Frequently asked questions

All the answers to your questions about blarlo’s professional translation services for businesses.

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General

At blarlo, we have set our minimum order at €10 per request and language, in order to ensure maximum quality on our projects and to be able to make them profitable.

Managing a translation order is more complex than translating the actual content, since it involves several steps both before and after translation. Here are a few examples: identifying the text type, choosing the most suitable translator depending on the language pair and sector, quality review, etc.

Not only this, managing a small project that needs to be translated into many languages often involves lots of management time when it comes to assigning the job to translators who are willing to do it, due to the fact that they don’t end up earning much money for it.

At blarlo, we work with up to 70 different types of document formats. Our methodology and platform make it possible to work with the following formats:
  • .doc, .docx, .dot, .dotx, .docm, .dotm, .rtf, .ppt, .pptx, .pot, .potx, .pptm, .potm, .xls, .xlsx, .xlt, .xltx, .xlsm, .xltm
  • Google Docs, Sheets, Slides
  • .htm, .html
  • .dml (.indd), .icml, .mif (version 8 and above only), .psd, .svg
  • .ttx (pre-segmented), .sdlxliff
  • .xml, .xhtm, .xhtml, Android .xml
  • .xliff (1.2),.xliff (2.0), .xliff for WordPress, mqxliff (MemoQ xliff), tmx
  • .dita, .ditamap
  • .md, .markdown
  • .pdf
  • .catkeys, .csv, (Magento).csv, DocBook (.dbk), .desktop, (Mozilla).DTD, .epub, (Joomla).ini, .json, .lang, .Plist, .po, .properties, (Java).properties, .rc, .resx, .srt, .strings, .sbv, .sub (SubViewer only), .ts, .txt, .vtt, .wiki, .yaml
  • .tag, .xtg

Once the translations are finished and have been proofread by the quality department, they are delivered in the same format as the original. This way, both their use and publication are optimized.

If the document can’t be edited, like in the case of PDF documents, scanned documents, images, etc., blarlo will assess how to approach the translation project and deliver the texts to the customer in the required format.

The format in which the translations are received and delivered plays a key role in maximizing efficiency during the translation process.
Send us your documents for translation

The most agile and efficient way to carry out a translation project is to send the content in an editable format. This is likely to be the format in which it was created, as well as the one in which the translation will be used. For example:
  • • If the content was created in MS Word or MS PowerPoint, it’s best to send it in that format. This is because blarlo will deliver the translation in the same format to make it easier to use the translations.
  • • If the customer wants to translate a website, the most efficient way to go about it is to export the content as a file (CSV, XLIFF, HTML etc.). In this way, blarlo will deliver the translation in the same format so that the customer can import the file and publish their content in a matter of minutes. This reduces the possibility of making mistakes that could occur as a result of having to publish everything manually.

Sometimes the customer doesn’t have the texts in an editable format. In such cases, at blarlo we have the knowledge and solutions necessary to address these needs.

In line with our customer-centric philosophy, here at blarlo we can advise our customers about the most efficient way to handle their translation needs.

At blarlo we have defined our productivity ratios keeping in mind key aspects such as the text’s complexity level or specialization, the language pair, the quality process, the volume, etc.

Based on the parameters we mentioned in the previous section, at blarlo we set a standard deadline for the customer according to their translation needs.

However, the customer often needs their translation by a specific date, before the one defined by our standards. And that’s okay. When this happens, we work with the customer to set the deadline, adapting to their needs and timelines.

Thanks to our methodology and the T.O.P. (Translation Optimization Platform) we use to manage translations, we can speed up the translation process by organizing work teams, allowing us to shorten and optimize deadlines.

What’s more, if you’re in need of any urgent translations, we have a RUSH service that sets off all our alarms. From the second you get in touch with us, we assign a translator to the project in a matter of minutes, speeding up the entire process.

We’re proud to point out that all our translation jobs that we’ve carried out, which amount to more than 20,000 projects since 2017, were delivered within the deadlines established with our customers.

