Posted on: November 25th, 2024 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments
This year, STAR Deutschland GmbH once again welcomed its independent certification partner LinquaCert to its Sindelfingen office for the ISO 18587:2017 surveillance audit (“Post-editing of machine translation output”) shortly before the annual tekom conference. We are pleased to confirm the successful recertification in line with this standard that relates explicitly to quality assurance in the production of machine translations.
Spotlight on terminology integration and automation in quality assurance when incorporating AI into translation processes
As well as active discussions on qualifications, training measures and quality measures, there was once again a real need to discuss the integration of generative AI into translation processes. The spotlight was shone primarily on the topics of terminology integration and automation in quality assurance that provide more tailored support to the linguists delivering MT post-editing projects and are designed to reduce the processing effort. As a longstanding technology partner and language service provider, we embrace current trends and give our translators the expertise they need to be able to work efficiently and in a future-oriented way.
Posted on: October 28th, 2024 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments
Can AI help to create high-quality content in any language while adhering to corporate language and specific rules?
Today we’re interviewing David Heider, the owner of a STAR partner sound studio in the Czech Republic, to shed light on this fascinating question – can artificial intelligence be effectively used in the area of video and audio productions?
STAR: David, when did you start offering professional audio productions?
Our recording studio has been providing its services since 1999 and we’ve specialised in the spoken word. We cover two different areas. Firstly, the “corporate world”, with recordings of material for internal purposes, such as e-learning. This also includes localisation of internal company systems and software. This can be either training material or various web-based platforms with voice output or automatic operators on your phone, sat nav, etc.– in short, various applications where we often have to cut the sound word by word or even syllable by syllable and where everything is then put together by a system into sentences and whole messages.
The second area is more artistic in nature and covers advertising and promotional videos, among other content. This area differs from the “corporate world” previously mentioned in that it’s not just about conveying content, but rather about a form that appeals to listeners and attracts them. So we need professionals who can express themselves artistically and use their voice skilfully. To summarise, you might say that our first area of action is to provide information. This is about content where users, to put it more clearly, don’t have much choice, as they generally have to listen. In contrast, artistic productions aim to seduce the “audience” in some way, not only in terms of content but also their form.
STAR: This inevitably leads me on to the next question – can AI be used in your work?
AI is an amazing tool and offers numerous advantages. For example, we don’t need to contact a voice-over artist and make an appointment; the AI is always available.
STAR: Are you already using AI?
Yes. We use AI in some cases for preparing and producing audio material. But there’s also a downside. In most languages, the AI voice seems artificial or boring, especially after listening to it for a long time.
STAR: Can’t AI intonate?
Intonation in itself isn’t usually a problem, but the AI does it in unnatural inflections, which is really inconvenient. Often it doesn’t emphasise the core message, which a person would normally express through a particular emphasis. And when you listen to an AI recording, you get this unnatural inflection on repeat that starts to get annoying after a while, because you can’t shake the feeling that it’s actually just “copy-paste”. In comparison, I find it much better in English than in other languages, where the AI can work with variable intonation and make the voice sound very natural and lively. But in all the other languages, we still have a long way to go before we reach that point. At the moment, the other languages still sound very “plastic”.
STAR: Are there any other disadvantages to AI voices?
There’s a second point that I think is more serious, especially with e-learning. As with any AI, the quality of the output depends on the quality of the input. You also always have to prepare the content correctly for AI voices. Perhaps the AI doesn’t read all the abbreviations correctly, e.g. in the same way as you would read them in a specific corporate culture. Every company has its own corporate jargon and the AI won’t take this into account. This also applies to different product names, place names and foreign words. For example, if French names appear in English text, should it be read in French or English?
STAR: How can this be explained?
Only the employees at a company are really familiar with the corporate language and know why a certain linguistic rule can sometimes be ignored for internal company content or marketing reasons. And the listeners are insiders, i.e. they usually know what the content’s about. Companies also have to be consistent, otherwise it will sound strange to their ears. Sometimes, of course, a term or abbreviation can be misunderstood, either phonetically or for names, but that’s just the way it’s done at the company and we should respect it.
