As a small design business owner, outsourcing your 2D drafting and 3D imagery can be a game-changer. It allows you to scale your business, meet tight deadlines, and focus on what you do best—designing. But with multiple outsourcing models available, which one is right for you? In this article, we compare two common outsourcing approaches: Subscription-Based Dedicated Support and On-Demand Services.

Subscription-Based Dedicated Support

This model involves paying a fixed subscription fee for a dedicated professional who is available to assist you whenever needed. Essentially, you’re hiring a remote team member who integrates into your workflow and is always on standby.  They work however you prefer and can often add their own design input too rather than just drafting. This is ideal if you have really good systems and processes in place and are able to train someone and spend a bit of time managing them.

Pros:

• Consistent Availability: Your dedicated person learns your workflow, tools, and design preferences, leading to higher efficiency and fewer revisions.  Although this can take some time at the beginning.
• Predictable Costs: With a fixed monthly fee.
• Long-Term Collaboration: Over time, the dedicated resource becomes an extension of your team, improving communication and project efficiency.
• Priority Support: You don’t have to compete with other clients for attention.

Cons:

• Paying for Time Not Working: Even if you don’t have consistent work, you’re still paying the team member.
• Limited Skill Set: One person may not have expertise in all the  areas you need support with, potentially limiting your flexibility.
• Training Time Delay: There is often a time delay to get your dedicated team member up to speed with how you work and what you expect.  This is time you are paying for but not achieving the results you need.
• Management: As they are essentially another one of your team members, you are still responsible for managing them and their tasks.
• Limited Capacity: Having only one support person means you can only deliver as much as that person can deliver.  If you have multiple projects at once, they will still have to be handled one by one.
• Communication Challenges: Communicating with your team member directly can be challenging or frustrating if their English is not up to scratch.
• Reliance on a Single Person: If that person is sick or on holidays or leaves unexpectedly, you won’t have a back up. 

On-Demand Services

With an on-demand model, you pay as you go.  Submitting projects as needed to a team of professionals who handle them on a per-project basis. There is usually a Manager that coordinates all the projects and ensures they are delivered by the deadline set and at the right standard. Once you send your files through, you just need to sit back and wait for the draft whilst getting on with other things. If things are quiet you can scale down and then scale up when business gets busy again. This option provides flexibility without the commitment of a monthly subscription.

Pros:

• Cost-Effective: You only pay for what you use, making it ideal for businesses with fluctuating workloads.
• Instant Results: There is no time delay in having to train someone, you can hit the ground running immediately.
• Access to Diverse Talent: Since you’re working with a team, you can tap into different skill sets depending on project requirements.
• Scalability: If you suddenly get multiple projects, an on-demand service can allocate more resources to meet deadlines.
• Local Communication and Support: Typically with these models you will be communicating with an Australian based coordinator that you can talk to on the phone so nothing is lost in translation.

Cons:

• Revisions Charged: Rounds of revisions usually incur additional fees, unless they are included in the initial price. 
• Potentially Higher Costs for Frequent Use: If you use the service often, the cost may surpass a fixed subscription model. Unless the provider offers discounted rates for frequent use.
• Inconsistent Availability: Depending on demand, there may be delays in getting your project started.

Which Model is Right for You?

The best outsourcing model depends on your business needs:

Choose Subscription-Based Support if…

you have a steady stream of work and prefer a dedicated professional who understands your style and workflow.  Especially good if you tend to do multiple rounds of design revisions.  This is also the best option if you need some design input from your support person.

Choose On-Demand Services if…

your workload fluctuates so you can scale up or down depending on how busy you are, and you need access to a variety of skills without the commitment of a fixed cost.

By choosing the right outsourcing model, you can streamline your operations, reduce costs, and scale your design business efficiently.

Final Thoughts

While both models have their advantages, on-demand services often provide greater flexibility, cost savings, and access to a wider range of expertise, in rapid time. For most small design businesses, the ability to scale resources as needed, avoid fixed costs, and ensure local communication support makes on-demand outsourcing the more practical choice. Unless you have a uniquely specific requirement or a continuous workload that justifies a dedicated team member, the on-demand model is likely the better fit for maximizing efficiency and maintaining control over costs.

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About Pitch Box

Pitch Box is a low cost, fast solution that delivers leading 2D plans & 3D visuals of your designs On- Demand.

Providing 2D Plans, 3D images, fly-throughs and SketchUp Base Models, to residential architects and landscape designers so you can provide that high end service or improve capacity without the need to hire in-house staff.  Ultimately allowing you to be more productive and more profitable. 

The company prides itself on exceptional customer service, with a dedicated customer support team managed in Brisbane, Australia. Delivering high quality products with a guaranteed project completion turnaround time of only 5 – 10 business days. Unlike many outsourced 3D service providers, Pitch Box’s pricing is transparent and competitive. Our customers know exactly what they are getting, each and every time they place an order. We also have a membership program that offers big discounts to frequent users, so you always stay ahead.  Discover more about how Pitch Box can support your business and get in touch by visiting our website today!