Why is Turnaround Time so Important?
We say New York is the city that never sleeps when, in fact, it is but one of many worldwide cities with a reputation for being ‘24hrs’. A study in 2011 found that Cairo was, in fact, the ‘most 24hrs of all’, with Madrid, London, and Paris also making the list. With major economies across the globe running day and night, professional translation services can help you keep up!
Yes, you should be able to rely on your translation provider to be flexible to accommodate changing schedules and urgent needs. While we all wish every project could be conducted at an easy pace, no business meeting was ever urgently called; the unexpected happens. You need a translation service that can adapt. This is precisely why at PGLS, we provide access to a 24/7/365 on-demand over-the-phone (telephonic) interpreting services, and offer expedited (rush) turnaround times for urgent translations, without ever compromising on quality. Sound familiar? Exactly!
Every translation agency worth their salt will bend over backwards to let you know that they have mastered the art of ‘fast and reliable’ translations like no-one else! Why? Because there are many situations where speedy translation services are exactly what you need. In today’s fast-paced, digital world where “content is king” and is being created so quickly that rapid turnaround for the translations of this content can absolutely be necessary and should always be available. But it’s not all about speed.
Is Turnaround Time All That Matters?
Just because quick translation deadlines can and should be possible to meet, that’s not to say that it’s always preferable over carefully planned out translation projects. Especially when it comes to the more creative and subjective translation services like localization and transcreation, you will get out of your translation or localization project what you’re willing to put in.
So, if turnaround time really isn’t all you need to consider, what else is there? There are three additional key areas that can influence the success of your translation project: planning, cooperation, and communication.
Planning: Thinking Ahead
Whenever multilingual marketing comes into play, it’s best to have your chosen translation agency on board from the very beginning, during the planning phase of your new campaign, new website, or software launch.
As we mentioned in our blog ‘How to Localize Your Software: Key Tips for Success’, through a process of internationalization, you can ensure that your software is properly developed for localization from the beginning, significantly lowering costs and ultimately increasing the user experience. Likewise, when designing a new website, it’s worth considering whether your design plans will be as desirable in each of your target markets as with your local market. If you do this, you won’t have to go back later when your localization provider points out potential serious issues, and with a significant cost to correct the problems, saving you a lot of money (and stress)!
Cooperation: The Team
Cooperation is probably the most important component of a successful translation project, and you’ve likely heard a lot about project management, too, all with good reason! Project management is essentially about cooperation and coordinating for a more smooth and efficient work flow.
Project Managers: At PGLS, we have a dedicated team of highly-experienced, professional project managers that will see your project through from start to finish. By liaising with you, they work to gain an in-depth understanding of your needs and specific translation requirements. They are an indispensable part of the planning process, with their role including organizing tasks, finalizing deadlines, overseeing the budget at every step, and guaranteeing quality control measures are adhered to. They will also work with you to provide additional guidance to the translators if there are questions about the content they are translating.
Specialized Translators: Your project manager will hand pick the best-suited translator for your needs, and while that will always (can we say that again?) involve native speaking translators! It can often also mean there is a need for specialized translators. These are highly-skilled translators who are specifically trained in a sector. For instance, you wouldn’t want a linguist without extensive aeronautical engineering experience to translate a technical manual for repairing an airplane! Similarly, only specialized legal translators are certified to translate legal documents that may ultimately be used in a court of law. At PGLS, our project managers identify the specific needs of your translations and source the best talent to ensure successful project delivery.
Communication: Customer Service
Finally, good communication is key for any successful partnership. This couldn’t be more true when it comes to your relationship with your trusted translation agency. Nothing beats getting that friendly service with clear communication from someone who won’t weigh you down with difficult to understand jargon.
According to Forbes.com, the key to quality customer service is in showing customers that their time and money is respected. Whether an urgent one-day document translation or a longer localization project, great customer service along with a continuous feedback loop are key to ensuring the success of each and every translation project you embark on. Furthermore, if you know that such a “rush” project will be needed in the coming days or weeks, let your translation partner know, even if the content hasn’t been developed yet, so they can start preparing, putting together the appropriate team based on the subject matter and languages, and be ready to as soon as your final content is ready.