STAR: What other challenges are there?
Abbreviations and other specific features are a major challenge for AI. They usually need a lot of adjustments and corrections, which can result in the final price being similar to that of a traditional voice-over. We need to create pronunciation tips or edit the text so that it’s easy for the AI to read. This is very time-consuming – so AI makes little sense for a one-off project. In addition, we also “proof-listen”, i.e. do a listen-through to check, after the AI.
STAR: Don’t you “proof-listen” for human speakers too?
If there are two of us in addition to the speaker during the recording, we don’t do this any more because we can hear and check everything during the recording. The exceptions are languages that we don’t understand, such as Asian languages. But, in the case of AI, we don’t know beforehand what it knows and what it can read. I’ll give you an example. Let’s take the unit of a “megapascal”. This term has the abbreviation “MPa”, and the AI can read it as “em-pee-ay”, which is complete nonsense to a technical expert. So we’ve got to figure out how to get the AI to read it correctly as “megapascal”.
Sometimes we go through the recording and it seems right to us, but then the customer finds something that doesn’t fit their corporate culture. That’s why, while I think AI is a useful tool in certain informational texts that can make work faster and cheaper, and I’m happy to recommend it, in the hands of an inexperienced user, AI can behave unpredictably, and the end product will cause more disappointment than enthusiasm about the resources saved.
STAR: Is there a financial difference?
Yes, using AI reduces the budget to around half or two-thirds, as the work is mainly done by a machine and no voice professionals are involved in the process.
STAR: What do you do if a recording isn’t suitable for AI?
We are the guarantor of quality, and if we have serious and justified doubts about whether AI will lead to the right result, we’ll inform the customer. But customers also want to have personal experiences of this. I then try to point this out first by saying, “don’t be disappointed, but I don’t think AI is suitable for this particular project.” When I feel that I’ve outlined everything, I leave the decision up to them. But in some cases, customers themselves are unsure and are grateful for our support.
STAR: Thank you, David, for this very interesting discussion about AI in audio recordings.
AI voices aren’t yet perfect, and human voices are still winning the race. They’re able to convey emotions and leave a strong impression. However, AI voices are an inexpensive alternative. Please feel free to contact us for our advice.
David Heider, owner of a STAR partner sound studio in the Czech Republic
Posted on: August 1st, 2024 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments
In the fast-paced world of the translation and localisation industry, efficiency is the key to success. One solution that can play an important role in delivering this efficiency is the Common Translation Interface (COTI) standard, particularly in its highly developed form – COTI Level 3. But what exactly does this standard entail and how can it speed up translation processes?
What is the COTI standard?
The Common Translation Interface (COTI) standard was developed specifically for the translation and localisation industry to improve interoperability between different software tools and systems. The COTI standard defines a manufacturer-independent format for exchanging data between translation memory systems (TMS) and editorial systems, such as content management systems (CMS) and other tools used in the industry.
Higher COTI level, more automation
COTI levels build on each other and offer varying degrees of integration and automation:
Level 1 – core features: Translation data is saved in a defined structure, compressed as a ZIP file with the extension .coti and enhanced with meta information. The data is transferred manually, but the meta information and fixed structure make it easy for the receiving system to interpret the packets.
Level 2 – extended features: At this level, the transfer of COTI data packets becomes automated. The editorial system generates a package that is automatically recognised and imported by a TMS as soon as it is placed in a shared transfer folder (hotfolder) that is constantly monitored. Meta information enables the receiving system to create an automated order system, for example.
Level 3 – expert features: The highest level of integration offers fully automated data transfer between the systems. This removes the need to create or monitor packages manually. Instead, translation data and meta information is transferred via an API between the editing system and the TMS. Not only translation data, but also status information such as translation progress can be transmitted.
Benefits of full automation with COTI Level 3
The implementation of COTI Level 3 brings with it several benefits that can dramatically improve the translation process:
Fast data transfer: Thanks to the fully automated API, translation data is transferred seamlessly between systems without any delay.
