TESTING…1-2-3…TESTING
After 4 years of working as an account manager in the translation industry, I would place the TEST TRANSLATION step as the most important phase of the translation process for both the 1st time customer and experienced provider.
All too often, the project scope and turnaround time is under estimated when a TEST TRANSLATION is not completed from the start.
Test Project Confirmation For:
Customer
- Level of Translation Quality
- Provider Document Formatting Capabilities
- Provider IT Capabilities
- Target Market Dialect
- Turnaround Deadlines
- Overall Project Management Responsiveness
- Unforeseen Problems
Provider
- Project Management Team
- Translation Team
- Pre/Post Processing Requirements
- Content Complexity
- File Format Requirements
- Unforeseen Problems
Keep in mind there are risks involved with test translations as well. Just like any industry in today’s global market economy, new business is difficult to generate. Providers often place test projects high on their list of priorities and produce top quality results. This approach can no doubt be used as a selling point at the beginning but may not be constant with the actual project files.
In conclusion, by applying a simple 300 word free test translation within the span of 24 hours prior to starting any given project will save both customer and provider the time and money it takes to maintain a prosperous business relationship.