Attention to the confidentiality of your company’s data when hiring translation services

Hiring translation services is a recurring need for companies that communicate in more than one language, and we know that one of the main factors for the success of a brand in other markets is directly related to how well it communicates.

However, in addition to this factor, there are other important points that may affect your company’s businesses both positively and negatively, such as, for example: the level of confidentiality with which your information is handled during the translation process. When the content to be translated refers to materials that will accompany a new product launch in the market, or which contain confidential and strategic business information, such concerns warrant even more attention. So, how can you hire a translation service provider that will guarantee the confidentiality of your business information?

See the article we prepared on this topic and make a conscious contracting decision for your company.

Assuring the confidentiality of your company’s information

First of all, it is fundamental that you really know on whose hands your material is, and what are the risks in making the wrong choice, such as for example: leakage of your company’s private information online, legal problems, cancelling of contracts, among other consequences.

That’s why it is fundamental for the selected translation service provider to follow the practice of using a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in its operations.

The Non-Disclosure Agreement is a document signed by all professionals involved in your project (from project managers to translators, reviewers, designers, etc.), to assure that the information offered by you are not disclosed under any circumstances. This agreement may be included in a specific contract or in the clauses of the translation service agreement.

For professional translation agencies, ensuring the confidentiality of client information is paramount. Therefore, when hiring a partner, always check whether the company chosen uses this procedure. However, it is worth to point out that this is only one of the items to be checked with your partner. We have listed below other indispensable factors you must know!

Technological infrastructure: another important factor to assure confidentiality

In addition to signing the Non-Disclosure Agreement, an adequate technological structure is fundamental for the management and safety of data on the material to be translated.

Below are some aspects you should check with your translation service provider:

• Processing of translations on specialized tools (CAT Tools): by using these software programs, the linguists access the content to be translated directly on the tool and are able to do their work on that professional translation environment. That is, the translator does not receive the client’s files, and this minimizes the document traffic online and to different email addresses. It warrants emphasis that CAT Tools do not replace the work of a translator. In other words, they are not automated translators, but rather programs that facilitate interaction between human resources and technology. Among other advantages of using CAT Tools are:
  • Agility: when translating in a specific program, all professionals involved in the project, including translators, project managers, etc., can find all of the information needed to complete the work in a single location. Optimizing the consultation time makes it possible to streamline the delivery of the finished material;
  • Cost-effectiveness: as CAT Tools allow for creating a [1}[2}translation database{3]{4], phrases that have been previously translated for the same client can be reused, generating a favorable impact on the final project cost;
  • Quality: constant maintenance of translation memories and effective use of the [1}[2}glossary help keep terminology consistent{3]{4] in all translations;
  • Technology in favor of humans: by running quality control checks and offering suggestions for terms and structures to be used based on translation memories and the client’s glossary, this tool helps to eliminate possible human errors;
  • Real time management: by means of the translation tool, the Project Manager is able to monitor the progress of each project, ensuring on-time delivery;
  • Integrity of the final file: files are imported directly into the tool and only exported with the translation complete; which helps to eliminate the risk of overwriting any text, maintaining the integrity of translated material.
• Backup and storage of the client’s history: professional translation companies usually use robust servers that, when synchronized with translation tools, run real-time backups of the work, thus eliminating the risk of losing any information in the event of mishap.

Additionally, after the translation is completed and delivered, the files are stored in a secure environment, facilitating traceability of documents, your terminological preferences and translation memories for future projects.

Understanding the profile of the translators who will work on your project

As previously explained, there are several factors that assure a translation’s confidentiality and quality. On this topic, we will discuss the importance of evaluating what are the procedures used by the translation service provider to select the translators that are part of its partners network.

The best agencies in the industry usually count on a base with hundreds of homologated linguists on their translators’ base, which allows them to work with professionals in multiple languages, who are native and residing all over the world.

This network is created through a rigorous recruiting, screening and selection system, which involves: selection and résumé analysis of translators; a test to evaluate the professional’s ability in the translation source and target languages; analysis of consistency in following instructions and meeting deadlines; and finally, periodic evaluation to verify performance, consistency and adequacy in relation to the quality standards required by the agency.

When talking to a vendor, pay attention to this item and investigate thoroughly what are the procedures it uses to evaluate and hire its linguists, since the quality and professionalism of the translator who will work on your material may spare you from rework, delivery delays and other concerns.