Increased efficiency: Large and complex translation projects can be processed more efficiently, since the workflow no longer has to include any manual steps.
Round-the-clock operation: Automation facilitates continuous operation without human intervention, resulting in round-the-clock availability of translation data.
Security: By eliminating manual steps, the risk of human error is minimised, which in turn ensures data transfer is more secure.
Time and cost savings: Full automation leads to significant time savings, while also reducing the operational effort and costs involved in translation projects.
Conclusion
The introduction of COTI Level 3 signalled a major advancement in the translation industry; one which not only increases efficiency, but also improves the quality and reliability of translation processes. Through seamless integration and automated data transfer, companies are able to expand their global reach while also saving time and resources.
The following editorial systems can currently use COTI packages of various levels:
With our translation memory system STAR Transit NXT; and our workflow solution STAR CLM, we provide links at all three levels – in order to transfer data efficiently, securely and quickly and to speed up translation processes.
We process your COTI packages automatically using STAR CLM!
Posted on: May 7th, 2024 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments
According to the recently published 2024 Slator and Nimdzi indices, the STAR Group is one of the top 25 language service providers in the world. In the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), STAR takes the top spot in terms of audited turnover!
STAR honoured as a “Super Agency”
The “Super Agency” award recognises STAR’s comprehensive range of language solutions and translation services. The STAR Group’s independence and its turnover of more than USD 200 million are also criteria for this important categorisation.
Slator and Nimdzi Rankings essential for top language service providers
The #Slator and #Nimdzi indices list the most important companies in the language industry around the world in the fields of translation, localisation, interpreting and language technology.
The STAR Group sets itself apart thanks to its successful business model, excellent customer relationships and unrivalled expertise – all of which is recognised in this magnificent ranking.
With two branches in Germany and over 100 employees, STAR Deutschland is a unique partner for your corporate communications.
Are you looking for a top language service provider to partner with you on your translation projects? If so, please get in touch – we’re here to support you.
Posted on: March 11th, 2024 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments
Large language models (LLMs) could prove to be valuable assets for linguists in the context of language processes.
But what exactly are the advantages of this technology?
Our MT expert Julian Hamm will address this and other important questions in the context of the “LLM Use Cases in Language Services” TechTalk by lingo systems and provide insights into the world of language technologies and CAT tool development.
Curious to learn more?
STAR and lingo systems invite you to a free TechTalk
Secure your free ticket today and follow the discussion on 13th March from 3.00 to 4.30 pm CET. The TechTalk will be held in English.
Posted on: February 27th, 2024 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments
Few words have characterised the year 2023 as much as “AI”. But what does this buzzword actually mean for translation and language processes? Has the time now come for the relatively new technology of neural machine translation (NMT) to take a step back, and for large language models (LLMs) to take centre stage?
Are you still typing or are you already prompting?
How does this change the way that professional translators work? A human at the helm, AI as the co-pilot. But what exactly could this look like in day-to-day translation? This will be the focus of our hour-long webinar.
Opportunities and challenges of large language models
Specifically, this involves the question of how these new language technologies can be used to optimise core processes in the translation industry, including quality assurance, post-editing and terminology management.
In addition to discovering a strategic approach to prompt engineering , you will also, through a series of practical examples, learn how CAT tools must be set up in the future in order to optimally support language experts in their work. Prior knowledge: Basic knowledge of CAT tools and machine translation
MT expertise from STAR
The speaker, Julian Hamm, who holds a masters in translation, has been working in the language services since 2018. In his role as Machine Translation Consultant at STAR Deutschland GmbH, he coordinates the implementation of MT-based workflows and delivers expert advise, both within STAR and to external clients, on the exciting topics of MT and language technologies.
Humans at the helm, AI as the co-pilot – curious to see what the future holds? Book your place for the tekom webinar under Veranstaltungen (tekom.de) and get on board on 14th March 2024 at 4.30 p.m. (CET). Please note that this webinar will be held in German only.
