Team as a Service: All the benefits, none of the burdens?

Recently, I heard an entrepreneur sigh that he sometimes still longs for the simplicity of working with paper files. Of course, computers are much faster, more efficient, and more accurate than we humans in many respects, and it has become practically impossible not to move with the times. Yet, I understand the desire for a less complicated time. In our rush towards innovation, many developments are made unnecessarily complex.

Especially since the label "AI" is being slapped on everything, developments are following each other at a breakneck pace. It's as if every day there's a new indispensable tool, strategy, or "must-have" emerging, and if you don't immediately embrace it, you're doomed to fail. Overwhelming, right? Especially if you're used to doing things a certain way and now feel the pressure to innovate but aren't quite sure where to start.

Imagine: you have a project that needs a few extra hands—say, a new website, a marketing campaign, or a product redesign. Normally, you would need to find a freelancer or agency and go through the entire process to make them understand your needs and come up with a quote that (hopefully) fits your budget. Or you might hire new team members so they're ready when you need them, with all the overhead and obligations that entails. Perhaps you've already assigned someone a task, but now they're too busy with another assignment.

With the advent of ChatGPT and the avalanche of online tools derived from it, the idea has arisen that for the most part, we no longer need people at all. Give the AI assistant a task, and it gets to work for you, usually without complaining about a busy schedule or taking days off. Fantastic, right? It saves a lot of hassle and lets you get on with your project!

However, after using this genre of ingenious tools for some time, you'll find that the initial amazement with this stunning technology begins to wane when the results often don't deliver the desired end product. In general, the output is definitely not yet ready to be sent out into the world or handed over to your clients.

A more modern way of teamwork

Our experience is that these are fine tools for brainstorming or assisting, but to achieve something truly good, you still need human creativity, inspiration, and skill. Of course, we're just at the beginning of what may be a new era, but the reality is that our current projects can't wait for that. So, do we have to deal with all the human aspects and overhead that come with a more traditional approach?

Fortunately, there's an innovative way of traditional collaboration, where a team of experts in their field is ready to get to work when you need them. A team committed to quality and success, at a fixed and affordable rate. Without extra broad estimates or additional costs for adjustments.

We call it: Team as a Service (TaaS). No paper files are involved, but it does bring a similar simplicity, with a touch of nostalgia, combined with the effectiveness of the modern innovative revolution!

Let's explore how TaaS can be a game-changer for you, especially if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the rapid changes in (business) life today and just want results without a lot of hassle.

What exactly is Team as a Service?

The term is relatively new and is derived from the more familiar term ‘Software as a Service’ or SaaS. Essentially, this is a subscription model where you can use software for a monthly or yearly fee, instead of buying and owning it (which was once very common). It offers several advantages, such as lower initial costs and (usually) regular updates. However, if you cancel the subscription, you can no longer use the software. As we will see later, this is actually one of the advantages for TaaS.

In the world of freelance designers and agencies, a trend has emerged to 'productize' services through subscription models. Simply put, you can hire a designer for a fixed monthly fee, and they will do all your design work. It shares similar advantages with the SaaS model: the costs are clear, generally a better price/quality ratio, and you can cancel (or temporarily pause) your subscription whenever you want.

The biggest disadvantage of Design as a Service

One of the biggest challenges often encountered: most clients don’t have full-time design work. They subscribe for a project, get a good deal, and then cancel the subscription and move on to the next freelancer with a different skill set. Understandably, but unfortunately this prevents getting the most out of such collaboration.

This is precisely where Team as a Service offers a solution that benefits both sides. The model is similar: all your tasks and requests are executed for a fixed monthly fee, and you can cancel or pause at any time. The main difference is that you get access to a full team with a range of skills and areas of expertise, who are deployed based on what is needed.

The main advantage of this is that you do not have to interact with them individually, as you would when working with various freelancers. One team member, usually team leader or product owner, will be your point of contact, and they will ensure the right person handles up your task.

Imagine how much time and stress this could save you!

In practice, this works especially well when team member's skills complement each other well, so they can handle complete projects and/or move through phases seamlessly. This saves a lot of time and overhead because you don't have to constantly explain your expectations, how your brand identity is structured, or what your ultimate goal is.

This is why we are super excited about Team as a Service! It solves many problems when it comes to hiring external labor and offers numerous advantages over a more traditional way of working. Let's delve deeper into the various benefits of the TaaS model, and what it has to offer.

Ready to get started with Team as a Service?

Perhaps our YUMB Unlimited package provides exactly the combination of skills you're looking for. We offer our expertise in various areas, including marketing, (web) development, and design. Through the TaaS model ofcourse, with various options. Check out the full story here: YUMB Unlimited