Certified translations appear regularly in our work, but unfortunately, it is very often impossible to use the latest translation technologies when performing them. The Act of 25 November 2004 on the Profession of Sworn Translators specifies the manner of acquiring the qualifications and very precisely describes the manner of performing this profession. Therefore, the valuation of certified translations is usually prepared on the basis of a simple calculation of the number of pages to be translated (according to the Act, one page is 1125 characters with spaces in the finished translation) and multiplied by the appropriate rate. Sometimes, however, we manage to offer the client better conditions for the execution of the order. And this is exactly what happened in the case described below.
Fabryka Mebli Biurowych MARO is a family company with a global reach, where passion and experience allow it to offer solutions tailored to its clients. For over 30 years, the client has been making sure that office work is as comfortable, effective and economical as possible. And for over twenty years, the MARO brand has also been recognized outside our country. Therefore, there is a regular need to translate documents, including contracts, technical and operational documentation, certificates and similar documents.
The client came to us with the need to prepare a certified translation of documents related to his business in a short time. These were technical documents and certificates, and the client indicated at the outset that they were very similar. The problem in this situation was that certified translations are numerous due to the number of translated characters with spaces, without taking repetition into account. In the case of standard translations, our offer would automatically take into account the similarity of documents, however, in the work of a sworn translator, this is usually not applicable. However, in Skrivanek, as in Fabryka Mebli MARO, we value a personalized approach and we try to price each project individually. Therefore, we immediately started looking for a suitable solution for this situation.
The first step was to perform an in-depth analysis of the files, which of course confirmed the client’s observation – there were a lot of repeating fragments between the files. In such a situation, it would be a pity not to use CAT tools (such as Trados Studio, SmartCAT, Phrase TMS) for two reasons. Firstly, the use of professional programs used by translators around the world guarantees consistency between documents. Secondly, the use of such software means lower cost and shorter translation time. Fortunately, in Skrivanek we have a wide range of specialists, including sworn translators who also perform ordinary translations, who are up to date with technology in our industry. Therefore, we were able to agree on the translation in the CAT software, along with the subsequent authentication of the translation. The last obstacle was the files, or rather their format: we received non-editable files in PDF format from the client. Fortunately, our graphic designers did not have any difficulties in preparing editable text.
The procedure we used meant involving several people in the work: from the graphic designer who first prepared the texts for translation, through the translator who first translated the text and then swore the translated material, to the project manager who supervised all stages, prepared project in CAT software and conducted an internal quality control after each stage of the translation process. Of course, this project could have been carried out more simply, with less effort on our part, simply by performing the translation with the help of a sworn translator. But thanks to the effort put in by our Customer Relations Department, we were able to guarantee the consistency of the documents, complete the translation within the specified time, and grant an attractive discount, despite the fact that the result of the work was a fully-fledged certified translation. After the implementation, the client was very satisfied with the results of our work, so we hope for further fruitful cooperation.
Not only did we manage to meet the client’s requirements, but we were able to find an innovative method of project implementation even during the certified translation. If you also need to perform certified translations or if you simply appreciate an individual approach to the client, Skrivanek will be the perfect partner for you. We always do our best to offer our clients more than just converting characters with spaces, and we are confident that it will be the same for your project. Therefore, we encourage you to contact us!
