| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Would you work for an agency that does not have your work proofread? Thread poster: LucyPatterso (X)
|
|---|
I have been working with an agency for a few years. I have a good relationship with them and they provide a constant flow of work.
Due to various events I am certain that this agency rarely or never uses proofreaders to check translators' work. The project managers have a quick look through the text for missing sections or obvious mistakes - then it goes straight to the client.
Presumably they are doing this simply to cut costs and hope they get away with it. Of course... See more I have been working with an agency for a few years. I have a good relationship with them and they provide a constant flow of work.
Due to various events I am certain that this agency rarely or never uses proofreaders to check translators' work. The project managers have a quick look through the text for missing sections or obvious mistakes - then it goes straight to the client.
Presumably they are doing this simply to cut costs and hope they get away with it. Of course, they have been in business for years and get plenty of work so their strategy seems to work.
Would you work with such an agency?
I feel like I am taking all of this risk because if I did make a mistake, there's no real safety net - no other translation professional checking my work before the client sees it. ▲ Collapse
| | | |
You're not ultimately responsible for what they deliver to the client. Your contract with them is one thing, and their contract with their client is quite another.
| | | | LucyPatterso (X)
English
TOPIC STARTER
Mikhail,
Imagine you translated a 5000-word text and failed to notice a typing mistake on page 4. This is likely to happen to all of us at some stage, no matter how careful we are.
A proofreader would almost certainly pick up on this error when checking your work. A quick change - no problem and the text delivered to the client is perfect.
Now if there was no proofreading, the client might get the text published, then realise the error, and demand a discoun... See more Mikhail,
Imagine you translated a 5000-word text and failed to notice a typing mistake on page 4. This is likely to happen to all of us at some stage, no matter how careful we are.
A proofreader would almost certainly pick up on this error when checking your work. A quick change - no problem and the text delivered to the client is perfect.
Now if there was no proofreading, the client might get the text published, then realise the error, and demand a discount because they look bad with spelling mistakes in a text they paid so much for.
Of course, it will come right back to you as there's no one else to blame. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Laura Gentili 
Italy
Local time: 19:25
Member (2003)
English to Italian
+ ...
Hi,
I have a couple of customers (translation agencies) who do the same. In one case I know what I translate is checked by the end client's Italian representative.
In come cases I was asked to implement some changes in the TM, so I know someone reads the texts before they are published. They probably agreed with the end client not to charge them for proofreading since they prefer to do it themselves.
Of course if you translate different documents for obviously different ... See more Hi,
I have a couple of customers (translation agencies) who do the same. In one case I know what I translate is checked by the end client's Italian representative.
In come cases I was asked to implement some changes in the TM, so I know someone reads the texts before they are published. They probably agreed with the end client not to charge them for proofreading since they prefer to do it themselves.
Of course if you translate different documents for obviously different end clients and you realized there is no proofreading stage, I would be concerned too. The end client can sue the translation agency and they won't pay you as a compensation.
I suggest you make them sign some kind of disclaimer which restricts your liability.
Laura ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
LucyPatterson wrote:
Would you work with such an agency?
Fairly sure I already do (stuff that was clearly meant for the proofreader to see and remove returned to me still present in subsequent TMs).
My stance is that I assume agencies proofread unless they explicitly tell me they don't, and if they have accepted my work as is before passing it on, that is entirely their look out. I would negotiate any problems as if they HAD proofread it.
But if you're not happy, then don't do it, is always my advice, FWIW.
| | | | | All the time! | Apr 6, 2012 |
LucyPatterson wrote:
Would you work with such an agency?
I feel like I am taking all of this risk because if I did make a mistake, there's no real safety net - no other translation professional checking my work before the client sees it.
To me, you are the one to provide a safety net if you are not specifically told that the agency proofreads your work. Either you have to proofread your own work very carefully or have to work along with a colleague to make sure all your translations are proofread.
90% of my customers never proofread my work: I make sure it is edited and proofread before I deliver to them.
| | | | | That costs more | Apr 6, 2012 |
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
To me, you are the one to provide a safety net if you are not specifically told that the agency proofreads your work. Either you have to proofread your own work very carefully or have to work along with a colleague to make sure all your translations are proofread.
90% of my customers never proofread my work: I make sure it is edited and proofread before I deliver to them.
Whenever that is part of the deal, I charge extra.
| | | | | Basic, silver, gold and platinum packages | Apr 6, 2012 |
LucyPatterson wrote:
...Now if there was no proofreading, the client might get the text published, then realise the error, and demand a discount because they look bad with spelling mistakes in a text they paid so much for.
Of course, it will come right back to you as there's no one else to blame.
It means that the end customer chose not to pay for premium translation, and therefore is aware of this risk. If the agency hid that fact, it is their responsibility. The deal between agency and end client is not our business, and agencies know that they can't expect translators to do their own third-party editing!
I do work with some agencies who don't have my translations edited by third parties. If anything ever comes back to me, I know exactly how to reply.
Philippe
| | |
|
|
|
Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 13:25
Spanish to English
+ ...
| You can't rely on any of your mistakes being caught... | Apr 6, 2012 |
...because many agencies: 1.) provide nothing more than a "skimming proofread," which can only catch the most flagrant errors; 2.) have (more or less thorough) proofreading done by someone whose command of the source language is nil-to-shaky (and therefore such a review is of limited value); or 3.) simply pass the translation on to the client with no revision at all.
The way I manage my work in order to assure quality while not spending an inordinate amount of time on checking is t... See more ...because many agencies: 1.) provide nothing more than a "skimming proofread," which can only catch the most flagrant errors; 2.) have (more or less thorough) proofreading done by someone whose command of the source language is nil-to-shaky (and therefore such a review is of limited value); or 3.) simply pass the translation on to the client with no revision at all.
