In the world of professional translation, it is no longer just about language skills, technical expertise with CAT tools and AI, and on-time delivery.
An often underestimated but decisive factor is the communication skills of translation professionals. While some projects do not require direct coordination, there are many cases in which close cooperation with the client is essential. An excellent translation is created not only through linguistic skill but also through a deep understanding of the client’s individual preferences and requirements, and the willingness to take them into account.
After all, nobody wants to work with project managers or translation teams who ignore client wishes or do not build them into their work. A lack of coordination can affect the whole dynamic of a project and lead to inefficient processes.
More than language experts: the importance of communication
A precise specialist translation often requires direct exchange between the project manager, the translation professionals and the client. Whether to clarify open questions, agree on specific terminology or take feedback from target markets or company departments into account, open, proactive and professional communication is essential.
Our translation professionals should therefore not only have subject and language expertise but also stand out for their communication skills and service orientation.
1. Clarifying open questions with the client
To ensure an accurate and consistent translation, additional information is often needed. For example, a term can have different meanings in different parts of a company.
Professional translators therefore ask targeted questions, making sure the terminology matches the client’s wishes and corporate language exactly.
2. Taking individual preferences into account
Every company, and especially its international subsidiaries, has its own corporate language, specific technical terms or preferred spellings. Our translation professionals therefore do not work in isolation but actively build the client’s preferences into their work.
This happens, among other things, through:
- using and maintaining existing glossaries and translation memories
- creating new terminology lists in consultation with the client
- taking company-specific spellings and style guidelines into account
This way, we make sure that the company’s communication remains recognisable and that consistency is maintained across all languages.
3. Working with the target groups of the translations
In many projects, it is not enough simply to deliver the translation to the client: it also needs to be coordinated with the actual target groups.
This means that our translation professionals exchange information with, for example:
- company subsidiaries in the target country
- teams or departments that work with the translations
- local contact persons or partner companies
to make sure the translation is not only linguistically correct but also culturally and terminologically appropriate.
For internationally active companies in particular, this step is crucial to guarantee the local relevance of the content.
4. Constructive feedback and continuous improvement
The process does not simply end when a translation is delivered. We attach great importance to feedback, both from our direct clients and from the end users of the translations.
By working closely with the relevant departments, marketing teams or product managers, we can implement improvements in a targeted way and make future projects even more efficient.
The result: a continuously optimised translation process that saves time and costs in the long run.
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