This is a great way to summarize or expand this task, but it is quite far from its definition… Yes, there are individuals and agencies that are mere email couriers and therefore their intermediation is limited to mail forwarding —our agency does more than that.

Managing projects involves analytical skills at the outset to analyze the client’s request, work materials and thus be able to provide advice and arrive at the right quote for the project at hand.

So we get started by keeping an open-ears attitude and listening to what the client thinks they may need, so we can either to endorse it or otherwise advise another service, an alternative or a more efficient or cheaper way for the client.

If the client accepts our advice and the quotation, we start by preparing the work files -since in many cases they are not valid as they come from the client-, with the help of our computer tools; although many do not know it, PDF files are not work files, but visual reference files for translators and proofreaders.

Once we have the work materials prepared and processed using our translation memories, with text strings blocked where needed to keep the original texts, create a style guide, give directions according to the client’s instructions, etc., we can select the best possible combination of translator and proofreader, as well as add other team members such as editor, DTP designer, IT specialist or other professional as required.

While the project is undergoing, we maintain a fluid communication with the translator and proofreader, supporting their choices, following up on deliveries and project progress, taking care of the administration and their POs, relating with the different stakeholders involved… until we receive the materials back and perform our part of the job as project managers.

Before delivery to the client, the translated and proofread materials must be decompiled, returned to their source format, checked through a quality control process and packaged for delivery to the client on time.

Well, this is just a summary of the basic tasks in project management, because then comes the «after-sales service«, dealing with customers and intermediaries, with requests that were not made at the right time (at the beginning of the project), with complaints about aspects that are out of their range of competence, with changes that we can accommodate to provide added value to the customer without additional costs, etc.

We are much more than just mere couriers…