TRANSLATION CLIENT GUIDANCE

How to Buy Translation and Select a Translation Partner for

Your Business

Part IV

“”

WITHOUT TRANSLATION I WOULD BE LIMITED TO THE BORDERS OF MY OWN COUNTRY.

THE TRANSLATOR IS MY MOST IMPORTANT ALLY. HE INTRODUCES ME TO THE WORLD.

Italo Calvino

Olha Bodna

r

ORDERING TRANSLATION SHOULD NOT BE COMPLICATED, STRESSFUL OR

TIME-CONSUMING.

FOLLOWING THE SIMPLE STEPS OUTLINED IN THIS PRESENTATION, YOU WON’T EVER

WONDER WHAT TO DO NEXT.

LET’S NARROW THE PROCESS DOWN TO THE THREE SIMPLE

STAGES:

BeforeDuring

After

Olha Bodna

r

Speak the language of your client!

Before

During

After

THE TRANSLATION CLIENT SHOULD FOCUS ON TWO ASPECTS:

Where to find a translator

What questions to ask

WHERE TO FIND A TRANSLATOR

THE DO’S Google language pair and location (e.g. English into Ukrainian freelance translator Canada). Ignore online machine translators. Visit a translator’s website. Check database of Associations of Translators (CTTIC, ATIO in Ontario, IAPTI, ATA, etc.)

Olha Bodna

r

THE DON’TS

o Do not post your job on translation portals (like Proz, Upwork etc.)

Every blind bidding platform is just a price competition. These platforms are mainly for newbie translators who need to gain their experience.Speed and price are the only competitive advantages there.

o Be careful

Behind the name of a well known company there may be name of a not so well known translator whom the company will outsource your translation (often that company will find that translator on that translation portals)

QUESTIONS TO ASK A POTENTIAL TRANSLATOR

EXPERTISE

What is your area of expertise?

Have you translated materials similar to mine?

The translation client should find translators who position themselves as experts in particular field (e.g., law, IT, marketing, etc.).

Expert translators refine their skills constantly as they deal with those texts in a narrow field on a daily basis. So, they increase their expertise on these topics.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

How many years of translation experience

do you have?

The translation client should ask the translator how many years she or he has been in translation business. Obviously, longer they've been in business, more experienced they are.

NATIVE LANGUAGE

Are you a native speaker of a language you

are translating into?

Translators usually translate into their mother tongue. Native translator's language skills, cultural, political, social, and business related background knowledge represent a real added value for the client.

If they have a near-native knowledge of other languages (especially if they live in the country of that language), such translators may translate into those languages, too. It's also an asset.

PRICE

How much will your translation cost me?

Translation rates can be set on a per word or per project basis. The amount of time and effort required for the job depends on the length of the text to be translated, that is to say, the number of words.

TURNAROUND TIME

How long will it take to translate my documents?

The translation client should agree the desired deadline for the translation beforehand. Preferably, the client should be more precise than 'as soon as possible'. It's worthwhile to order the translation well in advance, if possible. This is particularly important in connection with large and complex projects.

ESTIMATE

Can you estimate a project cost and time?

When purchasing translations, the translation client should submit his or her documents for a full quotation. The translator will provide you with the time and cost estimates for your translation project.

The translation client should note that freelance translator will respond to his or her enquiry faster and provide translation cost and time estimates faster. The reason lies in the fact that freelance translator can quickly assess his or her availability and provide the client with the necessary information, while the agency uses much more complicated process.

NDA

Do you ensure confidentiality?

It's advisable for the translation client to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with the translator, especially if materials are restricted and confidential.

SAMPLE

Can you provide sample translations of your previous projects?

Starting your cooperation with a translator, it's useful to ask a translator for a sample translation. In such a way, you will have idea of the professionalism of a translator.

TESTIMONIALS

Do you have testimonials?

The translation client should ask the

translator for the testimonials from

previous clients. You'll have idea of the

result you'll receive from that translator.

AVAILABILITY What is your availability?

The translation client should ask a translator what his or her working hours are and what days/hours he or she is available to work on your project. Translators can work on weekends or holidays, if required. Look for a translator who will let you know their availability, and who will be flexible around their other commitments.The world is getting smaller every day and business can be done globally thanks to technological advances. Still it's good idea for the translation client to choose a translator who is available in the client's time zone. Sometimes it may be critical for the client to reach translator during the business hours in case an urgent project or an issue arises.