The way I manage my work in order to assure quality while not spending an inordinate amount of time on checking is to: 1.) do the best job possible on the first go-round, especially as regards not omitting any source text; and 2.) carefully, but rapidly, review the completed translation to assure coherency, while checking against the source text only when something jumps out at me as obviously off.
As I see it, the important issue here is that of how to assure quality while not making your profitability suffer, and assuring to a realistic extent that the agency you are contracting with is satisfied with your work (which includes minimizing the possibility that they get grief from the end client).
The issue here is a bit murky. Charlie and Philippe are correct in that, in the absence of your having agreed to do your own proofreading, the agency cannot reasonably expect a perfectly polished product (and certainly cannot expect you to subcontract the proofreading!). On the other hand, what Tomás writes also needs to be taken into account, because if the agency does get complaints from the end client, it is less likely to come back to you for work.
In the end, "best efforts" are called for--with an emphasis on "best" and an optimization of efficiency.
[Edited at 2012-04-06 14:25 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Phil Hand
China
Local time: 01:25
Chinese to English
| Agree with all comments above | Apr 6, 2012 |
In particular, in my pair, it's almost impossible to find a competent proofreader. Either they're source natives, in which case they might be able to check my understanding of the text, but will more than likely change my correct English to pidgin, or they are literal proofreaders, not translation checkers.
(Side grumble: I just had to request that my credit be removed from a paper in a journal because of "incorrection" by the client. )
I should say that I remain in awe of goo... See more In particular, in my pair, it's almost impossible to find a competent proofreader. Either they're source natives, in which case they might be able to check my understanding of the text, but will more than likely change my correct English to pidgin, or they are literal proofreaders, not translation checkers.
(Side grumble: I just had to request that my credit be removed from a paper in a journal because of "incorrection" by the client. )
I should say that I remain in awe of good translation revisers. Combining meaning check with detailed proofreading is incredibly hard, and I'm very grateful when it is done well. ▲ Collapse
| | | | keshab
Local time: 22:55
Member (2006)
English to Bengali
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Common practice to deprive proofreaders | Apr 6, 2012 |
LucyPatterson wrote:
I feel like I am taking all of this risk because if I did make a mistake, there's no real safety net - no other translation professional checking my work before the client sees it.
Mikhail Kropotov wrote:
You're not ultimately responsible for what they deliver to the client. Your contract with them is one thing, and their contract with their client is quite another.
I am partly agree with Mikhail that these are different kind of jobs and translator should not bother whether the translation be proofread or not. But there is a twist in the story. Agency send the translation direct to the client. Then client will analyse the translation by himself or his staff, find out errors, send back to the agency and agency return it to translator to rectify it. Fictituous? No, it is fact. Time taking? Who cares when it is a question of saving money from proofreaders! problem arises for translators because after sending invoice requests continue to come to rectify or modify things in the translation. And translators have to do accordingly for the sake of their reputation (and for the outstanding payment also)!
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 19:25
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| Title of my reply | Apr 6, 2012 |
LucyPatterson wrote:
I am certain that this agency rarely or never uses proofreaders to check translators' work. The project managers have a quick look through the text for missing sections or obvious mistakes - then it goes straight to the client. ... Would you work with such an agency?
You have to decide what are the advantages of using an agency. One advantage is that you have to do less administration work and less marketing. Another advantage is that the agency takes care of much of the quality assurance (QA) that you would have to take care of yourself if you dealt directly with the client.
Some agencies simply do not regard the QA as part of their added value. I would prefer to work only with agencies that proofread my work, but at least I know which of my agencies do and which ones don't.
I believe an agency should always do QA on translations, but some agencies have low-paying clients or unrealistic deadlines, and I believe translators should be able to work for such agencies, if everyone understands the risks involved. There are translators who simply refuse to work like this, and that is good for them, but some of us are stuck in that segment of the market, and we have to make do with what we have. In an ideal world, the translator should insist on long deadlines and ample communication and lots of money to cover all bases, but in reality this is not always possible.
| | |
|
|
|
Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 19:25
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| Do they really know? | Apr 6, 2012 |
Philippe Etienne wrote:
...and agencies know that they can't expect translators to do their own third-party editing!
I get the impression that many agencies (especially the cheaper ones) are not even aware of the fact that translations should be checked by a separate, independent person, and assume that it is okay if the translator checks his own work (and that it is indeed possible for him to do so).
Samuel
| | | |
keshab wrote:
I am partly agree with Mikhail that these are different kind of jobs and translator should not bother whether the translation be proofread or not. But there is a twist in the story. Agency send the translation direct to the client. Then client will analyse the translation by himself or his staff, find out errors, send back to the agency and agency return it to translator to rectify it. Fictituous? No, it is fact. Time taking? Who cares when it is a question of saving money from proofreaders! problem arises for translators because after sending invoice requests continue to come to rectify or modify things in the translation. And translators have to do accordingly for the sake of their reputation (and for the outstanding payment also)!
and the job of an agency consists in pressing the forward button. Nice...
| | | | keshab
Local time: 22:55
Member (2006)
English to Bengali
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Not all agencies | Apr 6, 2012 |
Of course my coment does not meant for all agencies. There are many reputed agencies in the world who maintain quality control by distributing job between translator and proofreader. But there are many agencies also who religiously maintain to bypass proofreading and create pressure on translator and cheat the poor client
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Would you work for an agency that does not have your work proofread? | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
| | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
