| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Automated Translation Platform Runs Out of Cash, Closes Down Thread poster: Jeff Whittaker
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| Yes, translation is not a commodity. | Jul 9, 2016 |
Exactly. This is a mistake many large translation agencies and platforms make, running on beginner's luck. Beginner's luck ends, and then you will face the sad reality, that translation is not a commodity after all, and consequently most of their approaches to translation will have to be adjusted to what translation really is, a highly individualistic human activity, or they will have to go out of business.
| | | | | Beginner's luck... | Jul 9, 2016 |
LilianNekipelov wrote:
Exactly. This is a mistake many large translation agencies and platforms make, running on beginner's luck. Beginner's luck ends, and then you will face the sad reality, that translation is not a commodity after all, and consequently most of their approaches to translation will have to be adjusted to what translation really is, a highly individualistic human activity, or they will have to go out of business.
Fact is, that if a translation agency has the time to become a "large translation agency" (through acquisitions and ever increasing profits), then it can't be "beginner's luck". And I believe we all know that several of such translation leviathans are the same that actively work to commoditize translation and translators (often openly referred to as "resources" by their VMs and PMs).
This, in contrast, was merely a startup, definitely not one of those "large" players...
| | | | | lack of understanding in this quote alone | Jul 10, 2016 |
"Translators, too, missed the human touch. “Translators are their own worst enemy. They could ditch agencies and earn more money. But they miss the human interaction,” Nielsen said. “All of these startups are trying to force a behavior change in a very conservative space, where people are very used to being pampered with human interactions.”"
To begin with, many of us work for end clients already. We're not missing out on what we already have. There is also no reason to be ... See more "Translators, too, missed the human touch. “Translators are their own worst enemy. They could ditch agencies and earn more money. But they miss the human interaction,” Nielsen said. “All of these startups are trying to force a behavior change in a very conservative space, where people are very used to being pampered with human interactions.”"
To begin with, many of us work for end clients already. We're not missing out on what we already have. There is also no reason to be earning more money, since there is no reason to change what one charges an agency versus an end client. If I do the same quality and amount of work, then why would I charge one party less for it?
Meanwhile the statement about missing human touch has a paternalistic tone to it, as though talking about clingy children rather than professionals. Any professional in any field worth his salt communicates with his clients before engaging in a project. It is how you run a business well, and how you ensure a good quality product that meets the client's needs (to use business jargon, but truthfully).
The model they had doesn't work well. A translator is not like an ATM machine that is there at the touch of a button to spit out preprogrammed stuff. One doesn't have to tell fellow translators what kinds of processes and interactions are necessary. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:48
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| Not any more | Jul 10, 2016 |
Maxi Schwarz wrote:
Any professional in any field worth his salt communicates with his clients before engaging in a project. It is how you run a business well, and how you ensure a good quality product that meets the client's needs (to use business jargon, but truthfully).
The model they had doesn't work well. A translator is not like an ATM machine that is there at the touch of a button to spit out preprogrammed stuff. One doesn't have to tell fellow translators what kinds of processes and interactions are necessary.
With the introduction of TM-Town, the process by which a prospective client finds a translator, using Proz, is also automated now. Personal interaction, if any, only comes after that.
http://www.proz.com/forum/business_issues/304034-tm_town_link_at_top_of_proz_kudoz_based_ranking_searches-page4.html#2569823
[Edited at 2016-07-10 20:51 GMT]
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