners better so that our community can benefit from what our partners are offering and doing in the industry. To get started, can you give us a high level overview of Lancr and how it got started?
Matija: Absolutely, I’m thrilled to be here. Lancr was born out of a need to simplify the management and payment of remote workers and freelancers. We saw that businesses were struggling with the complexities of contracts, time tracking, and international payments, and we wanted to provide a solution. Lancr offers flexible contracts, powerful time tracking tools, and multi-currency global payouts. Plus, our unique SmartRoute™ system can save businesses up to 75% in fees compared to other freelance platforms.
Connor: Love that! Can you dive a bit more into the financial services that you offer businesses that outsource globally? I’m sure our audience would love to know exactly what problems you could solve for them.
Matija: Of course! At Lancr, we offer a range of financial services designed to make outsourcing easier and more cost-effective. Our SmartRoute™ system uses local payment methods like ACH, SEPA, and Pre Authorized Debit to ensure low costs for international payments. This means businesses can save up to 75% in fees compared to other freelance platforms. We also support contracts in USD, EUR, or CAD and use the cheapest, most convenient route for freelancers, wherever they are. This can help businesses save on currency conversion fees.
Connor: Jumping off of that…if there was one problem you’d say that Lancr solves best for your clients, what would it be? Why?
Matija: The biggest problem Lancr solves for our clients is the complexity and cost of managing and paying remote workers and freelancers. We streamline these processes, allowing businesses to focus on their core operations.
Our SmartRoute™ system, in particular, can save businesses a significant amount in fees, making outsourcing more cost-effective.
Connor: As the company continues to grow over the next year, what are your plans for expansion? Any new products or offerings or enhancements to your current products?
Matija: We’re always looking for ways to better serve our clients. Over the next year, we plan to expand our range of financial services and introduce new features to make freelancer/contractor management even easier.
We’re also exploring partnerships with other platforms and services to provide more comprehensive solutions for businesses that outsource globally. Some of them will most likely include payments in crypto currencies!
Last, but not the least, in partnership with our users, we want to grow the community of remote contractors and freelancers.
Connor: And how specifically would you say that Lancr and your team is different from other similar businesses in the industry?
Matija: What sets Lancr apart is our commitment to simplicity, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. We understand the challenges businesses face when managing and paying remote workers, and we’ve designed our platform to address these challenges directly. Our SmartRoute system, flexible contracts, and multi-currency global payouts are just a few of the features that make Lancr unique.
Connor: What’s your outsourcing story? We find that everyone has a different experience when outsourcing and hiring online. What is your first memory that comes to mind?
Matija: My first significant experience with outsourcing was when I was managing a remote Customer Support team for one of my previous employers. The team was based in the Philippines and employed at a BDO vendor company. When I visited them, one of the first things I noticed was that the vendor was only involved with finding the agents and providing the equipment. This made me realize that there was a lot of untapped remote talent out there.
The main obstacle for these talented individuals was not having the means to be managed and paid fairly. This experience was a key inspiration behind Lancr, as we sought to create a platform that would simplify management and ensure fair payment for remote workers and freelancers.
Connor: Love it! Talking more about outsourcing, what advice would you give to yourself if you were just about to start outsourcing and hiring online?
Matija: If I could give myself advice, it would be to invest in a good freelancer management system from the start. It’s easy to underestimate the complexities of managing and paying remote workers, but having a system in place can save a lot of time and hassle.
Connor: How about this one…how do you communicate with the people you hire online? What’s your best practices there and how has it changed over time?
Matija: Slack mostly, and email obviously. Communication is key when working online. We need tools that are easy to use, give you the option to choose the level of transparency, can be real-time and asynchronous at the same time, and provide easy collaboration and sharing.
I’ve found that it’s important to set clear expectations from the start and maintain regular communication throughout the project.
Connor: Finally, this is one that I think our community will love, who’s been your best online hire? What do they do for you? Why are they your best hire? Tell us all about them and that story!
Matija: One of our best online hires has been our lead developer. He’s been instrumental in building and improving our platform, and their commitment to our vision has been truly inspiring. They’ve not only brought technical expertise to our team but also a passion for making freelancer management easier and more cost-effective for businesses.
If you ask our CEO, he would probably say that it was me, as that’s how we started our journey at Lancr 🙂 It’s a testament to the power of online hiring and the incredible talent that’s out there waiting to be discovered.
Connor: As we close this out, I just have one more question. Where is the best place to find and follow you and the company online? Also, if you have one, is there any special offer that you’ll be offering to the community today?
Matija: You can find and follow Lancr on our website, www.lancr.co, as well as on LinkedIn and Twitter. As for a special offer, we’d like to offer the Outsource School community an exclusive 30-day free trial of Lancr. Just use the code OUTSOURCESCHOOL at checkout. We look forward to helping you streamline your freelancer management.
