About Yenda

Yenda is a Lusaka-based outsourcing company, launched in 2022, on a mission to empower Zambia's young adults and global clients. They build industry-specific teams of university students who deliver high-quality, AI-enhanced projects for companies worldwide. Supported by the Government of Zambia and leading universities, Yenda aims to position Zambia's talent in the global workforce.

With over 150 freelancers working shifts of 4–5 hours per day, Yenda faced operational challenges managing recruitment, freelancer data, and ongoing project tasks.

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The Challenge

Yenda’s existing processes were spread across multiple tools and manual workflows. While there were some basic automations, managing a rapidly growing pool of freelancers required a more scalable solution.

Key challenges included:

• Time-consuming manual data entry and the need to jump between spreadsheets.
• Inefficient management of recruitment and freelancer onboarding, resulting in delays.
• Frequent re-application of failed candidates and manual effort spent vetting them.
• High administrative burden of scheduling interviews, sending emails, and keeping track of project progress across multiple tools.

Yenda needed an integrated system that could grow with them, eliminating repetitive tasks and freeing up more time for strategic growth.

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The Solution: A Single Source of Truth

SuperSimpleStack built a customized, no-code solution for Yenda that consolidated all key data points—freelancers, clients, and projects—into a single system. By using a combination of no-code platforms, we created a powerful, automated solution that handles everything from applicant tracking to project management and reporting for simplifying payment.

Key Components of the Solution

1. Applicant Tracking System (ATS): A complete workflow to manage applications, ensure faster candidate review, and track recruitment progress (see ATS workflow).
2. Freelancer Portal: A custom-built interface where freelancers can track their hours, view assigned projects, and manage their profiles.
3. Performance Management System: Yenda can now easily track and review freelancer performance, setting the stage for real-time feedback and improvements.
4. Custom Time Tracking Widget: We developed a cost-effective, embedded time-tracker in the freelancer dashboard, fully integrated with the Airtable backend.
5. Project Management Portal: Seamlessly tracks projects, assigns tasks, and provides transparency across teams, cutting down the time spent on manual task delegation.

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Tools & Automations

• Airtable: Centralized ATS, performance management, and freelancer database.
• Softr: Custom portals for freelancers and project management.
• Make: For automating workflows and syncing data across platforms.
• Video Interview Tool: Automated video interviews that save significant time for the Yenda recruitment team.
• Form Tool: Used for form building and capturing data.
• Email Delivery Tool: For automating email notifications.

With over 45+ automations in place, including candidate tracking, status updates, and email scheduling, Yenda's processes are now more efficient than ever before.

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Snapshot of Specific Challenges and Solutions

• Re-applying Candidates: Yenda often had applicants reapplying after failing. We built a historical database and automation that identifies repeat applicants and flags them early in the process, reducing time spent by the hiring team.
• Fast-Track Process: Candidates who had passed previous interviews could now be fast-tracked for new roles, cutting down redundant vetting steps.
• Video Interview Automation: Using a user friendly video interview tool, candidates can now submit video responses to pre-recorded interview questions. Yenda’s team can review these asynchronously, saving hours of scheduling and live interviewing.
• Cost-Effective Time Tracking: Existing off-the-shelf time-tracking solutions were cost-prohibitive due to user-based pricing models. We solved this by developing a custom, embedded time-tracking widget, giving full visibility over freelancers’ project hours and integrating it directly with Airtable for comprehensive reporting.

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Data Migration & Onboarding

SuperSimpleStack ensured a seamless data migration, avoiding disruption to Yenda's live projects. We onboarded existing freelancers into the new system without any downtime, ensuring business continuity.

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Training & Support

We provided comprehensive video walkthroughs and conducted several live workshops to ensure the Yenda team was fully trained on how to use the new system. Support included guidance on workflows and best practices to make the most of the automated solution.

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How We Worked with Yenda

Understanding Yenda's business was key to building the right solution. We started with a detailed business process mapping exercise, aligning on key workflows, user journeys, and automation needs. We maintained constant communication with Yenda via Google Chat, setting up a dedicated project thread for regular updates and feedback. This collaboration allowed us to iterate quickly and address Yenda’s evolving requirements.

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‍Results

• Time Saved: Yenda now saves over 20+ hours per week by automating manual tasks such as scheduling interviews, tracking applications, and managing projects.

• Improved Candidate Vetting: Automations have drastically reduced the time spent reviewing applications and weeding out unqualified candidates.
• Seamless Freelancer Management: With the freelancer portal and time-tracking system, Yenda can now efficiently manage a growing pool of freelancers while maintaining a high standard of quality and productivity.

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Conclusion

SuperSimpleStack’s no-code solution empowered Yenda to continue to scale while reducing operational overhead. The integrated tools and automations allowed Yenda to focus on their mission—empowering Zambian talent—while leaving the administrative burdens to automated processes.

Get in touch and see how we can help you solve your business challenges with a SuperSimpleStack.

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