tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post6748298595538352307..comments2024-03-06T02:46:19.929+00:00Comments on Translation Tribulations: The truth about translation agencies?Kevin Lossnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14727800526216764023noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-57462687296840364362015-11-08T23:44:49.108+00:002015-11-08T23:44:49.108+00:00It was useful to be aware of such fake activities....It was useful to be aware of such fake activities. I think it's not the branches and worldwide presence that matter but the quality of translations. Instead of focusing on spreading such lies, they should concentrate on improving their services. For example, this might never be the case with many agencies though, such as Absolute Translations, Master TR Translation, Altis Agency and many many others. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-74723295322635268072013-09-10T17:39:21.962+01:002013-09-10T17:39:21.962+01:00I'd like to draw everybody's attention on ...I'd like to draw everybody's attention on new scam agency "Localize spot"(http://localizespot.com/), i worked for them on three different projects (total amounting more than 3000$), they were very satisfied by the quality of my work, but after delivering the jobs, they refused to pay me pretending that my quality work was low!!!!, but our correspondence with them showed clearly that they were even impressed with the work done (they even offered me a new project to work on!!!). I emailed them hundred times, but with every email, they come up with tens of ridiculous excuses in order not to pay me. For this reason, i want to prevent other translators from dealing with them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-50812556338033556162013-02-05T14:12:52.416+00:002013-02-05T14:12:52.416+00:00I think a real problem, even with some of the repu...I think a real problem, even with some of the reputable specialist agencies, is the quality control measures they employ, which are unreliable at best. A few years ago I worked with a German based Medical/Pharmaceutical translation agency and my first translation was sent off for quality control. It came back with edits all over it, most of which were completely trivial, and some of the corrections made were also blinding errors. The edit was certainly no improvement on the original. Unfortunately alarm bells were raised, and a second translation they had commissioned me to do was also put through a review, and the same nonsense was returned to me. Needless to say, that was the end of that relationship. The problem in this day and age is that many translators are so worried about losing their agencies they will attempt to put others down to save their own skins and livelihoods. There needs to be a better way of quality control than checking translations with other freelancers who are obviously more interested in maintaining or gaining a new agency as a client. Dr. Julian P. Keoghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06950941568910171473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-45504289174232979102010-06-28T13:03:14.277+01:002010-06-28T13:03:14.277+01:00Kevin thank you very much for your insightful arti...Kevin thank you very much for your insightful articles; I learned a lot from them. I am a German <> English translator and I have a frustrating experience with an company that never paid me a cent for translating 8000 words!<br />Continue with the good work you are doing and I promise you that I will be reading all your articles. I will also try to recommend your website to my colleagues.<br />Thank you very much<br />Silvestre<br />http://acetranslations.blogspot.com/Acetranslationshttp://acetranslations.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-23021504955311574692010-06-05T14:08:21.190+01:002010-06-05T14:08:21.190+01:00You know something, Kevin? I was propagating a sim...You know something, Kevin? I was propagating a similar business model that your agency friend describes to my Chinese colleagues. The formation of dynamic teams, including the "right" PM for a particular project, in a quality-reviewed network - that is it!<br /><br />Actually, I am doing it all the time. That is why I introduce my good agency clients to my colleagues. And each time they land a contract, there is immediately a particular team created to tackle the job. The colleagues in the network team up to fix all the problems that may surface in a project. I am not necessarily being there as the PM or as a member of each team. This works so well that we know each other's idosyncracies in doing translation jobs, that dynamic teams are always build for specific jobs. For instance, there will be two projects for automobile industry in June and July and I have already two different teams for these two jobs. Another project for IT industry will be in by the end of September and I am looking for suitable colleagues to team up since March. It takes time to find out who is good for what, how the jobs in a project to be splitted, and who is going to take on what to ensure the quality, but it worths to work this way. The rates we are asking for the projects are always reasonable.