Near or far?

Years ago, we lost out on a large order because our office was located 30 km away from the customer and he did not believe that we could ensure continued communication.

Today, the Internet, e-mail, portals and so on all make geographical distance insignificant. The important thing is the time distance: how quickly can a translation provider react to customer problems? How simply and quickly can the smallest orders be processed? And how smooth is the communication between the contact people for the customer and the contact people for the provider?

Today, the "nearness" to the customer is defined as follows:Map

  • Direct access to the dedicated contact person
  • Simple processing of basic agreement and demands
  • Simple data transfer or, if possible/required, automated data transfer
  • Automatic notification if there are status changes or delays
  • Continued clarification of questions
  • Guaranteed answer/processing time for crititcal projects

Where should the translators work?

Basically, all translators should work in the country of the relevant target language. A native English translator who has lived in Germany for years cannot translate marketing material for the American market.

So, do we not need any translators at our office? Unfortunately, this is sometimes the case. However, we are convinced that the translation and the subsequent checking of the linguistic quality are core competencies that must exist in the company.

Ideally, professionally-trained translators should be available in three locations:

  • In the target country
  • In-house with the translation provider
  • With the customers (quality control)

 

You are here: Home FAQ Near or Far

Information Requirements

The following information and materials ensure a smooth process:

  1. Source language
  2. Target language(s)
    1. Please also provide the target country
      (for example, Spain or Mexico?)
  3. Scope of the translation
    1. We prefer that you send the source material so we can check it.
    2. Sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) beforehand!
  4. Completion deadline
    1. Please do not set unnecessary tight deadlines. The translator will thank you for this with better quality.
  5. Specialist area
    1. Automotive, software and so on.
  6. Type of material that is to be translated
    1. User guide, contract, company brochures and so on.
  7. Translation Memory
    1. Does a memory already exist? In what format?
  8. Terminology
    1. Is terminology already available? In what format can it be prepared?
  9. Reference material
    1. This can be very helpful, but you mustn't "kill" the translator with information.
  10. Style guides
    1. A style guide can ensure consistency.

©2009 Eule Lokalisierung GmbH