You can have business cards, you can have a website showcasing your resume, projects, and accomplishments, and you can have a list of referrals a mile long, but if you don’t educate your clients, they won’t understand the importance of using your services.
Many people don’t understand the work of translators and interpreters. The average person often incorrectly assumes that the two terms are identical. A person who speaks a second language is assumed to be able to switch from one language to another instantly and without effort. This linguistic marvel always knows precisely how to translate or interpret appropriately, and can do so on any topic, from legal documents and song lyrics to advertising slogans and everyday slang. Clients often fail to recognize how long translation projects take, usually because they aren’t aware of the additional work involved. If you educate your clients, you help to remove the mystery surrounding language services so clients know both what they’re paying for and have realistic expectations regarding the outcome.
Clients often don’t understand the pricing structure surrounding translation and interpretation projects. If you educate your clients on the steps involved in a project, how pricing differs among charges for translation, hourly rates for interpretation, formatting charges, and proofreading rates, they are better able to understand the costs and the reasons behind them.
Another misconception surrounding language services is the idea that they shouldn’t have to pay so much money for something they can simply put through machine translation, and that two interpreters aren’t needed when one person has the necessary skills. Following are some basic points to tell clients requesting language services who may appear to not understand the process, the cost, or the time needed.
- Translation/interpretation involves several steps, including reviewing materials, researching unfamiliar terms, creating a glossary, translating/interpreting the material/event, and proofreading a translation
- Translations are usually charged by word, which depends on the language combination, language direction, and the material’s complexity
- Formatting is often charged by the hour and is equivalent to the number of words the translator is able to translate in the same amount of time
- On average, a translator can translate between 2,000-2,500 words per day, but this can vary widely
- Project cost depends on the type of project, the length of time given for its completion, and the translator/interpreter’s level of specialty
- Time depends on how quickly the client needs the project and how quickly the translator is able to complete the project
- Interpretation assignments depend on the length of the project; two interpreters are often used for projects longer than half an hour in order to ensure interpretations are accurate
Clients may ask you specific questions about translation or interpretation projects, or they may simply seem confused about why the project costs what it does, why two interpreters are needed, why a project cannot be completed as quickly as they thought it would be or why formatting is necessary when they have already formatted the original. IF you educate your clients about these steps and the reasons behind them, they are likely to return to you for repeat work because of your clear and honest approach to doing business and a sincere desire to involve them in the process.
Do you generally educate your clients on the translation/interpretation work you do? What have you found is most confusing for clients? We’d love to read your thoughts in the comments!