<br /><br />Translators want no peanuts. Clients want no monkeys. Well, there is a solution for the situation.Wenjer H. Leuschelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03040745158066005516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-5365031086479997912010-05-30T07:50:58.230+01:002010-05-30T07:50:58.230+01:00>> the people to blame for hair-curlingly lo...>> the people to blame for hair-curlingly low rates <br />>> are not the agencies that offer those rates but the <br />>> translators that accept them. <br /><br />I'm inclined to pass the cup of blame around to both sides: the agencies lacking in the business skills needed to get better rates and prefer instead to cut their competitors' throats (and often their own) with prices as well as the translators who lack the understanding of what constitutes a proper rate for a particular situation. Face it - most "translators" these days should not be in business, and they aren't. (If you, Dear Reader, are one of these and want to evolve beyond linguistic monkeydom, read more <a href="http://www.translationtribulations.com/2010/05/no-monkeys.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.)<br /><br />I had a fascinating conversation with an agency owner and entrepreneur recently who predicted the extinction of the traditional agency as we know it and the formation of dynamic teams, including the "right" PM for a particular project, in quality-reviewed networks. You see a little of this sort of thing in virtual companies and project teams in other fields, but I am not aware of such practices being widespread (yet) for language services. His was a compelling argument and an interesting concept, but I don't know how I would handle a complete changeover of our sector to the business model he described. It would be a very, very interesting challenge.Kevin Lossnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14727800526216764023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-57515908354668255802010-03-29T17:36:07.884+01:002010-03-29T17:36:07.884+01:00Thanks, Kevin! I love your posts in general (they ...Thanks, Kevin! I love your posts in general (they always teach me something and make me laugh, good combo!) and this one in particular is excellent. My experience mirrors yours; although I think that my agency clients do a really good job at their work, I've landed some excellent new direct clients lately. They say that "we can't get reliable quality from an agency at any price," which I found interesting. Also I think you are *so* right that the people to blame for hair-curlingly low rates are not the agencies that offer those rates but the translators that accept them. Thanks for such a good post!Corinne McKayhttp://www.thoughtsontranslation.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-9756832178931626002010-03-24T10:51:41.387+00:002010-03-24T10:51:41.387+00:00Many thanks for this post, Kevin. Informative, ins...Many thanks for this post, Kevin. Informative, insightful and entertaining.Lukehttp://twitter.com/spokknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-79724688068287036742010-03-23T08:03:12.749+00:002010-03-23T08:03:12.749+00:00You make an interesting point, Rod. My experience ...You make an interesting point, Rod. My experience has been that the real value of translation memories often diminishes drastically in the hands of an agency, even one which makes a real effort to manage the data and possesses expertise in the technical systems. The sad fact is that even highly competent project managers who are generally familiar with a customer's material and do a good job of ensuring competent editing often lack the time or the linguistic judgment to do proper TM maintenance. This situation is made worse where the agency does not insist on the development and maintenance of customer terminologies.<br /><br />This leads to a situation of constant "drift" in the terminological compliance and linguistic quality of "multi-translator" TMs at agencies. Add to that the gradual and natural drift of language in some sectors, which requires rewriting of 100% matches in order to maintain "quality", a knowledgeable person really must call into question much of the current agency practices of selling the "benefits" of TM. Many of the good agencies are aware of this, of course, and account for it in their compensation of translators (i.e. do not always insist on those silly match discounts).