Posted on: January 30th, 2024 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments
You can tell how diverse a language is just by looking at the breadth of its idioms. These turns of phrase vividly describe emotions or situations, often through associations with the animal world. It’s no wonder animals feature so heavily in idioms, given that man and beast have been living side by side for thousands of years. However, the same attributes aren’t always associated with the same animals in every culture. Furthermore, the natural habitats of animals are dependent on specific aspects, such as climate, altitude, etc., meaning our different living conditions or customs have given rise to different idioms throughout history.
Idioms from the animal kingdom – literal translation is rarely the answer
In this post, we shine a light on some animal-based idioms from the French language, and explore their meaning in English. As you will see, the English equivalents often make either no reference to fauna or contain completely different animal associations.
The language of animals… let’s start with cows
On n’a pas gardé les vaches ensemble (literally: we have not herded cows together.) This describes when someone is overly familiar.
Chacun son métier et les vaches seront bien gardées (literally: if everyone does their job, the cows will be well tended.) This essentially means ‘stick to what you know’.
Il pleut comme vache qui pisse (literally: it’s raining like a cow that is urinating.) In English, we famously (and perhaps inexplicably) describe such a downpour as raining cats and dogs.
Manger de la vache enragée (literally: eat a mad cow) This describes the sense of desperation when someone has fallen on hard times.
Our canine friends also feature highly in the language too
Arriver comme un chien dans un jeu de quilles (literally: arrive like a dog at a game of skittles) This describes an unwelcome presence, such as a fly in the ointment
Entre chien et loup (literally: between dog and wolf) This expression describes the witching hour
Avoir du chien (literally: to have dog) In English, we turn not to animals, but to French, describing someone as having a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’.
Nom d’un chien ! (literally: name of a dog!) This means: for heaven’s sake!
Wolf idioms
Être connu comme le loup blanc (literally: as famous as the white wolf) We might describe someone who commands such presence as ‘a big fish’.
Avoir une faim de loup (literally: to be as hungry as a wolf) In English, we also reference animals to express the size of our appetite, by exclaiming “I could eat a horse!”.
Se jeter dans la gueule du loup (literally: to plunge into the wolf’s mouth) In English, it’s a bit more exotic: to walk into the lion’s den
S’approcher à pas de loup (literally: to approach with wolves’ paws) In English, we say: to be ‘as quiet as a mouse’ on approach
Fly on the wall…
There are many French expressions that reference flies, not all of which have animal-based equivalents in English:
Prendre la mouche (literally: take the fly) A comparable English expression is taken from the bull-fighting arena: to see red.
Quelle mouche t’a piqué ? (literally: which fly stung you?) A similar English expression also comes from the insect kingdom: What’s bugging you?
On n’attrape pas les mouches avec du vinaigre (literally: you can’t catch flies with vinegar.) In English, we have a saying from Shakespeare: to kill them with kindness.
Faire mouche (literally: make flies) In English, we say someone has hit the bull’s eye – an expression borrowed from archery.
Let the cat out of the bag!
As in English, cats are proverbially popular in French – though not always translatable:
Il n’y a pas un chat (literally: there is not a cat around) This simply means there’s not a soul to be seen anywhere.
Il n’y a pas de quoi fouetter un chat (literally: there’s no need to whip cats over it.) In English, we might brush off a situation with reference to another household pet, saying let sleeping dogs lie.
Appeler un chat un chat (literally: to call a cat a cat) In English, we call a spade a spade.
Donner sa langue au chat (literally: to give your tongue to the cat) Though we have a similar-sounding phrase in ‘the cat has got your tongue’, this actually means something different – namely to give up guessing.
Who rules the roost?
The cockerel is widely considered emblematic of France, and so it comes as no surprise that their expressions also focus on this feathered friend.
Passer du coq à l’âne (literally: to go from hen to donkey) This means to change the subject abruptly.
Il devient rouge comme un coq (literally: he turned as red as a cockerel.) This describes the shade someone’s face might turn if they have egg on their face.
