FAQ
Q1. What is the difference between using a freelance translator and a translation company?
A1. There are extremely competent freelance translators who can provide professional translation quality. However, there is usually no post-translation quality control process and individual translators generally have limited time and resources. A good translation company screens, tests and trains its translators, implements quality control processes and provides a collaborative environment where linguistic, industry and technical support can be offered. It also provides in-house glossaries, terminology databases and other resources that helps provide a higher quality of work, as well as time and cost savings.
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Q2. How do we assure the quality of a translation?
A2. Quality assurance begins with assigning the right translator to handle the assignment. Our translation teams handle a regular stream of work daily and usually specialize in only one or two related domains. We have extremely strict translator recruitment standards and also believe strongly in the continual training and upgrading of our staff. Client-specific glossaries and style sheets are created for our regular clients to ensure consistency and quality. Most translations go through a quality control process of "translation-proofreading-editing". For projects requiring a very high level of accuracy, we also provide back-translation and linguistic validation.
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Q3.Are there "accredited" translation companies?
A3. There is no official accreditation agency for translation in Singapore nor is there an internationally recognized accreditation body for the translation profession as a whole. Where applicable, we ensure that our translators hold relevant local certification in their home countries. We are listed as Approved Translation Provider" by several government agencies, embassies and multinational organizations and can provide certification of translation translation accuracy should this be necessary. In the highly regulated field of clinical research translations, we undergo regular audits to certify that we comply with industry regulatory standards.
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Q4. What role does technology play in the translation process?
A4. We actively use technology to help our translators raise their productivity and improve translation quality. We use terminology management, translation memory and project management systems to provide cost-effective, prompt and professional translation services to our clients. In addition. we have accumulated an extensive terminology and reference resources and translation memories from the many projects undertaken over the past 30 years. These help ensure that our translation work is carried out in as efficient a way as possible, saving time and money for the client.
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Q5.How are charges for translation calculated?
A5. The translation fee is calculated based on a word count in the source document. The unit price varies based on the source and target languages. A standard minimum fee is applicable.
For example, if you require a document of 500 words to be translated from English to Korean and the unit rate is S$0.30 per source word, then the translation fee is (500 * S$0.30) = S$150.
However, additional charges may be applicable if:
1. The document is of a specialised or technical nature.
2. The document requires a quick turnaround.
3. The document requires special formatting/layout.
Charges for the translation of personal documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, graduation certificates etc, will not be based on the word count. Instead, a standard fee is charged per document.
Certification and notarization of translations can be arranged for a service fee.
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Q6. How do I go about getting a quote?
A6. You can get a quote by simply clicking on the "Get a quote" button on the website. You can upload the document you want translated and a quote will be sent to you via email within two (2) hours in the course of the working day stating the cost, delivery time and other conditions.
If the price is acceptable to you, click to confirm your order and then proceed to make an online payment. Our translators and editors will start on the assignment once payment is made. The translation will be sent to you via email within the stipulated time.
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Q7. How do I make payment?
A7. Payment can be made through Paypal on our website or through cash and cheque if you are picking up the translation from us.
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Q8. Is my document secured?
A8. Any documents that you upload are secure. You will be asked to set a password after uploading your file for quotation. In this way, only you and the company project manager will have access to the document. You will also be prompted for the password for confirmation, modification, cancellation and downloading of the assignment. No one else can see the document or order changes to the document without your password.
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Q.9 Are my documents and translations kept confidential?
A9.We treat all our documents as confidential under the Translators' Charter. Only those directly involved in the translation process (project manager, translator, editor) will have access to the source document and translation. All our staff and contractors sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and are obliged to maintain absolute confidence. If needed, we can sign company-level NDAs.
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