<br /><br />It is very important to limit the number of translators contributing to a TM where possible. One of the most technically competent and conscientious agencies I work for has restricted work in the field of chemistry to two translators for years (me and another chemist with excellent linguistic skills). Recently, however, I noticed some real crap in the TM, which I could not imagine my excellent colleague producing even if she were drunk. When I inquired, my suspicion was confirmed: a third "translator" had recently been added to the team. If the agencies build enough "relationships" with the wrong translators, eventually they'll end up with (linguistic) herpes or worse... and pass it on to the end customers.Kevin Lossnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14727800526216764023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-55200240171309855012010-03-23T07:43:19.356+00:002010-03-23T07:43:19.356+00:00Another point about agencies not mentioned here is...Another point about agencies not mentioned here is competence with CAT tools. Certainly in Japan anyway, even agencies that claim to use CAT (ie, some of their translators own it) don't really have a clue about the issues involved. Agencies will make rash promises about the capabilities of memory, and yet have no systems in place for managing and leveraging it. Many freelancers on the other hand will be able to pass on real benefits to an end client. (I suspect European agencies may be more CAT savvy than their Japanese counterparts.)<br /><br />I love the agencies that I work with. If only they could liaise with each other to manage the workflow more evenly...Rodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02224505185743510863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-35442748558345812362010-03-22T07:41:12.103+00:002010-03-22T07:41:12.103+00:00"Native speakers of Romanian or Russian to tr..."Native speakers of Romanian or Russian to translate from German to English" - is that really so horrible? If their English is near-native and their German is very good, i don't see a problem. It is this kind of discrimination by 'native speakerism' that gives an unfair advantage to native speakers even when they are objectively less competent.Anonymoushttp://structuralambiguity.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-64449402150110585592010-03-18T16:11:41.104+00:002010-03-18T16:11:41.104+00:00Dear Kevin,
Instead of Sylvia, I write the commen...Dear Kevin,<br /><br />Instead of Sylvia, I write the comment to your blog article this time.<br /><br />In fact, we mostly work "with" agencies. We don't feel treated wrongly by those agencies who stay working with us in all these years. The most important is the "cooperation/collaboration," not the rates they pay. Quality awareness is a must at a translation agency and quality has a price. We don't dump prices for quality and stay working with those ones who know what results in quality and who work hence in due dilligence "with" us.<br /><br />From your blog articles, I know that you are of the same philosophy. And I believe the more translators are aware of quality, the more they can benefit from agencies. The more agencies are aware of quality, the more they can benefit from translators who are of the same awareness.<br /><br />Although it requires more effort to explain to end clients about translation processes, it worths when the end clients are willing to take their time for understanding what information needed by translators to achieve quality for their projects. However, the translators must be familiar with the respective vertical lines of the end clients. If they don't, they shall leave the job to agencies who know better of the clients' vertical lines. That is, if a translator does not know much of a certain field/subject matter, s/he shall not try to acquire end clients in that field.<br /><br />There are many would-like-be translators and many would-like-be agencies. They dream of acquiring end clients, but they are doomed to fail. Sylvia, I and my team members work on different subject matters and we do not act so much as an agency than a group of translators who help each other finding and working on right projects from right clients, either agency clients or direct clients. We are not of the opinion that a good translator can translate everything in all subject matters. But we are of the opinion that a social networking among translators can help enhancing translation quality as well as price. By this way, we can easily forget about those translation websites/plattforms/whorehouses who disturb market order, encourage exploitation and thus aggravates price dumping by attracting more and more would-like-bees - Instead of quality, they need only mass to make their money.<br /><br />Direct clients or agencies? It isn't a problem at all. The translator decides on his own. You have made the point very well.<br /><br />Love,<br />WenjerWenjer H. Leuschelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03040745158066005516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-32835231960622857902010-03-18T10:47:21.030+00:002010-03-18T10:47:21.030+00:00"one cannot help but sense a certain promiscu..."one cannot help but sense a certain promiscuity and hope that the customers of these lexical whorehouses use appropriate protection."<br /><br />Educate and entertain both at once. I like your style Kevin. Nice article. :)Alex Eameshttp://www.translatortips.