Vivre comme un coq en pâte (literally: to live like a cockerel in pastry) In English, we turn to a different creature for the expression: like the cat who got the cream.
Language is as diverse as the animal kingdom itself, and different imagery in idioms from different countries and cultures awaken completely different associations, as these illustrative examples clearly demonstrate. Despite our shared history, similar cultures and only a narrow stretch of water between us, French and English language are wildly different. This can result in misunderstandings, comical or even sticky situations. In our day-to-day lives, both at home and at work, our perception of the world determines whether we build bridges or burn bridges with our counterparts.
If you’re looking for perceptive translations that are targeted to your market, STAR combines high specialist expertise and intercultural awareness with many years of experience in the industry. You receive reliable quality in the language and the tone that you and your customers understand. We can help you – simply get in touch.
Digitalisierung, Automatisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz bestimmen immer mehr Branchen nachhaltig. In this context, and with the development of machine translation (MT), the translation profession has also changed significantly.
Let’s take a look at the past and future of the translation profession in an interview with Fabienne Chapron.
Thick specialist books, dictionaries and copious reference works
“When I started my career as a translator 35 years ago, translation and the research associated with it were tedious and time-consuming. Slow PCs, massive screens, an operating system called MS-DOS and floppy disks were part of everyday life back then.
With globalisation, the volume of translation from our international customers grew rapidly over time. The variety of topics and the complexity of the content also increased significantly. The development of the translation profession continues to be extremely dynamic. Nowadays, information is changing virtually on a daily basis, both in the source and target languages.”
Optimum interaction between man and machine
“As a translator, I have been working with technology on a daily basis for a long time now – CAT tools help us with every new job. Thanks to digitalisation and, above all, using workflow automation, workflows are becoming more transparent and far easier and quicker to manage. I can get all the numerous small administrative tasks done much quicker and concentrate on my actual work – translation. Interfaces to CMS and PIM systems, or to online portals for in-country review, all speed up the translation process: Language technology helps us to reduce both the time and effort to process a job.
At the end of my career, I am now routinely working with machine translation. Through webinars and other further training courses, I have been able to add post-editing to my areas of expertise, a skill which is increasingly important in the translation profession. Machine translation achieves good results for properly formulated texts such as press releases and marketing texts. For technical texts, customer terminology is top priority; here it’s all about populating the engines with customer terminology before automation. In these cases, machine translation is part of the translation workflow in which I always have the final say in the post-editing stage.
With SEO-optimised translations, I can help my customers to gain better visibility in the global universe of search engines. This is another skill I have acquired. When I finished my degree in 1986, I never could have imagined how dynamically my way of working would change. Not only have my own standards been raised, but also those of my customers: Many companies now provide a style guide which stipulates the use of relevant stylistic elements and is updated on a regular basis.”
Translation: Anyone can do it online, can’t they?
“Translating involves much more than a translation tool. Professional translation is not just a word-for-word rendering from one language to another. Even if technology has made huge progress, it cannot replace a human translator because only they have the skills to carry out subject-specific, specialist research and to find the right tone and style. Translators who have specialist knowledge in a specific sector have crystal clear benefits compared with machines: The more specialised the vocabulary is, the harder it is for machine translation to hit the right note.”
Fabienne Chapron Translation Team Leader Master of Arts in German and Romance Studies, University of Heidelberg Translator for 35 years Language direction: German-French Specialisms: Automotive, machinery and plant engineering, agricultural engineering
Stellar service from STAR
Do you want top quality translations that are managed efficiently? STAR combines outstanding specialist expertise and many years of experience in the industry with intelligent automation. You receive reliable quality in the language and the tone that your customers understand.
Do you need professional specialist translation? Our global network of native language experts specialises in your industry – working efficiently and producing top quality. We can help you – simply get in touch.
