Find information, news, and tips about the translation industry. We are compiling a series of articles and documents of interest for translation service providers, clients and the general public. If you have an article that you would like to share with us, feel free to submit through our 'contact us' form. (Make sure you mention it is an article for this section).

Defining the Profession
What is a translator?

Beyond All Expectations
How big is the translation market?

Wild Game
Bidding systems and world-wide competition over the Internet.

"You get what you pay for"
How to find the right balance between price and value when looking for a translator.

How to set your translation rates
Figuring out your numbers

How to deal with non-paying clients
Because you obviously want to get paid for your work

You can send your comments about any of these articles through our 'contact us' form.

A translator is a professional, whose purpose is not only to convert texts from one language to another; translator take a message and reproduce it anew for an audience whose language, social and cultural background may be quite different from the source document. Thus, the mere ability to read and write a second language doesn’t make anybody a translator.

Translators can work for a company as in-house staff members, or as freelance professionals, taking care of the administration and marketing of their own business. For the later group, PR and networking are an important part of their work. Promoting their services, building commercial relations, creating a client base and finding contracts with organizations or companies with a high demand for their services may take a significant part of their work day. It is possible that, after many years in business, some translators gain recognition for their experience and the quality of their work, which allows them to have a steady work flow and even choose who they work for.

As a profession, translation is not as regulated as law or medicine; nonetheless there are important standards, ethics and implicit rules to be followed by any individual working as a translator. Organizations such as the International Standards Organization, ISO, and the DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung e. V. (DIN 2345) have compiled some of these standards. Also a growing number of universities and higher education institutions are offering professional degrees in translation which tend to strengthen the industry and regulate the work of translators around the world.

Several organizations and associations convey certifications that legitimize the skills and the work of translators according to certain regulations, especially when working in the public sector, and operate within the legal frame of a limited region or country. Some examples of these organizations are the American translators Association (ATA), the Canadian translators and Interpreters Council (CTIC) and the International Federation of Translators (IFT). The existence of these organizations demonstrates the recent inclination towards making translation a recognized profession, granting a subjective advantage to those translators who decide to adhere to a widely recognizable set of standards.

Specialization is a trend that affects all professional fields, including translation. Many translators focus on certain areas or markets according to their experience, background and their perception of the market. While some of these specialized translators have other degrees that qualify them to do a certain type of translators, others have gained relevant experience through several years working in specific subjects.

The work of translators is also being affected by technology, in most cases positively, since new software tools, such as translation memories, make translation faster and more accurate. The Internet is also influencing the way translators interact with their clients, find information, collaborate with colleagues and promote their services, but all this advantages run into the predicament posed by greater competition and the decline in translation fees, which, some fear, may compromise quality standards.

Professional translators face the challenge of a fast-growing global market. The ability to adapt and innovate, employ new technologies and reduce expenses while increasing productivity will make the difference for translators in a more competitive setting. All of these characteristics should be translated into a quality and customer oriented business model that provides cost-effective and comprehensive translation services that can cope with the increasing demand.

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In June 2001, Allied Business Intelligence, an Oyster Bay, NY-based technology research company, published a study that predicted that the human translation market will account for 5.6 million dollars by the end of 2006. “Globalization of the economy, multilingual Internet subscribers, the increasing growth of the Internet, e-commerce expansion and rising web content will all drive the growth of the industry”, said ABI in their press release about their findings. Three years later, China’s People’s daily reported in November last year that the translation market in China alone is worth some 1.33 billion dollars and is expected to reach 2.53 billion this year, 9% of the global market, calculated in 27.9 billion dollars. All predictions seem to fall short before the outstanding growth of the translation market.

Translation is tightly linked to the globalization process of business, commerce, society, culture and politics, hence, its growth is also affected by new developments in communications, geopolitical changes, cultural expansion and market trends. The ability of translation service providers to adapt, develop and specialize will determine the success of their business; freelance translators and agencies alike need to be able to offer high quality services in a timely manner at a competitive price, using technology to handle the growing demand.

Translation agencies find clients through PR, networking and advertising; freelance translators do the same at a smaller scale and also offer their service to agencies as outsourcers. There is a selection process constantly taking place and competition is part of the business. The internet is opening the market beyond any national borders. Just as with many other services and goods, there is some concern amongst translators about worldwide competition, price drops and market expansion over the internet. It is important to acknowledge that these are side effects of a new trend for every business that is improving the way that freelancers interact with their clients and other actors in the translation industry. Its benefits are yet to be fully discovered.

