The Translation Process – 1

As far as I am concerned, the process starts with the commission: one of the most important stages in the process is to define what the customer wants, or needs. Especially in the case of customers who have no or little experience of translation, it is useful to define right at the beginning exactly what is expected. Below is a checklist of items which are worth clearing up in advance – thereby saving a headache later:

Purpose

This item refers to the reasons why the customer wants the translation done in the first place. If the customer wishes the translated article to be published, it is important to know this in advance, so that time can be allotted to ensure that the text is converted correctly to the appropriate format. In addition, a different level of quality is involved with translations that are intended for publication. If, on the other hand, the customer says, “It’s just for information purposes.” then speed is usually of the essence, and style becomes a secondary consideration. Finally, if the text to be translated is fairly technical in nature, it is useful for the translator to know whether the translation’s target audience can be expected to have the same level of expertise as that of the original.

Format

The format of the delivered translation was alluded to in the last section, but is worthwhile including on its own, as well. I once did a translation for an agency, where the agency’s client’s instructions were that I should deliver in Microsoft Word format. I found this odd, as the files were being provided in HTML format, and I knew that the end product was also going to be used on an intranet (this information was part of my brief). After a couple of questions, it transpired that the original HTML had been written in Word 2000 and saved as HTML (a fairly cardinal sin, as superfluous formatting added by Word usually means that the files are three times larger than they need be), and the client was aiming to convert my translation in the same way. After discussing the project further, it was decided that I should deliver in HTML. This saved the client significant hassle, and they were then only too pleased to ask me if I could also convert some HTML files that they had produced with Word 2000 previously.

Deadline

This might seem obvious, but it is amazing some times just how much confusion there can be over a deadline. This is especially true of nervous clients – maybe their job depends on the presentation you are translating for them. Clear the deadline up as early as possible, and keep the client updated of any changes if they decide to add text to the project.

Payment

The reason most of us do the job in the first place! Sure, we enjoy doing it, but at the end of the day, if it didn’t put dinner on the table, we would soon have to think of something else. It is very difficult, when working with new clients, to know how reliable they are when it comes to payment. There are a number of tools that can help, though.

• Check out new clients on a list of reputable agencies – one such list is run by Karin Adamczyk at http://www.macroconsulting.com/
• Establish a set of terms and conditions, laying down your standard payment terms. Remember though, that many companies will only pay on a set day of the month, or will have set conditions of their own, which they apply to all suppliers. Also, these standard conditions will differ from country to country. If necessary, discuss these terms and conditions with the client before starting the job (especially if the client is likely to become a major customer – it will be a lot harder to change your conditions a year down the line).
• Obtain a purchase order specifying exactly how much translation is to be done, at what price. Always stipulate that you will not start work on the job until the purchase order (which should be on the company’s notepaper) is received (by fax or e-mailed as an image).
• When the payment is late, give a few days grace, then follow it up immediately with the person who signed the purchase order. I once read of a translator who got so fed up waiting for a payment, that they put in a claim in a small claims court. The next thing the translator knew, the client was on the phone, demanding to know why this step had been taken, saying, “Well, you didn’t phone us to chase it up. We would have paid immediately if you had phoned.” It seems that some clients do not feel obliged to pay bills until they have received that third reminder letter. So make sure that you get them out on time.