5 Tips to Get Us Speaking Your Company’s Language
After a long time browsing through various translation agencies, you finally made it! You picked your new translation partner. It might feel like all the hard work is now done, but is it really? Now it’s time to onboard your translator, present them with your company, and get the project started. If you’re not sure how to effectively bring your translator up to speed, you’re in the right place.
At Language Buró, we’ve helped hundreds of clients accomplish their translation goals. To do that, we had to maintain clear communication with each and one of them. Since we’re all different, both professionally and personally, it’s only natural that every company will also have its language, culture, and values.
During our long experience in translating for various industries, we’ve pretty much encountered and successfully dealt with all types of situations. Now we want to help you get it right the first time. Here are our five tips to get us to speak your company’s language.
Understand the importance of the onboarding process
A successful onboarding process will allow both you and your translator to collect essential details, define goals, and establish some ground rules. Jumping straight into the project without a proper introduction can have serious consequences.
Don’t rush it. Set aside enough time to bring your translator up to speed, be it one Zoom call or email.
Transparency is key
After picking a translation partner, be straightforward with them from the very start. This is the time to be transparent and clear about your needs. Professional translation agencies are aware of the importance of transparency, so they’ll already have some initial questions prepared for you.
For example, at Language Buró, we assign a dedicated project manager for every project we take on. That’s how we ensure we get a complete understanding of your needs, requirements, and objectives. Our PM will ask you some questions to get a better idea of the entire project:
-Instructions on how to handle the source files
- Glossary of terms
- Reference material
- Translation memories
- Desired tone & style
Target audience
Have a productive initial project briefing/meeting
The first meeting is the most important one. It’s your time to share your expectations with us, introduce your objectives, and talk to your translation partner. Make sure all stakeholders are present at this meeting for the briefing to be most efficient. Again, transparency in communication goes a long way.
Some important key points to discuss: the language pair required, project volume, types of content, the estimated timeframe, details about your company, style guides, translation memories, etc. In simple words, provide your translation partner with the necessary details that will allow them to do their magic.
Provide your translator partner with relevant documentation
To bring your translators up to speed quickly, you will need to supply them with relevant documents, such as style guides, terminology, instructions, information about your company, preferred voice, and linguistic preferences. If you happen to use translation memory software or have a glossary of terms, make sure your vendor is up to date. This will allow us to establish workflow, set up a linguists team, and launch the project sooner.
Discuss mutual processes and tools
Every competent business will have established processes, so it’s probable both you and your translation partner have them. For your mutual collaboration, consider discussing relevant tools and methods. If you’re using programs that speed up your work, introduce them to your partner. The same goes for your vendor.
For example, thanks to translation programs, speed and quality can go hand-in-hand. At Language Buró, we use TMs to help translators work more quickly and consistently. Working with these programs is quite cost-effective, so naturally, we provide our clients with advice on incorporating technology to improve their translations.
Onboarding a translation vendor is a crucial step for both short-term and long-term collaboration. While these tips will help you run a successful project, they will also help better understand each other. After all, it could be the beginning of a long and successful partnership.
Why not take the first step now? Contact us to receive a free quote, and we’ll get your project started as soon as possible!