How a client should be

Each person is different and as a result, everyone has their own way to behave as a client,
but there are some features that make them similar to one another.

For the client who pays for a translation to be done, a number of factors weigh significantly
on his scale of priorities. These include, readability (TT must be such that reading is easy and
comprehension facilitated), accuracy (TT must reconstruct the message and equivalent style
of ST with the TT reader in mind) and timeliness (the translator must keep to deadlines).

There are some simple requirements a client must set in order to receive the expected
product:

1. Sign a Translation Contract

2. Provide the materials to be translated
3. Give clear instructions regarding the translation you want to receive (a summary
translation, a gist translation , a commentary, etc.)
4. Explain who the audience is (children, students, officials)
5. Set a deadline together.
Sometimes some unreasonable demands, as the following, can lead to a bad quality of the
product. It is best to leave the translator to do his work, because as a client you are
interested only in the final product, but the translator is interested also in the process.
1. Completing a translation in an unrealistic timeframe
Clients will usually have a deadline in mind when they approach a translator, and it’s
important to be able to negotiate with them realistically.

Unfortunately, most clients will assume that translating is a fairly easy process and
shouldn’t take long to complete. Of course, in reality a good translation can take a while to
produce, and it’s generally accepted in the translation industry that translators will
complete a maximum of 2000 words of a translation each day.
2. Constant availability
Translators often come across clients who want them to respond to their, often frequent,
email enquiries ASAP. If you work with a translation company (who assign staff members
 solely to manage client enquiries), then there are no problems, but assuming that
independent freelancers should maintain this level of availability is unrealistic.

If they have to spend excessive amounts of time communicating with clients then they
won’t be able to work on your translation. Don’t forget about different time zones.
3. Editing the client’s content
If a client’s source text isn’t well edited then it’s not the translator’s fault. But despite this,
some clients will expect them to perform editorial duties in addition to translating the text.
This is completely unreasonable, and clients who expect translator to improve their
document during the translation process should have their expectations addressed quickly.
4. Expecting the translator to price match other translators

Different translators may charge different rates, but they might also deal with simpler
languages.The translator should make sure to emphasize that they provide good value for
the translations, and that using other translators as a reference point for price negotiation is
inappropriate.

5. Payment when the translation is deemed worthy

Perhaps one of the worst things a client can demand is that they will only release their funds
once translation is returned and they’ve had it checked by another party.

It is expected all new clients to pay for translations upfront, and it’s not unreasonable for a
freelance translator or a company to have that expectation.

How to Build a Relationship with the Clients In The Translation Industry

In translation, as indeed in any business, the obvious and only key to retaining your clients is
to provide them with high-quality products and services, but this is far more complicated
than it sounds.

In a commercial context, there are essentially three factors that determine the quality of a
translation:

1. the translation must be available within the deadline by which the client needs its.
 2. the translation must reflect the client’s professionalism. It must be completely
authentic, written in a suitable style and register and entirely free from language
errors.
3. the text must be suitable for the client’s needs. The translation must serve to
promote the client’s market reputation, help him attract business. The audience
should be able to understand the text and to relate it to other, previous texts as part
of the client’s uniform communication approach.
One aspect that sets translation services apart from many other lines of business is that
every next order for the same client is a sequel to the previous one. What your client buys
from you is not so much a series of individual products, but sections of a single, huge
product – a convincing and coherent expression of himself in a different language – that is
built up in the course of time.
There are some simple steps that will help the translator build a strong relationship with
their clients:
1. Work on your empathy
All your projects are unique – at least in the eyes of your customers. If you look at things
from their perspective, try to feel what they feel in order to satisfy their needs and build
trust, this will help them return to and improve your business results.
2. Build trust through transparency
The common base for all relationships in any enterprise is trust. The same applies to the
successful relationship between translators and customers. Even more so, since they do not
understand the translated language and completely rely on the language service provider.
They trust that their requirements, settings, and target market are understood and catered
to. They trust that the service they receive will be exactly what they need.
3. Deliver what you promised
Global brands are well-experienced translation buyers and they need suppliers who continue
to prioritize innovation. It also means that you need to set achievable expectations in order
to show integrity to your customers.
4. Ask them if they like what they see
Satisfaction surveys are the key to guaranteeing high satisfaction when dealing with both
customers and vendors. They are the statement of your care and readiness to respond to
their expectations, to improve and deliver exceptional service.