Questions
Most asked
What roles can I hire for?
Any role that can be done remotely. If the work happens on a computer or a phone, we fill it.
What happens if my employee quits?
We replace them free, any time. You pay nothing between one employee leaving and the next one starting.
Can I hire them directly?
Yes. You pay us three times the monthly fee and they're yours.
How do you handle confidentiality and data security?
You control every account they use and can remove their access in one step. We employ every person we place, each one passes a background check, and they sign our confidentiality agreement. We sign yours on request too.
Is there a contract or a trial?
No long-term contract and no unpaid trial. You can cancel any time, so every month works like a trial.
What if they work extra hours?
Extra hours are billed at your plan's hourly rate.
Getting started
How do I get started?
Book a call to talk through your business and the role you want filled. You sign our agreement, we find the person, you interview and choose, and they start once the first month is paid.
How do I book a call?
Use Book a call to pick a 30-minute time that suits you.
How do I contact you?
Book a call at finchharbor.com/book, call us at (615) 590-3600, or email isaac@finchharbor.com.
What happens on the first call?
We work out the job with you: the work that is piling up, the hours you need, and what a great and a bad person in that seat look like. From that we write the job description and the scorecard we hire against.
Does the call cost anything?
No. The call is free, and there is no fee to start.
Do I need a job description before we talk?
No. We write the job description from the call, and you approve it.
Do I need my processes written down first?
No. You show them your work. We coach them on how they're doing it.
How long does it take?
It takes one to two weeks from the first call to your employee's first day.
Is that timeline guaranteed?
No. If the right person takes longer to find, we keep searching until we find them. You pay nothing unless your employee starts.
What do I need to give them on day one?
Invite them as a user on the tools they'll use, like your email, your phone system and your CRM. You keep the admin access, and we never need it. They work on their own computer.
Is this a fit for a small business?
Yes. We place employees with small businesses, and the 10-hour plan is for a business that does not want to take on a full-time person.
I've never had an employee overseas. Is that a problem?
No. We recruit them and employ them. You show them your work, and we coach them on how they're doing it, send you a written review of their work every month, and help the two of you understand each other.
Should I start part-time or full-time?
Start with the hours the work needs now: 10, 20 or 40 a week.
Can I start with one employee and add more later?
Yes. Each employee is a separate placement with its own set price.
Roles
What does a Small Business Superstar do?
They do whatever you ask, and they run the day-to-day of a small business: reporting, accounting, customer service, answering your phones, managing your email and handling your personal tasks.
What does an Executive Assistant do?
They act as your chief of staff. They run your week and make sure everything you start gets finished.
What does an Outbound Sales employee do?
They act as your sales department. They fill your calendar with people who want to buy.
What does a Developer & AI employee do?
They act as your development team. They build the software and the AI tools your business runs on.
What creative roles do you place?
We place video editors, graphic designers and social media managers who make everything your customers see.
Do you place specialists?
Yes. We recruit specialists for any remote role, and each role has its own set price on our Pricing page.
Which role should I start with?
The hire that would make your business the most money. We work out which one that is with you on the first call.
What if the role I need isn't listed?
We place any remote role, so tell us the role and we recruit for it.
Can they make and take calls?
Yes. Answering calls, confirming appointments, calling people back and outbound follow-up are all part of the job.
Can they deal with my customers directly?
Yes. They handle customer service and answer your phones as a member of your team.
Can they help with my personal tasks too?
Yes. They handle your personal tasks as well as your business work.
Can they run part of my business or manage people?
Yes. A Manager runs a part of your business and leads the people in it. A Small Business Superstar runs the day-to-day of a smaller business. At one business, our employees took over the job when the general manager left.
Can they work in my software?
Yes. They work in your software, including your email, your CRM and your phone, under accounts you set up for them.
Will they use my scripts and my way of doing things?
Yes. You show them how you like things done, and they follow your scripts and your processes.
Do they know my industry?
Yes. We recruit people who have already worked in your industry, then test them on your real work.
Can they work with the rest of my team?
Yes. They work as a member of your team, alongside your other staff.
Our people and how we hire
Where are your employees located?
Our employees live and work in the Philippines.
Are your employees US-based?
No. They work from the Philippines, on your hours.
Why the Philippines?
Our recruiting and account management team is Filipino, so we know that market well. Our people are as good as an American employee, for a third of the price.
How good is their English?
They are fluent in English. Everyone we place sends a video application and sits a structured interview, so we hear their English before you ever meet them.
How much experience do they have?
