When taken as a comprehensive language service, translation is a professional activity that has gradually gained recognition throughout history. While in the past it has been considered a simple task of matching texts and words in different languages, today it is recognized as a valuable resource that allows us to effectively reproduce information and intent in interpersonal communication and, of course, on a larger scale. During this trajectory, translators created and applied strategies that allowed them to competently perform their activities and ensure a quality product. To do so, awareness has been raised over the years on the importance of entrusting a project to competent and specialized professionals who have the skills to perform the documentation tasks. At the same time, computer tools have been designed that make it easier to manage translation projects and also ensure that the final products are of a higher quality, which require review and quality control services. In this regard, we recommend that you read the articles In-house reviews, Translation management systems and Quality standards, where we discuss these matters in greater detail. Likewise, some of these articles, among many others, highlight the importance of client feedback in the delivery and subsequent follow-up processes. In other words, the quality of a language service company is determined, on the one hand, by the quality of the products delivered, for which there is a wide range of resources that can be consulted and applied, and, on the other hand, it cannot be forgotten that the clients on the other side of the screen have specific requirements and entrust an agency in order to reach their interlinguistic objectives. It is for this reason that it is essential to have a healthy, smooth relationship with clients that preserves the business activities between the two parties. The article Choosing target clients discusses how to strategically choose who to target with our services (which increases success rates depending on our own strengths) and the article The importance of satisfaction surveys explains the value of knowing our clients’ opinions on projects we have worked on. For this reason, today’s article focuses on the nature of client relations and, above all, the aim is to set out a series of points that are essential when forging and maintaining positive and profitable professional relationships that ensure a constant flow of work and the satisfaction of the people we aim to help through our services.
Firstly, clients highly value being treated as people requiring a specific linguistic service and not as mere accounts to which periodic or sporadic work is sent to by the translation agency or freelancer. Each and every one of our clients is dedicated to an industry with the aim of contributing to a local or international community. As translation providers, we must understand what their aims and requirements are, as well as establish ongoing communication that allows us to know at all times what they wish to achieve and how we can help them do so. Similarly, it is important to understand that not all clients understand our sector the same way, and they will appreciate explanations that help them understand the mechanics of translation as a professional activity and the work flow their projects will follow. At the same time, this will help identify specific services that they need and conscientiously define matters such as deadlines and rates.
All this helps consolidate one of the key points of client relationships: transparency. The majority of clients also value the use of computer programs that allow them to track the progress of their project over time, for example, if it is in the translation or review phase, or whether the quality control is taking place before delivery. It is also important to notify them of any incidence or delay as quickly as possible. This means there is time to find a solution and the impact on the final product will be minimal. We are, therefore, showing our commitment to the integrity of the entire translation process and, ultimately, our responsibility towards the client’s objectives. In order to achieve this, it is essential to create clear and smooth communication channels where the issue is clearly stated and, if possible, a solution is provided.
With regards to the final product, we must ensure that it corresponds to the service offered. The higher the quality of the translation, the better the clients’ impression, which is achieved by respecting terminology, accurately reproducing content and correctly, transparently and quickly managing the processes. Many clients state that agencies and professionals are slow to provide responses, which makes them lose confidence or, at the very least, they take away a worse impression.
As well as working on all these aspects, it is essential to follow up on deliveries. This provides important information about whether the services met the clients’ expectations, what they valued the most and how we can improve for future projects. All these strategies allow us to optimize our client relations and create lasting and quality professional ties.
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