When efficient processes are implemented, they have a direct impact on the quality of the final result. Efficient project managers coordinate all resources to meet customer expectations and ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Regardless of the quality of a translator’s work, if management is not adequate the results can be disastrous, whereas optimised project management processes create synergies that eventually save time and money.
The more complicated the project, the more important it is to choose a professional firm. Before choosing a final translation provider, quiz them about their processes and demand to know their internal procedures. The speed and completeness of their responses will be in themsleves indicators of their professionalism. Avoid problems, extra costs and frustration by looking for these characteristics in their processes:
- Proactive customer service. Prompt responses in the early stages (qualification, quoting) are a good indication that you have found a reliable partner. Anyone who takes more than 24 hours to respond to an e-mail is probably not very well organised and customer-focused.
- Research. When projects are analysed and your expectations are taken into consideration at the front end, chances are that the final result will be top quality.
- Use of industry- or client-specific terminology. Project glossaries are created to drive consistent use of key terms.
- Technical review. Translations are inspected for technical accuracy and readability in the target language.
- Proofreading. Documents are reviewed by professional linguists for accuracy, grammar and punctuation.
- Formatting. Translated texts are formatted to match the original layout and design. Documents are prepared for printing or for digital transfer.
- Guaranteed delivery. A solid track record of timely deliveries will give you confidence that a supplier will deliver your project before the deadline. Ask your supplier what percentage of projects they deliver on time.
Finding the ideal language service provider – 12. How do they ensure a flawless translation?