Posted on: October 5th, 2023 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments
Online courses are multimedia and interactive, and they appeal to multiple senses, which produces better learning outcomes. In this age of independent, digital learning and remote working, e-learning is an ideal tool for transferring knowledge. Countless companies are successfully incorporating e-learning in wide-ranging sectors to continue their employees’ professional development.
Some sectors that typically utilise e-learning courses:
Company training: E-learning is a popular method for training employees in new skills or new processes. It can be used to deliver onboarding training to new recruits or to keep existing employees up to date with the latest changes.
Compliance training: E-learning is also a great option for compliance courses, such as training on statutory provisions or health and safety requirements. It can be made available to employees on request, so that they can learn at their own pace and around their own schedule.
Technical training: E-learning provides a fantastic basis for transferring technical skills, such as how to use a software or remedying faults on machines. It can be used to run training courses at the students’ own pace or to deliver live lessons through webinars or online classrooms.
Soft skills training: E-learning can also be used to teach soft skills such as communication, teamwork and problem solving. These skills are often vital for success in the workplace, though they can be difficult to impart in a traditional classroom environment.
Academic courses: E-learning is becoming an increasingly popular way of delivering academic courses. It can be used to provide remote teaching for students that are unable to visit a conventional university or to offer online courses for further study.
Lifelong learning: E-learning can be utilised to support lifelong learning by providing access to educational content across a wide range of subjects. This can be helpful to those who wish to gain new skills or keep up to speed with the latest trends.
Because the technology is evolving so quickly, e-learning courses will become even more widespread.
To achieve the best possible learning outcomes, e-learning courses need to be made available in the right language for the students. When it comes to highly technical learning content, this is absolutely vital. Converting e-learning content into another language can be a challenge, however, since e-learning translation projects are by their very nature complex. What is the best way to plan localisation and achieve a high quality of translation? Here are five tips from the professionals to guarantee your e-learning project is a success:
1. Choose a suitable e-learning authoring tool
If your company is creating e-learning content for the first time, you are faced with the decision of which software to use. There is a large variety of authoring tools that can be used to create e-learning content, such as:
These tools present different advantages and disadvantages depending on the type of training content. Some of these software packages offer the option of automatically exporting texts for translation and then importing them again, e.g. in XLIFF format. That can be really helpful and save a lot of time!
2. Export the content and have it localised
Texts from an authoring tool like Articulate Storyline can be exported in XLIFF format – which is ideal for formatting and translating within a translation memory system or CAT tool such as those used by professional translators.
The text can also be exported into Microsoft Word. The exported Word document contains preview images of the individual pages of the training course, the source text and placeholders for the target-language text in tabular form, but serves only as an overview and context information for the translator.
Important considerations for translation:
Insist on the native speaker principle – guaranteed linguistic quality and consideration of cultural nuances
Make sure your customer-specific terminology is followed – company-specific terms and abbreviations (glossary if necessary) in all languages
Request a full localisation – adjust the full content to reflect the target culture and target group, e.g. currency, units of measurement, addresses, fonts, country-specific images and symbols, colour symbolism
Ask for a translation memory system to be used – brings consistency to translations and reduces costs
3. Get your videos professionally subtitled or dubbed with a voice-over
E-learning courses often feature embedded videos. When transmitting the translated video content, you have a choice of different options: Subtitling, synchronisation, voice-over…
Subtitles into different languages are relatively inexpensive to produce and represent a flexible option.
If you choose to have an audio recording for your video content, we strongly suggest using an experienced voice actor (take care with dialects and accents!). Factor into your schedule the time it takes to select a voice actor (audio samples) and record the audio (studio time). You need THE right voice for your project!
4. Import the translated content into the authoring tool
Once your e-learning course has been translated, it is time to reimport the content into your authoring software.
In authoring tools such as Storyline, editing the text works in a similar way to PowerPoint, however formatting the spoken texts can pose challenges. In this instance, we recommend the use of professional DTP experts for data post-processing. Firstly, they insert the translated texts into a specific field and then adapt it in close consultation with native speakers, e.g. to ensure pauses are a natural length and fall in the right positions. This ensures that the computer voice sounds as natural as possible to the training participants. To ensure that tricky words, such as “deaeration”, are pronounced correctly (“de-aeration” rather than “deration”), corresponding markers are positioned in the spoken text window (e.g. using a hyphen or space).