Evaluating the “price” behind a translation service

Everybody wants things for lower prices and, consequently several companies choose “cheap translations”. It is a mistake to choose a translation service based on the lowest price and expect it to provide the best results for your company.

Oftentimes, a “cheaper” translation means that the translators who are working on your material are not being paid fairly, and that you will get low-quality translations, which, in the future, will be on your company’s website or on your marketing materials, and they could seriously affect your company’s image and credibility and, therefore, your businesses.

As with many things in life, if you expect a translation service with the highest level of quality, you will need to invest a little more; however, you may rest assured that your material will be carefully managed by a highly competent and reliable team.

When hiring a translation agency that is a reference in the market, you will also be able to count on the support of professionals from multiple areas, such as: project managers, experts in DTP, copy-editing and quality control, in addition to trained business consultants to deeply understand your needs.

The participation of these professionals may offer more security for you and your company, in addition to helping to assure a premium-quality translation.

Get to know the tasks conducted by these professionals below:

• Business Team: your first point of contact, this team will be responsible for understanding your needs and elaborating a customized estimate, according to your scope deadline and price needs.
• Project Managers: monitor the whole translation process, from receipt of the request to delivery of the finished file. They also plan and prepare instructions for the contracted service, supported by a translation project management tool that allows for tracking each stage of the process.

Project Managers manage stages within an agreed-upon timeframe, allocate resources according to the specific area of knowledge in your market and provide instructions based on the specific details of each project. They are also responsible for aligning communications with all professionals involved in the job, as well as with clients for resolving any uncertainties, receiving and applying feedback.

• Design & IT (D&IT): the D&IT department is formed by experts in translation and DTP tools. They are responsible, for example, for running the word count on files when preparing the quote for the client. Additionally, no matter which file format is sent for translation, the Design & IT team returns the material 100% translated and properly formatted, if you opt for this convenience. In other words, the translated project can be delivered with layout faithful to the original file, ready for publication or graphic design.

Counting on this multidisciplinary team will ensure the highest level of quality, convenience and tranquility to clients. We have listed some of them below:

• Dealing with the most varied file types: a qualified translation company will have no problem in dealing with files in different formats, because it will undoubtedly have a DTP team and IT technicians available. Hence, no matter the format of your document (PDF, JPG, PNG, EPS, TIFF, PSD, AI, IDML, CDR, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, HTML, MOV, MP4, WAV, etc.), it can be delivered 100% translated and formatted, with layout faithful to the original file and ready for use, sparing you from the responsibility of handling the post-translated content, and avoiding any diversions on the final message.
• Review stage at no additional cost: few translation services companies are equipped to offer a stage of fixing possible mistakes and implementing preferences as indicated by each client after the return of the translated material, at no additional cost. This benefit is only offered by companies that ensure the work they offer, and it is the result of a process focused on thoroughly understanding the specific details of each project. This stage ensures a high rate of approval of translated contents and the client’s loyalty, who feels safe in being able to count on this tranquility.

By now, you may have already understood how important it is to get to know in details the agency responsible for the translation services provided to your company, as well as to analyze the offer as a whole and the benefits it will offer your business.

When hiring a translation service, you should choose a partner who is able to help you and your company substantially leverage your business through a good-quality translation, creating the best strategy based on the most relevant variable for your need. More than that, get to know also the infrastructure and the complementary services it offers to mitigate risks and ensure effective results for your company.

Only a good translation company will have a set of actions to meet the specific needs of your business. If you have a translation project and you need an estimate, talk to an expert on the subject: meet Netwire.

About Netwire

Founded in 2000, Netwire is a multilingual solution enterprise that provides translation and localization into any language in the world. With robust infrastructure involving state-of-the-art technologies and the best professionals in the field, Netwire ensures high volume processing at high quality standards with quick turnover, precise control and project management, rigorous selection of native translators in every corner of the world, rapid learning of client preferences, secure and real-time data storage, information traceability and on-time delivery of the final material.

This solid foundation underlying Netwire’s services ensures a superior level of quality over other translation agencies on the market. In the past five years alone, the company processed over 110 million words, delivering an average of 400 projects per month. This experience has increasingly sparked the interest of global brands that make up its client portfolio, positioning Netwire as the right company to handle any translation demand. Request an estimate via website or by telephone and guarantee the best solution for your business!