One of the most difficult aspects of buying translation services is
knowing how to find out if the translator you’ve chosen is any good at what he/she does.
Hence five questions that can help you find
out. Once you’ve gotten satisfactory answers to these critical questions, you can
rest assured that you’ve found what you need.
Before you contact a translator to ask these questions, make sure you know what you want
to have translated, what your document will be used for, and where it will be used.
1
What experience do you have in my project’s subject matter?
Whether you have a legal document, a technical manual, a promotional brochure or a
contract, it will contain some technical terms specific to your industry.
When you choose a translator, he/she must have the language
expertise as well as the in-depth technical expertise to handle your unique subject
matter. Always make sure your choosen translator is a native speaker of the target language with full command of the source language.
2
What will I have to do with my project when you deliver it?
There are various ways that a translation can be delivered to you: hard copy ready
to be printed or electronic/soft copy that you’ll desktop publish and print; or both
hard copy and an electronic file. What you require depends on how much involvement you
plan to have in the project.
Historically, Russia is a 99.9% PC country, still I work in both Mac and PC platforms and with most software
programs. I’ll deliver your project in hard copy, matching your original as closely
as possible. Or, we’ll send you an electronic file you can work with.
Either way, you won’t have to do anything but print your document, or have your new Russian Web-site go on-line.
3
Will the translation be final, or will I need to have it reviewed?
There are times when you’ll need a publishable translation and other times
when you’ll only need a rough, “for information only” translation.
First, specify to your supplier what you need, describe how the document will be used.
Then your translator can help you decide if you need an edited, polished
translation. If not, you may be able to save some money with a “short form”
translation-for information only.
I am to help you decide what type of translation you require
and then deliver a final text to meet your specifications. There’s no need to have
someone else review our work. It’s final when it hits your desk.
4
How do I know how much time to allow for the translation job?
A rule of thumb is that a translator can produce from 2,000 to 2,500 words of text per
day. Keep in mind that there are other steps: editing, desktop publishing, proofreading,
which add time.
Being part of a pool of skilled and experienced Russian translators, desktop publishers, Web-site debelopers and even software engineers, all I need to tell you how much time your project will take is that you show me the document to be translated and
brief me as to your specific requirements.
My record for meeting deadlines is excellent - even when the
deadline’s a tight one!
5
What will the complete translation process cost?
You want to know (and you should know) the price of a project before you start. Ask for
a firm quote before you assign a project. It's free and implies no obligations!
Of course you will contact several translators to compare their pricing. Make sure each supplier quotes the same services. Ask about volume volume discounts and special offers!
When I know your specifications, I give you a quote that
won’t change unless your specifications change. And I do offer discounts that help you
stay within your budget.