Our people have 5 to 10 years of experience and a college degree.
Do they have college degrees?
Yes. Our people have college degrees.
How selective are you?
We hire 1 in 1,000 applicants. Every job runs through the same hiring system: we work out the job with you, write a scorecard from it, and take applicants through a video application, a structured interview scored against the scorecard, a practical test built from your real work for those who pass it, and a background check they must pass.
How do you screen candidates?
Every job runs through the same hiring system. On our first call we work out the job with you: the real work, and what a great and a bad person in that seat look like. From that we write a scorecard. Applicants send a video application and sit a structured interview scored against the scorecard. The ones who pass the interview take a practical test built from your real work. Then they must pass a background check.
Do you run background checks?
Yes. Every candidate must pass a background check. It is the last step of our hiring system, after the video application, the structured interview and the practical test built from your real work.
Do you test them on my actual work?
Yes. Give us a real task from your business and we build the test from it. Candidates do it before you meet them, and you see how they did.
Are they freelancers?
No. They are our employees. They join our team first, and then we match them to your role.
Do I choose the person?
Yes. We recruit to your job description, you interview the candidates, and you pick your person.
How many candidates will I see?
We send you 1 to 3 people to interview.
Can I interview them before I decide?
Yes. We send you 1 to 3 people, you interview them, and you choose.
What if I don't like any of the candidates?
We keep searching until we find the right person. You pay nothing unless your employee starts.
Do you apply US hiring standards?
Yes. We hire on skills, and we apply US equal opportunity employment standards when we recruit.
Price and billing
What does it cost?
A Small Business Superstar costs $450 a month for 10 hours a week, $830 for 20 hours and $1,450 for 40 hours. Every other role on our Pricing page has its own set price at 10, 20 and 40 hours a week. Need different hours? Ask us on a call.
Does every role have a set price?
Yes. Every role has a set monthly price at 10, 20 or 40 hours a week, and they are all on our Pricing page.
How do I get a price for another role?
Is there a setup fee?
No. There is no setup fee, and you pay nothing unless your employee starts. Your first month's payment is due before their first day, and you owe it only if they start.
When do I pay?
You pay the first month before your employee's first day, then once a month after that.
How do I pay?
You pay by bank transfer or ACH. Card payments are available on request and add 3%.
What is my plan's hourly rate?
On the Small Business Superstar plans your hourly rate is $10.38 at 10 hours a week, $9.58 at 20 hours and $8.37 at 40 hours. Every plan's hourly rate is its monthly price spread over its hours.
How do extra hours work?
If they work more than your plan's hours, each extra hour is billed at your plan's hourly rate on your next invoice.
What if I don't have enough work some weeks?
Your monthly fee stays the same, and your employee is paid for their full hours even in a slow week.
Can I give my employee a bonus?
Yes, and it goes to them in full. We don't take a cut.
Why does it cost less than an American employee?
They live in the Philippines, and you pay one monthly price with no payroll taxes, benefits or recruiting fees on top. They are as good as an American employee, for a third of the price.
Do I pay for their benefits, taxes or equipment?
No. We are their employer and run their payroll and HR, and they come fully equipped. You pay one monthly price.
What does the monthly fee pay for?
It pays for everything around the work itself: our hiring system, coaching for your employee, a written review of their work every month, help understanding each other, help setting up their tech, their payroll, HR and leave, and a free replacement any time it isn't working.
Do you charge me while you look for a replacement?
No. Billing stops when your employee stops working, and starts again when their replacement starts.
Terms and cancelling
Is there a minimum commitment?
No long-term contract and no unpaid trial. You can cancel any time, so every month works like a trial.
Can I cancel any time?
Yes. Tell us and it ends, with no notice and no fee.
Do I need to give notice?
No. There is no notice period, and it ends the day you tell us.
Is there a cancellation fee?
No. There is no cancellation fee at any point.
What happens to time I've paid for if I cancel?
We refund every day you have paid for and not used.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
No. We replace your employee free, any time, if it isn't working, you are free to cancel any time, and we refund the time you haven't used.
Working together
Is it the same person every day?
Yes. You get one person, recruited to your job description, not a rotating team. They work for you every day and learn your business, and if they ever move on, we recruit their replacement the same way, free.
Will they work only for me?
Yes, if they are full-time. A part-time employee works for you during your hours and is free to take another client's work outside them.
Who manages them day to day?
You do. You direct their work, and we run everything around it: coaching for your employee, a written review of their work every month, and their payroll and HR.
How do I communicate with them?
