Dave Grunwald wrote an interesting article on translation prices that are dropping and thought it would be good to dissect the subject even more. What makes this topic intriguing is that while translation prices are lowering the demand for translation is increasing considerably. That’s because new websites and new content are created every day and there is an increased need for people worldwide to read and understand that content regardless of their location or language knowledge.
Translation software is being used more and more
The main cause for dropping prices has been the continuous development of machine translation (MT) which has become more accurate than ever. Translation software is being used more and more by large corporations, translation agencies and even professional translators to save money and increase productivity.
What it’s important to understand is that translation software is self-learning. This means that it learns the translation due to the various tools included, such as built in and custom dictionaries, translation memory that helps you train the software and also self training features. All these great tools make proofreading and editing less time-consuming.
There is proof that large corporations such as Ford have been successfully using Systran’s translation software to cut translation costs in-house and increase productivity. Read our case studies to learn more.
What makes translators so angry?
Some translators have a bad opinion about machine translation, but these are actually the ones that have never tried using one. We recently had a translator calling us because one of his clients wanted to use translation software to translate documents. After we showed him how Systran works, he said:
“I haven’t looked at machine translation in years and didn’t realize how much it has evolved and how accurate it is now.” (Professional translation agency from Canada)
So, what translators need to understand is that the translation industry evolves just like any other industry. Let’s take a simple example: mobile devices. Fifteen years ago the mobile industry wasn’t as developed as it is today, so few could afford to buy a mobile device because it was so expensive.
Nowadays, with technology developing so fast, a smartphone’s price can drop in a few months if a more slick one is created. The translation industry as any other is about innovation and bringing next-generation products to the market. In other words, lower prices doesn’t have to mean less money for translators. On the contrary, translators should start embracing the technology because it works to their benefit and it saves them a lot of time. What some don’t realize is that they can earn the same amount of money or even more but in less time by simply using translation software.
There are also translators that have tried translation software but did not know how to use it properly, therefore did not understand how much potential it has in helping them increase productivity. That is why we always provide our customers with support videos and free training to help them learn the software and see how easy it is to use.
So, what can translators do to earn money?
Here are a few tips that can help professional translators increase their income by using translation software:
Use translation software to your advantage – Translators need to understand how advanced Machine Translation is and embrace innovation by starting to use translation software to their advantage. Those that fight the trend will soon be looking for jobs as many translators already do.
Diversify your offering – Everyone agrees that translation software still needs to be proof and edited by a human. So, any professional translator can easily provide editing and proofreading services that go hand-in-hand with the use of a translation software. This ensures the final translation is highly accurate. Find your best skills and start using them to make more money.
Be flexible – Work with the client and see what other services you can provide. If you learn how to use translation software, you can also teach your clients to use it in exchange for a fee. Than you can also edit the final translation as part of the translation project. Unlike other companies out there, when you buy Systran’s translation software from us, you get free training video series so you don’t have a daunting task of learning the software.
As a conclusion, the important thing is to be the best at what you do because you’re selling your skills more than anything else. If you also use translation software in your work, you’re actually selling innovation to your clients. Find out more about Systran’s powerful translation software and how you can use it to increase productivity.
Are you using translation software in your translation work?
