- What languages do you offer?
We specialize in translating European languages and their variants on the American continents: French (European and Canadian French), Italian, German and Spanish (Castilian or European Spanish, Mexican Spanish, LA/US Spanish), known in the industry as FIGS; as well as Portuguese (European and Brazilian Portuguese), Dutch, Danish, Swedish and others. If you have other translation needs in non European languages, we can offer your company our Project Management service to satisfy translation needs in other languages.
- When do I need to contract professional translation services?
It is not always necessary to pay for translation services. If your company has in-house an educated target-language native speaker or a non-native speaker who has lived for several years in the target language country, s/he may adequately translate documents for intra-business or inter-business use. However, we recommend outsourcing your translation needs when the translation reflects the image of the company or when dealing with specialized contents, in these cases a professional service can make the difference.
- How is the cost of my project calculated?
We consider the following factors when calculating the cost of a project:
- The word count of the original files;
- The target and source languages;
- How technical/specialized the content to be translated is;
- Terminology, translation, copy editing and proofreading;
- The percentage of repeated or already translated text;
- If volume discounts apply;
- If layout is need for QuarkXpress, FrameMaker, Illustrator or other DTP application;
- Whether there is text embedded in graphics or other objects;
- How short the timeframe is.
AbroadLink offers 4 standard packages of service or we can customize a solution for your company to suit our customers' needs better. Our quotes feature a detailed breakdown of cost.
- How long will my project take?
On average a professional translator will translate 2,000-3,000 words a day depending on how specialized the terminology and the content is, the formatting of the text, the volume of repetition, and the technical complexity of the electronic file format. You will need to add from 1 to 5 days for project management and editing and allow time for layout if applicable. Note that for some large projects we will assemble a translator and editor team to obtain a greater daily translation rate in order to meet tight deadlines. In our quote we will offer you a guaranteed time of completion. (See our Timely Delivery Guarantee table).
- How will I send and receive my documents?
You can choose to send us documents via whatever means are available and convenient for you such as electronic mail, courier, FTP, fax, mail, etc. In the same way the final product will be delivered according to your preferences.
- Can I monitor my project once it has begun?
From the moment you request a quote until the moment you have received the final product and accepted its contents your project is carefully monitored. We believe communication with you is essential. At any time during the work, you can request from your assigned project manager a progress report on the project or use the ftp access provided by AbroadLink to your project components.
- What can I do to make the project run smoothly?
The key to the smooth running of the project is to maintain close communication with the project manager. In addition, there are steps you can take in advance when writing and preparing the documents. The following is a brief outline to keep in mind:
Make the documents “Fit for Use”. Be clear, concise, and complete. Avoid slang and colloquial expressions;communicate clearly your expectations, requirements and instructions; if possible provide the final draft of the materials; whenever available supply terminology lists and reference materials; explain what format the files are in, what software was used to create them, and what fonts and formats are required in the final work; tell us what form you want the completed project to be delivered, whether you want it to be delivered in parts or as a whole, and who we should send it to;and supply details of an authorized contact person.
- Can I request changes to the completed work?
Our staff is always willing to review the completed project at your request until you are completely satisfied with the result. Changes of accuracy or consistency to the project are considered part of the professional service we offer. Adjustments to the style or content may involve additional cost because of the time and skill involved in making the changes. No extra work will be undertaken that will affect a change in the price without your previous knowledge and consent.
- Can you provide a certificate for my translation?
We stand behind the accuracy and high quality of each project. As part of our quality control process we only use qualified professional translators. For various legal documents such as a marriage certificate or university diploma you may require a certificate with the translation. We are happy to provide a certificate with any translation on request.