The growing acceptance among local and global businesses for remote and gig economy workers — offering short-term or on-demand employment opportunities — is helping freelancers to grow and expand their businesses.

This trend is also pertinent in South Africa, as freelancers can offer a range of services, including:
  • web development
  • graphic design
  • copywriting, and
  • virtual assistance.

They can be hired by clients from all over the world via online platforms, such as Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer — or through their personal websites or referrals.

In addition, local freelancers offer competitive rates, compared to many other countries, while still providing high-quality work on time. Another advantage is that South Africans are fluent in English, which is a widely used language in international business.

Freelancing is certainly a liberating way of working, but it comes with its fair share of challenges — just like all industries. This is from fluctuating income, and unpredictable workloads to the constant struggle of managing administrative tasks, legal and contractual terms of work, while also managing to get paid for the work completed.

Freelancers must navigate a tricky path to success. The issue of payment terms is especially critical, with every project and industry having its unique demands.

In an informal poll conducted recently among South African freelance groups on LinkedIn and Facebook, we tested freelancers' biggest pain points when it comes to payment.

The choices were:
  • payment disputes — the client not paying for the work delivered
  • payment delays — not getting access to funds immediately
  • payment security — when using new or unfamiliar payment methods, and
  • payment fees — some methods charge a % of the transaction fee.
 
According to PayPal, 152 freelancers responded to the poll, with 55% stating that payment delays are the biggest issue when it comes to payment, followed by 37% selecting payment disputes as the second biggest issue. What's more is that only 5% selected payment security and only 3% selected payment as a pain point when it comes to being paid.

Cashflow — and easy access to their money — is especially important for freelancers, and getting paid in a timely manner for their work would help in keeping a steady or predictable income.

Therefore, it is particularly important to select a payment method, which offers benefits to both the freelancer as well as the client, as it increases the likelihood of seamless transactions.

Global leaders like PayPal provide a seamless and fully integrated payment platform where freelancers can receive payments quickly and easily, with funds typically available for withdrawal or transfer within minutes. It also includes other services like:
  • invoicing templates
  • a personalised PayPal.Me link to be shared with clients via text, email, or messaging app to get paid quickly, and
  • Seller Protection on eligible transactions.

For more information, visit www.paypal.com. You can also follow PayPal on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.