With this approach, you can't go wrong In the world of translation, consistency is key. With this in mind, agencies that deal with copious amounts of materials from long-time end-clients would really benefit from the following simple strategic approach: using the same team of linguists (translator, editor, and proofreader, if required) to consistently handle an end-client’s materials. The advantages of this approach for the translation agency, the end-client, and why not, the linguists too, are simply undeniable. And yet, this practice is wildly overlooked.
First and foremost, using the same team of linguists for a specific end-client ensures consistency in terminology and style, and a more uniform voice across the board. Over time, the team members become intimately familiar with the end-client’s field, products, and services, allowing them to produce translations that are accurate, finely geared towards specific audiences, and in line with the client’s brand identity. This level of consistency is crucial in maintaining the quality of the translations, and ensures that the client’s message is effectively communicated. Additionally, when a translation agency uses a team that is familiar with the end-client’s materials, the workflow simply becomes more efficient, saving time and reducing costs. As a result, the translation agency can offer faster turnaround times and lower their overhead thanks to the streamlining of the PMs jobs. Would this be good for their bottom line? Would they elect to pass the savings on to the end-client? Would they allocate the money saved towards purchasing translation services only from the best? All possibilities. Another benefit of using the same team of linguists is that it fosters a collaborative relationship between the translation agency and the end-client. The translator and editor become an extension of the end-client’s team, and their familiarity with the client’s materials allows them to provide invaluable feedback and suggestions on how to improve the translations. This feedback loop ensures that the translations are continually refined and optimized to meet the end-client’s needs. The one potential drawback to this practice that comes to mind, is that it can create a dependency on the team of linguists, making it difficult to switch to a different team in the future. However, the new team’s learning curve can be kept in check thanks to the fact that the agency will have a translation memory of excellent quality. So, as long as the next team of linguists is properly vetted, and as experienced and competent as the previous one, this downside can be mitigated by proper planning and communication between the translation agency, the new potential linguists, and the end-client, and the transition can be relatively painless. To sum it up, using the same team of translator and editor to translate an end-client’s materials, especially when the materials are plentiful and highly technical (medical or pharmaceutical, for instance), has many benefits, including consistency in terminology and style, time and cost savings, and a more productive collaborative relationship between the translation agency and the end-client. These many benefits far outweigh any potential downsides. I have personally been in this type of arrangement before, as the lead Italian translator on some translation agencies' major accounts, so I know first-hand that there is so much professional satisfaction to be gained for us linguists, besides the obvious benefits for everyone else involved!
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