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-83838682245763815952010-03-18T04:59:00.026+00:002010-03-18T04:59:00.026+00:00One other risk of dealing with agencies that I for...One other risk of dealing with agencies that I forgot to mention is that many small operations claim to be much more than they are. Be very sure of what you are dealing with. A case in point is that individual in Zurich, Dominic de Neuville, who is featured so prominently in the lists describing poor payment practices and worse. The various web sites for his businesses claim many offices in Austria and Switzerland and talk of "expansion", and there is a mention of "international partner offices" in London, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Prague, Budapest, Warsaw, Moscow, Istanbul, Tokyo,<br />Hong Kong, Beijing, New York, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Dubai. A former employee of his recently revealed to me what a crock all of this is for one guy with one real, physical office. Following that logic I could claim quite an impressive list of "partner offices" :-)<br /><br />By the same token there are translators who lie about their qualifications or who have great qualifications on paper but are still useless as translators. <br /><br />Due diligence - caveat emptor - is a duty which cannot be ignored without enormous risk in any important business transactions.Kevin Lossnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14727800526216764023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-74059588584278757432010-03-18T04:46:25.977+00:002010-03-18T04:46:25.977+00:00@Marcos: "Price dumping" is not always a...@Marcos: "Price dumping" is not always an issue with agencies. I've had agencies pay the equivalent of 35 euro cents/word, though I'll admit that's not common. If an agency shows up proposing that I work for 10 cents/word, I politely tell them to get buggered and don't think about the matter any more. If you are able to offer unique value and explain this value in a persuasive manner, then most of the time you can get a reasonable rate. When you can't, say goodbye with a smile. Serious prospects will often come back later.<br /><br />The actual price dumping comes not from the agencies but from the translators who accept or offer untenable rates. Or who charge direct clients the same rates that they charge agencies, because they do not understand the additional effort that is often necessary or advisable when working with direct clients. It's a matter of business skills and understanding on the part of the translators. <br /><br />Whether you continue to work with agencies or acquire direct clients isn't the most important issue. What is critical is to look for mutually beneficial, respectful relationships and to dump the ones that cannot be described that way. Think "upgrade". In some cases the upgrade may need to start with you and the way you do business.<br /><br />@Joy: I would say there are risks involved in any case, but the risks involved are not of the same magnitude. Sometimes they are greater with an agency, sometimes greater working directly with a freelancer. However, a company that takes the time to identify a limited team of good freelancers and works with these over a longer period of time will be in a far better position than one that relies on agencies. But if that company has complex needs and/or lacks the necessary project management skills and review capacities for languages services, then there may be no better alternative than a good agency. But this really fits the smaller proportion of cases I see.<br /><br />One trend I have observed in the current economic troubles is for many companies to start managing their own translation projects and stop having this done by agencies. Quality and control are the major factors here, not cost. One direct client I acquired last year, one of the most respected agricultural equipment manufacturers in Germany, opted to go this route after getting screwed by at least three agencies ranging from a fairly small operation to one of the world's ten largest. There was little consistency in the work delivered by the agencies and a lot of empty promises. Those were more or less the customer's words. Things are much better now with the hand-picked freelance team.Kevin Lossnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14727800526216764023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-33301646265334992092010-03-18T02:55:25.513+00:002010-03-18T02:55:25.513+00:00Thank you for sharing Kevin. I personally work for...Thank you for sharing Kevin. I personally work for lots of agencies. Honestly some are good and some are less qualified. Agencies are just like freelancers, there's same amount of risks involved whoever a client chooses to hire.Joyhttp://www.translators-biz-secret.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-17225379570170876772010-03-17T12:09:50.669+00:002010-03-17T12:09:50.669+00:00Great post, thanks for sharing!
At the moment I a...Great post, thanks for sharing!<br /><br />At the moment I am struggling against the price dumping practice of some agencies I've been working with for years. This post can be an inspiration to acquire some direct clients.<br /><br />MarcosZattarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12600672274720467945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-30862681561344635682010-03-17T09:50:52.608+00:002010-03-17T09:50:52.608+00:00Very good posting, Kevin. I really enjoyed every b...Very good posting, Kevin. I really enjoyed every bit of it. :)Sonjanoreply@blogger.com