FLEXIBILITYHow responsive will you be?The translation client should ask freelance translator about his or her flexibility. Translators should adapt to the client's needs as well as they should have an agile process that can be customized to match the size and scope of each project, without compromising the high standards of quality.The translation client should look for a responsive translator who should be aware of such challenges as - tight deadlines, - last-minute textual changes or - additions.Such translator will quickly adapt to these changes and follow the new instructions focusing on producing a high-quality translation.

CUSTOMIZED SOLUTIONHow can you customize our translator-client relationship to suit my needs?

Translators offer various services, so when it's time to choose one, it's worthwhile for the translation client to talk to the chosen translator about their needs and make sure that the translator will customize a solution specifically for the client's company.

The client will benefit from the valuable professional solutions tailored specifically to their needs.

Expertise

YearsNative Language

PriceTime

EstimateNDA

SampleReferencesAvailabilityFlexibility

Customized Solution

Olha Bodna

r

Speak the language of your client!

Before

During

After

FOLLOW THIS 5-STEP PROCESS:

Final Version of

the Original

Designated Person Feedback Approval

Reference Materials

(if any)

FINAL VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL

The translator should translate the final version of the text. Although, everyone is pressed for time these days and translation clients may need translation project to be ready as quickly as possible, having translators work from a draft-in-progress will almost always be more time-consuming, problematic, and more expensive than waiting for the final version.

So, send your translator the final version of the files you need to translate.

REFERENCE MATERIALSIf available, the translation client should provide the translator with earlier translation works or materials to receive a consistent and high-quality translation.

These materials may include:

- A specialized in-house style guide that could be used for writing original content and its translated version;

- Boilerplates (for press releases, legal clauses, etc.);

- Previous translations and Translation Memory;

- Glossary of industry-specific terms.

FEEDBACK ON THE TRANSLATION

The translation client may provide a feedback about the translation (any comments or changes that need to be applied).

This feedback will be valuable for the translator and the client.

The translator will use it to introduce the necessary changes in the current and next translations, which will increase the client’s level of satisfaction and decrease the turnaround time with every successive projects.

APPOINT A DESIGNATED PERSON

The translation client should designate a person in the company who will handle questions from the translator.

Answers to such questions are critical to the successful delivery of a quality translation for the target audience.

Olha Bodna

r

No one reads and examines the original text more attentively than the translator.

During the translation process, such translator may identify the parts in a text that need clarification, spot sentences that have a double meaning, notice typos and suggest any other improvements that can be made to the text.

This is another reason for the translation client to have a designated person who would handle questions from the translator.

In addition, such remarks will allow the client to improve the original.

Olha Bodna

r

BENEFITS OF HAVING DESIGNATED PERSON

IN YOUR COMPANY Quality translatio

n

Improved original

Successful

delivery

Olha Bodna

r

Olha Bodna

r

Speak the language of your client!

Before

During

After

THE FINAL STAGE OF THE TRANSLATION PROCESS INCLUDES:

Translator • Glossary or TM

Client • Payment

GLOSSARY

Having received the translation, the translation client can ask the translator to provide a glossary for the project or Translation Memory (if translation software was used).

PAYMENT

The translation client should check the terms and conditions of payment.

Please ask what forms of payment the translator accepts.

As a rule, the translation client should pay the translator after receiving the final version of the translation.

However, some translators may ask for upfront payment.

Other translators may offer the option to pay in installments.

“TAKE THE FIRST STEP, AND THE ROAD WILL APPEAR BY ITSELF.”

HELPING BUSINESSES REACH UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN

TARGET GROUPS

Olha BodnarEnglish into Russian and Ukrainian Native Freelance

Translator+1(437)580-4427

olga.bodnar@bodnars.meolga-bodnar.branded.me

www.linkedin.com/in/uatranslator

YOU DO YOUR PART. I DO MINE. TOGETHER WE ACHIEVE RESULTS!

Interested to know more about How to Buy Translation?Watch my Translation Client Guidance on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDqbC0ZIHOUUn7UOD341F2Q

I differentiate myself as being the translator with 'two centimeters wide and two meters deep‘ focus on your company.

Let's go the extra mile together!

Olha Bodna

r