“Developing our Connections” at Elia Together 2016
Yourtranslator at Together 2016 “Developing our Connections”
Relationships, Growth and Technology
Organised by: Elia, 11-12 Feb, 2016, Barcelona
(Παρακάτω ακολουθεί η μετάφραση του άρθρου στα ελληνικά)
It was with great interest and pleasure that we attended Elia’s conference in Barcelona, which focused on the agency-freelancer relationship and took place last month. In this context, Stephen Lank’s keynote speech highlighted the need for a relationship based on trust, which would eliminate any problems caused by the various pre-conceived ideas of both parts regarding each other. The fact that we have a communication problem, while working essentially on communication (languages-translation), is actually an oxymoron, which however can be easily solved if we decide to do so and realize—taking into account the results of a relevant study—that we basically want more or less the same things.
We started with the technology track and the presentation of Omega T’s “Team Project” feature, by Qabiria and Marco Cevoli, who stated that productivity can be improved through the creative use of technology. He explained his team’s steps and the problems they were faced with while creating the “Team Project” feature at Omega T, as well as how they managed to overcome those difficulties by using open source software and various tools. A great example of how the development of technology and users’ skills lead to more and more complex, but user friendly and effective products.
In the next presentation, Christian Weih (Across Systems) suggested another way to approach clients, which would include parameters other than just price, i.e. the translation cost. Given the fact that clients know nothing about our profession, which is why they have been comparing translation providers solely based on price so far, we should provide them with more information so that they can compare their suppliers on other terms too, e.g. certification, quality management systems, how we treat confidential information, what kind of technology we use, explaining that our services may cost more, but we are faster than others thanks to this technology… We have to be clear and transparent, and take the right decisions for them, because if we offer them many choices, they may get confused; we can even share some internal information so that they can better understand how the business works. Finally, we should try to spot the different types of clients and adjust our strategy accordingly; in any case this strategy should never prioritize price!
As a method of quality assurance, Yamagata Europe has created the tool known as QA Distiller, which was presented by Heidi Van Hiel. This tool makes best use of the Smart Sampling methodology. After setting some criteria regarding the text to be translated (client’s profile, content, language, matches, etc.), Smart Sampling suggests a sample of the original text that contains an ideal mix of all these parameters. The translated sample can then be checked by a reviewer or QA Distiller and the client should be informed. It is a very useful tool that saves time and money, while guaranteeing quality.
Possibly the most interesting presentation of the conference was that of Britta Weber about the acquisition of new clients. Her very useful tips focused mainly on approaching new clients through cold calling. Here are the most important ones: a) the first 10’’ are crucial, b) ask to speak to the Decision Maker, c) ask for the name of the person you are talking to, d) write a script, e) ask clear, precise questions, f) prepare answers to their objections, g) say something about yourself, h) listen more (70%) than you speak (30%), i) find out what their “pain” is. In other words, develop an honest, authentic relationship, insisting on communication.
The last section was also very interesting, as we got to know what high-end successful freelancers expect from their agency clients and what gave an LSP the X factor in the eyes of agencies. Starting from the first question, freelancers mentioned the following requests: a) limit paperwork, b) personalize emails, c) be responsive, d) know the purpose of the translation, e) know how freelancers work (and the tools, etc.), f) in the case of team projects, share who’s in the team and make sure terminology is consistent, g) set a few technical requirements, as possible, h) be transparent about the agency’s QA process, i) let freelancers know if the deadline is flexible, j) pay fast, without reminders, k) make sure the agency’s PMs are experienced and trained and l) send freelancers the final translation.
In the second part, representatives of four agencies described their processes and expressed their own “requests”: a) some prefer to work with agencies, others with freelancers, b) they ask freelancers to submit test translations, preferably real project texts (up to 1000 words), c) first of all, though, they ask for a degree, references, membership in professional associations and certification, d) they check out all social media profiles (!), e) a minimum 5 year-experience is appreciated, f) good communication and timely deliveries, g) knowledge of CAT Tools and flexibility to learn new ones (sometimes training is offered), h) they look for long-term relationships, i) they organize get-together events and create surveys to get feedback, j) they are looking for freelancers for creative writing projects, k) they expect to be immediately informed of any problems-questions, l) they reward good translators (by raising their rates, offering registration to conferences, etc.).
However, participants also took this opportunity to interact during the breaks, as well as after the presentations. We got to know our colleagues and had some nice chats in a cool and friendly atmosphere. Everybody seemed to be in a good mood and open to making new contacts, and we also discussed things other than just professional info and concerns. It seemed that many countries (mostly European ones) and many companies (small, medium, large) were represented, but also a large number of (more or less experienced) freelancers attended the presentations. Networking was therefore absolutely successful and we would highly recommend any members of the translation industry to participate in such events, as, besides making new contacts, one can learn more about the current state, but also the future of the business worldwide.