5. Run the final tests
An absolute must for a high-quality multilingual course is the final testing and quality assurance process, including test runs to ensure your content looks its best online. Plus, it is this step that ensures the audio and videos are positioned correctly and play at the right time.
In summary: Increase acceptance and boost learning outcomes by having all content professionally translated into the native language of the students!
STAR service
Are you preparing e-learning courses?
STAR works with a range of tools, including Articulate Storyline 360, and takes care of the localisation of your e-learning.
Posted on: May 9th, 2023 by Virginie Wespel No Comments
1. Choose quality that is carefully controlled!
To achieve the best quality in your translation process, you need a rigorously organised quality management procedure and direct contact with the translators working on your texts. Only qualified native speakers of your target language should be used for the projects; either permanently employed by the service provider’s subsidiary branches or freelancers working on a contract basis.
Look out for the following:
The service provider has full ISO 9001 certification for the entire company, including the relevant quality management system.
The service provider does not have any subcontractor chains that cannot be quality-checked and does not assign contracts on an arbitrary basis via job portals, but rather produces translations in-house through permanently employed native speakers, who work in the service provider’s national branches within the target-language countries or comparably qualified and trained freelance translators.
The service provider assures quality through software for general checks (e.g. checking for terminology and consistency) or software for specialist checks tailored to the customer’s requirements.
The service provider gives the option of extra quality assurance steps, such as a proofreading department for specialist fields.
The service provider defines and implements consistent process standards and quality standards all around the world.
2. Choose automation technology!
Effective cost reductions in the translation process are only possible when an automatic translation process is used comprehensively. The service provider should be familiar with this kind of software and should have the necessary IT expertise on hand.
Look out for the following:
Extensive implementation of automated translation using translation memory technology.
Over the years of a long-term partnership, this is proven to successfully reduce the volume of text to be translated manually. It is the degree of automation (and not the word price/line price) that determines the overall costs of a translation project.
Workflow automation that largely removes the need for manual process steps.
Use of AI, including by means of machine translation, preferably accompanied by an ISO 18587:2017 certification to prove MT technologies are used transparently and effectively within the wider framework of translation processes.
The service provider is highly skilled and reliable in their use of the software.
3. Choose experience!
As with any highly specialised service, the experience of those involved is a deciding factor in the translation and production process.
Look out for the following:
The service provider has been active on the market for many years.
The service provider employs at least 50 (or better still 100) employees on a permanent contract, enabling them to deploy specialist teams for every process step.
Continuity within the service provider’s workforce and management (low turnover of labour).
Translators with many years experience in your field of industry, which can, where necessary, be proven with CVs or test translations.
The service provider has longstanding partnerships with companies that have similarly high standards and operate in your industry or related industries.
4. Choose capacity!
Larger service providers with an international presence can quickly and easily serve new customers and deliver large projects and have the resources to deliver a short ramp-up phase.
Look out for the following:
A large pool of highly qualified permanently employed and freelance translators.
The service provider has an internationally structured network of subsidiary branches in all countries for which you require translations.
Central project management (single point of contact) and decentralised production in the target countries.
5. Choose security!
Often, information that requires translation is confidential, perhaps relating to an as yet unreleased product, a company’s internal processes or even financial information relating to an organisation. In all of the above cases, the translation service provider must use technical and procedural measures to ensure that the information is processed using maximum confidentiality and security. What’s more, the translation service provider must be protected against unforeseen interruptions to operations, so that they can provide the customer with a seamless service.
Look out for the following:
ISO 27001 or TISAX Ⓡ certifications to guarantee that the service provider’s internal processes comply with the defined standard for information security in terms of confidentiality, availability and integrity.
The service provider offers a secure customer portal or other secure channels for data transfer
Regular information security training courses and awareness measures are in place for employees