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The internet can certainly be called a triumph of the consumer, the end user, the customer: find whatever you want, whenever you want it, at the price you want it, and bidding systems are there to guarantee that it happens. Products and services are offered online in a range of prices, qualities and presentations, and now, more than ever, the consumer can choose. Now, service providers, freelancers and small businesses that can’t rely on mass production to obtain large profits may find themselves competing with their counterparts in other countries, where the cost of living may be lower, or with larger companies with a greater production capacity. So the questions are: where is this trend leading and what are its foreseeable consequences? What is the role of translators in the shaping of a fair and stable market?

In the case of translation services, globalization poses a challenge to translators and agencies, where the need to expand their market and find a steady work flow contests the risk of “wild” competition over the internet. There are two conflicting views in this regard: some translation professionals say that bidding systems lower rates to unsustainable levels, causing translators living in more expensive areas to loose business on the basis of price, not quality. On the other hand the internet is relatively new platform for business; it develops and changes in a matter of days, even hours, and there is still much to be done and learned from it. It is undeniable that, sooner than later, it will represent an important share of the market, both demand and supply. In consequence, active involvement of translators is key to fair competition in a stronger and more inclusive industry.

There are several online forums and blogs discussing the topic of bidding systems and world-wide competition. Translation sites that feature these services are regarded with distrust, based on the belief that the lack of control allows for individuals with no real knowledge, experience or training to offer translation services at rates that are too low for the amount of work and the dedication that professional translation work involves. However, only the first-time or occasional user, who may not understand the difference between one translator or the other –except in terms of cost- will be inclined to chose a translator based on price only. In most cases, these clients would have never brought their projects to a professional translator if a more affordable option wasn’t available.

In general, clients seek to get the best value for their dollar, which means cost-effective translation services that represent an investment in their company’s success. Thus, when looking for a translator for larger, more sensitive projects, a client will be more likely to undertake a rigorous selection process. For this type of client, translation websites offer the speed, resourcefulness and technology associated to the internet, and allow their clients to choose what is best for their business: a balance between price and quality. Biding systems are the logical result of the simplification of the process of finding translators, just like taking the phonebook, making a few calls for quotes and choosing the one that best suits the project, the internet also allows parallel comparison of the benefits and disadvantages of the different alternatives, including price.

Some translation professionals seem to favor directories over bidding systems. They are reluctant to compete over projects, suggesting that without the imposition of minimum rates and differentiation between the lower and the higher ends of the market, competition will deteriorate their working conditions. Contrary to this perception, freelance professionals in other industries have found that open competition evolved into a larger market and a higher work flow. In both cases the objective, to market professional services to prospective clients, gets lost in the discussion, and the opportunities that both systems combined (which are what most translation sites are anyway) provide for the development and growth of their business.

In conclusion, online competition is inherent to the market economy in which we live. The internet offers several advantages in communications, networking, business management and marketing for translation service providers of all sizes. A presence on the internet certainly opens a window of opportunity for a business to grow. The problem then focuses on bidding systems. The proliferation of translation sites featuring bidding systems is not arbitrary, technology has allowed this practice to develop and expand in response to the needs and expectations of the end consumer, so you can expect this tendency to persist. Judging by what has happened with other professions that have undergone similar processes, such as graphic designers, voiceovers, even lawyers, the market will stabilize itself: prices will go down as productivity increases and marketing costs decrease; translation will spend more time translating and less time with marketing and promotion.

The challenges for translation marketplaces:

• to create a system over the internet that will allow freelance translators to network with other language professionals and prospective clients, providing quality service at affordable, but fair prices

• to stimulate the market to create a balance between quality and cost, providing value services while fair competition and constantly increasing demand allow freelance translators to grow their business according to their skills and education

• to develop tools and services that facilitate communication and interaction between translators and clients, increasing productivity and lowering administration and marketing costs

• to encourage self-actualization and development of their members according to the demands of a global market, using technology as an ally rather than an obstacle.

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Low-cost and high-quality often seem to be excluding concepts, especially when it comes to translation services. “You get what you pay for”, some may say not far from the truth. Considering that many professional translators have spent quite some time and resources to gain in-depth knowledge of a language and the nuances in its use, quality translation services could be quite expensive, especially if you don’t know how to choose the right translator.

The following suggestions will help you make an educated choice when looking for translation services:

• Set your budget: translators will give you a price quote, free of charge, based on your description of the project, if you have a price range you can narrow your search accordingly.

