(This is Part Two of a series of mini articles for the New Translation Client – someone or a company who’d never engaged translation services before and now needs to for various reasons. You can access the rest of the articles here.)
All translation service providers have their own suite of services and processes in place and this can differ greatly from the multilingual LSPs (or what we call Language Services Providers) offering hundreds of different languages to a local set-up offering translation services between two specific languages.
But regardless of size, there are a few things a new translation client can expect when you first approach a translation service provider for a quote.
1. Pre-translation Discussion
The following are some of the basic information you may be asked, so having these information on hand will help to speed up the communication process.
Source and target languages. Do indicate the locale (e.g. Chinese for the China or Singapore market)
Target audience (e.g. internal circulation, public-facing or for legal purposes)
File formats (e.g. Word document, PDF, or audio/video files – how do you want the translation delivered)
Word count
Project schedule (for translation projects with multiple files, staggered deadlines and different translation requirements)
“Preparing your job requirements beforehand saves you time”
2. Translation Process
These are some of the basic steps in the translation workflow.
Translation
Back Translation
Proofreading
Single-language Editing
Final Layout Check
3. Delivery and Questions
After delivery, the client may review, ask questions or discuss some of the terminology. The client and translation service provider should have agreed on the rounds of comments/edits under the job scope.
Does this answer some of the questions you have?
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