Many times a new translation client will simply say that they need a document translated. Of course that’s an excellent start, but, as translation professionals, it’s our duty to obtain as much information from the client as possible in order to properly do our job and to provide the client with, not only our best customer service, but the highest quality finished product.

So what are the key questions we should be asking our potential customer?

Does your translation require certification?

If the answer to this question is yes, then this will be itemised as a separate service which comes with an additional charge to the client; meaning that a certified translator will translate and certify the document with the corresponding expenses;

Is this a rush translation?

Considering the hustle and bustle of today’s business world, it’s only fair that a minimum amount of time be allowed in order to provide a quality translation. However sometimes circumstances demand that a translation must be completed outside the normal Monday to Friday working hours, or even over a weekend. This will probably be added as an additional expense to the client’s account;

Are there any special formatting issues with the file?

If the original document is (a) a website, or its been sent in a special format (other than Excel or Word), then the translation may require IT services or Desktop Publishing in order to preserve things such as business logos, image formats, bullets, numbering, and so on;

Will the client be providing you with a glossary of their language preferences, based on previous translations?

When you’re working with a client who often requires translations for recurring subjects, there’s every possibility that they’ll already have a glossary prepared for their language preferences. This may include keywords for business policies, the translation of their logo, and so on. Glossaries are extremely useful when trying to ensure that all translations from the company maintain the same tone and linguistic style;

Are there any special cultural considerations to be taken into account with this translation?

It often happens that a client will have translation preferences when a document is being marketed to a specific country, regardless of the target language. By this we mean you may have a customer requiring a translation from English to Spanish, but you’d like the translated text to have the measurement system of the country of the source document;

Are we going to be translating your document into what’s considered to be a rare language?

It stands to reason that there will be fewer translators available for a language that’s not spoken by a significant number of people, and this may be reflected in the costs and also the delivery time;

Is there any reference material to go with the source document?

Translators are always grateful to receive reference material while they’re working on a translation; even previous translations can be very helpful in providing a clear idea of the company, the business image that the company is attempting to project, and of course its products and/or services.