Working with a language translation partner: how do they ‘add value’ for you?

If you’re looking to claim your rightful slice of the rapidly-growing global pie, you’re probably wondering what working with a language translation partner entails. What goes on at a reputable language service provider (LSP) that makes them worth your money?

No doubt about it, a good LSP is your sure-fire way of being understood by the entire world. But how does the company guarantee a top-notch job is completed?

A good LSP will love working on your project

Part of getting the most out of your project is choosing a company that enjoys what it does and knows what it is doing.

A good LSP will have at its disposal a set of qualified and experienced translators. All translators will have been vetted and in some cases the company will have relationships with translators going back several years or even decades. This creates an understanding of particular strengths, areas of expertise and other professional skills. The company will then be able to put together the very best team for any given project - fostering time and money savings further down the line, as well as guaranteeing a top-notch quality translation.

Simply put, translators of a reputable LSP will absolutely love working with languages. They relish working with people of different cultures, as well as each other. LSPs that value their translators see your project as an exciting opportunity; a chance to collaborate. This can only pay off in the quality of translated material, and represents undeniable ‘added value’ for customers.

Your project manager: saving you time and money

You want your translated website, documentation or marketing campaign to read as if it was written in the target language. As masters of the translation process - an art in itself - your project manager’s task is to ensure precisely that level of authenticity, as quickly as possible.

As qualified linguists themselves, your project manager will be better able to anticipate potential problems; from the outset, they will ask the right questions, probing where necessary. Their perceptive insight will help them to flag up potential bumps in the road, heralding time as well as financial savings - both crucial considerations when getting your translation on the road.

Al Alexika, every project follows a five stage process: enquiry, preparation, translation, quality assurance & delivery, and finally delivery & follow-up. Value is added by companies who assign a manager to your project that ‘gets it’. This is the hallmark of a good LSP - a project manager that fully understands and appreciates how important authentic translation is to your project’s success. A translation that reads like a translation is no good; a good project manager will strive to make the opposite true for your project.

Multilingual projects: a symbiotic relationship

Having one project manager in charge of a multi-language project is a must for ensuring clarity and consistency. Apart from the obvious benefit of having one point of contact for all the languages, there are many other benefits for you, the customer.

For example, a linguistic issue in the source text flagged up by a translator in one language can be helpful for a translator in another to know about. An issue spotted by a French translator may provide food for thought for the Spanish, Italian or German translator working on the same project, who may have a different cultural angle or may have interpreted the meaning of the text differently. The project manager will be the overseer of this process - ensuring an unquantifiable increase in quality and adding value for customers. A good project manager of a multilingual project should anticipate potential problems and ensure that the completed material reads authentically.

They’ll have the right tools for the job

A language translation company that makes judicious use of the plethora of technology at its disposal will add value for its clients, delivering cost-effective, time-efficient and high-quality translation.

The correct tools need to be carefully selected and employed according to each different situation. As an example, translation memory technology is vital for consistency when working with repetitive texts. Alexika makes use of the world’s leading translation memory software, SDL Trados Studio, saving time and money on repeated words.

A good LSP has standards

They may be part of a professional body, membership of which stipulates the adherence to a strict code of professional conduct. Take the Association of Translation Companies - membership requirements relate to confidentiality, quality checks and a proper regard for a client’s interests and rights. Although certainly not the sole consideration, it’s worth keeping your eyes peeled for these kinds of accreditations or memberships.

Don’t leave your translation project to chance. Get in touch to see how Alexika can add real value to your translations.

View other blog posts from: Nov, 2017