You use the same tools you use with the rest of your team: your email, your chat and your phone, under accounts you set up for them.
Who trains them on my business?
You show them your work. We coach them on how they're doing it.
What support do you give after they start?
In the first month we score your employee's work every week, and a low score starts coaching that week. After that we score and coach them every month, and you get a written review of their work every month. We help you and your employee understand each other: we turn your instructions into clear steps, clear up misunderstandings on both sides, and have the hard conversations for you when needed. If it still isn't working, we replace them free, any time.
Do you help set up the tech?
Yes. We help you set up their work email, a business phone line and a password manager.
Do they bring their own computer?
Yes. They come fully equipped, and you add them as a user on your own tools.
How do I give feedback on their work?
Tell your account manager, and we take it to your employee. In the first month we score their work every week, then every month, and your feedback goes into that score.
Who do I talk to if there's a problem?
Talk to your account manager. Tell them what is wrong, and we work it out with your employee, or replace them free, any time, if it isn't working.
Is anything required of me?
Yes. Your employee is entitled to the same protection from harassment, discrimination and abuse as anyone else on your team. They have paid time off, and we ask that you let them take it. If there is not enough work in a given week, they are paid for their full hours regardless.
Do they get paid time off?
Yes. They get 10 paid days off a year plus 6 paid US holidays, and we ask that you let them take their time off.
Do they take Philippine holidays?
No. Their paid holidays are 6 US holidays. If you need them on a holiday, they work it and take a different day off.
Time zones and hours
Will they work my hours?
Yes. Your employee works your business hours, in your time zone.
What time zone do they work in?
They work in your time zone, on your business hours.
How many hours is full-time?
Full-time is 40 hours a week, on your schedule.
Can they start early or work outside normal office hours?
Yes. At one business, our employees run the office from 5 AM.
Security and confidentiality
Can I use my own confidentiality agreement?
Yes. We sign yours on request, and every employee also signs ours.
Who owns the work they do for me?
You do. Our agreement with you says anything your employee makes for you belongs to you, and every employee signs our agreement giving up any claim to the content, designs, documents, processes and research they create. When they leave, they hand over all of it and every account, and they don't keep or reuse any of it.
Who controls their access to my accounts?
You do. They work only in the accounts we or you set up for them, and when they leave, their access ends immediately and they return or destroy your data within 48 hours.
Is it safe to give them access to my money or financial data?
Yes. You control every account they use and can remove their access in one step. We employ every person we place, each one passes a background check, and they sign our confidentiality agreement. We sign yours on request too.
Will my customers know they work through you?
Only if you tell them. Your employee works on your email domain as a member of your team, and we don't disclose the arrangement.
Can they handle patient information?
Yes. Employees we place in medical and dental offices complete HIPAA training before day one.
Legal and employment
Who employs my employee?
We do. Finch Harbor is a trade name of Nashville Technical Services LLC, which runs their payroll, HR and leave. Day to day they answer to you.
Do I need to deal with Philippine employment rules?
No. We are their employer and handle all of it.
Do I send them tax forms or run payroll for them?
No. You pay our monthly invoice, and we run your employee's payroll and HR.
Is Finch Harbor a registered business?
Yes. Finch Harbor is a trade name of Nashville Technical Services LLC, 8311 Old Charlotte Pike, Pegram, Tennessee 37143.
Who runs Finch Harbor?
We're a Nashville company. Our recruiting and account management team works from the Philippines.
Replacement
What if it's not working out?
We replace them free, any time.
Do I have to fire them myself?
No. Tell your account manager it isn't working, and we replace them free, any time.
Is there a limit on replacements?
No. We replace your employee free, any time, as often as it takes.
Is the replacement recruited the same way?
Yes. We recruit them to your job description the same way, and you interview and choose again.
Direct hire
How much is the direct-hire fee?
Direct hire costs three times your monthly fee, which is $4,350 on the 40-hour Superstar plan.
Compared with doing it yourself
Why not hire someone myself?
Hiring on your own is slow and risky, and you end up picking on a gut feeling. We find you a better employee, faster: our recruiters have 5 to 10 years of experience hiring in the Philippines and reach people a US business can't. If it ever stops working, we replace them free. See how we hire
How is this different from hiring a freelancer?
A freelancer works for many clients. You get one employee who works for you on your hours and learns your business, and we employ them, coach them and replace them free, any time, if it isn't working.
Is this an answering service or a call center?
No. You get one employee who works as a member of your team and learns your business, and a full-time employee works only for you.
Can they work in my office?
No. They work remotely from the Philippines.