• Do you need a native speaker? If your project is so sensitive that it is imperative that a native speaker of the target language does the job, make sure you clearly state this requirement in the description of your project.

• Check his/her educational and professional background: while it is important that the translator has studied the language, you can also take the number of completed projects and their relevance as acceptable criteria for choosing a translator.

• Does the translator need any special knowledge or skills for translating your project? Some translators specialize in technical, medical o literary translation and their experience and training in specific areas may be an asset for the successful completion of your project.

• Ask for information: If you would like to know more about a prospective translation services provider, ask for references, samples and any other relevant information that will help you assess his/her qualifications.

A translator doesn’t just convert words from one language to another; translators take your message and reproduce it anew for an audience whose language, social and cultural background may be quite different from your own. So the mere ability to read and write a second language doesn’t make anybody a translator; the challenge for you is to find best value for your money.

Communication channels are open and you have the tools to choose the best candidate. To learn more about letting translators compete for your project, please visit us at http://language123.com/web/user/lead.cgi

As a freelance translator you need to have some minimum rates set for your translation services. Your rates will impact considerably your client’s perception about you as a professional, so be consistent and coherent with your qualifications and skills. Work with your client’s budget and be intelligent in the negotiations, especially for those who are starting out, you want to offer a fair price but don’t want to get stuck working for peanuts for the rest of your career as a translator.

It is important to set your rates according to your personal finances, the cost of living in your country and your professional expectations. Take into consideration your time, resources, materials and supplies, for instance your internet connection, paper, postal services, advertising materials, travel expenses, translation software, etc, and calculate the amount of work that you would need to do in order to cover those expenses and run a sustainable translation business.

When thinking about how much to charge for a particular translation project, it is always a good idea to have a rate card at hand as a guideline. Though, keep in mind that your prices may vary from project to project and you are going to be negotiating your rates on a regular basis. Most projects can be priced by the word, depending on the following factors:

> Experience: as in any other profession, more experience and training means higher rates. Set your rates according to your skill level, experience and subjects of specialization.

> Length of the project: number of words, pages, etc; you may apply discounts on repeated words or texts with similar content. It is also recommended to have a minimum rate, which could be an hour of work.

> Specialization or subject: the more specialized or technical terminology involved in a translation project, the more time you will spend researching terms and concepts.

> Turn around time: a tighter deadline usually means a higher price, especially if it involves working evenings and weekends.

> Client's budget: it is always important to consider the price range that the client is looking for in order to negotiate a fair rate.

When bidding for a translation project, it is always useful to provide an estimated price when you have enough information about the project, letting the client know that you are willing to negotiate your fees if applicable. Otherwise you can give an idea of your rates for similar projects as set out on your rate card, or simply ask for more information.

Competition is not only based on price, but also in the quality of the translation services offered, thus displaying an up-to-date and complete profile is the best way to allow your clients to make educated decisions about who is the best candidate for their translation project.

For more information, please go to How can I improve my profile to get more clients?

On the internet, just as out in the “real world”, you interact with all kinds of individuals and companies who require your translation services under specific conditions. You get the information, provide a quote and schedule the project in your agenda. Once you have completed the translation you submit it along with an invoice for your services, because you obviously want to get paid for your work. But, what happens when a client doesn’t seem to know (or care) about this? The following are useful tips on how to prevent this from happening or try to correct it if it does happen:

• Request as much information from the client as possible. You can create a form for the client to fill out with his/her name, address, telephone number, website, email address, company name, business type, etc.

• Confirm this information. You can look up almost any name, address, phone number or URL on the net. You can go to the white pages directory for the country of the client and make sure that the information provided matches. You can also look up website ownership using domain search engines such as http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jhtml

• If deemed necessary, create a service agreement and have the client sign it and fax it back to you before starting the translation project.

• Make sure to set clear payment conditions. If you are going to submit an invoice for your translation services, make sure to specify the payment deadline before starting work on the project.

• It is acceptable to request an advanced payment for your translation services if you believe that there aren’t enough guarantees for you, though keep in mind that you have to offer similar guarantees to the client that has put money down on his/her project.

• Keep the lines of communication open at all times, make sure that you can contact the client with any questions or concerns and vice versa.

• Use the services of a collection agency. There are a few collection agencies able to operate worldwide (http://www.bilateral.com), or you can find a collection service locally on the Internet using service directories such as Business.com or the yellow pages.

• We are working on new a feature to allow translators to post non-paying clients for other members to see. More details about this feature will be released soon.