Sometimes, customers ask us why they need to send us the editable files when instead we can work with a non-editable format and simply type the translation in another document. This can, of course, be done, but not without significant problems that affect the project’s efficiency:
  • Depending on the file’s volume and type, it is difficult to identify and come up with a clear budget for the number of words that need to be translated. This makes it hard to provide a fully optimized quote and set the deadlines.
  • Non-editable formats can’t be analyzed with our T.O.P. (Translation Optimization Platform) to identify repeated segments and very often significantly optimize the project’s deadlines and costs.
  • If we have the documents in an editable format, we can avoid format conversion processes, DTP (desktop publishing) costs, etc.
  • Finally, we can maximize the texts’ consistency, help the translators do their job, and also make it easier for the customers to use the translated content.

To define how many languages we translate into, at blarlo it’s important to talk in terms of language pairs. This is because, in order to do a translation, we need to consider both the source and target languages.

In this regard, at the moment blarlo has the capacity to translate between more than 700 language pairs, since we work with more than 11,000 translators located in 120 countries. Currently, we work with the most popular source languages such as English, French, German, and Italian, up to the most complex ones such as Chinese, Russian, Arabic, among others.

We’re eager to point out that, based on our philosophy, all our translations are carried out by professional translators who are native in the target language and are experts in the required field. This is because all our collaborators are organized by sector in order to offer translations with the best quality and most accurate terminology.
Tell us which language you need to translate into

You can get in touch with us in several different ways (phone, email, forms, etc.) if you have any questions or requests. For first-time collaborations, here at blarlo we prefer it if customers get in touch via our online form. Here, the customer must specify their details, needs, and, if possible, attach the content they’d like to translate.

Once we’ve received the information, a Business Manager will review the request and, if necessary, they will get in touch with the customer to clarify any questions and manage the project according to their specific needs. Additionally, when we start to collaborate with a customer, we assign them a Business Manager. All communication is carried out via email to speed up the translation management process and to offer a service that is fully tailored to the customer.

Quality is one of blarlo’s key principles. This is why, here at blarlo, aside from choosing the most suitable translator (or translators) for each project, all of our translations are reviewed by our quality (QA) department in order to ensure that they are up to standard.

In this regard, our translations are proofread by an impartial translator who hasn’t worked on the original project, according to the language pair. This is how we achieve the best quality in our translations and avoid typos, consistency issues, etc., that can sometimes occur in human translations. This second proofreading step allows us to eliminate these errors and polish the smallest details, making sure that we deliver a perfect translation.

In addition to the proofreading step before delivering the translations to the customer, blarlo carries out internal auditing processes, both for projects and for translators. These processes are based on a series of parameters in order to maximize the quality of our services.

The content’s format will affect how to count the total number of words in a document. For example, if Microsoft tools such as Word, Excel, etc. have been used, they include options to cross-check the number of words in the documents.

When working with other types of tools, you can use online portals that will tell you the number of words in your texts.

This will simply be a gross wordcount that will provide you with a general idea about the volume of words that need to be translated. However, this wordcount won’t be the one used by blarlo to define the quote and scope of the project. This is because the content will be analyzed to identify any repeated segments, translation memory matches, etc., in order to calculate the project’s weighted wordcount.

For more information, consult our rates on blarlo’s pricing page.

Blarlo has an office in Bilbao near you. At this agency in one of the most emblematic areas of this wonderful city, we offer translation services into several languages. The main European languages are the most sought after, due to the Basque Country’s prominent importation and industrial sector, while Basque is also a popular choice for content localization and connecting with the Basque population.

More information about our translation agency in Bilbao

At blarlo, there’s a difference between paying for the first project a customer does with us (the first collaboration) and all subsequent projects.

For the first project, we always ask for an advance payment before launching the translation. For all subsequent jobs, payment is expected within 15 days of issuing the invoice. This being said, in some cases it can depend on the agreement reached between the customer and the finance department, which is responsible for authorizing any changes in our invoicing model.

For more information, visit blarlo’s pricing page.

Here at blarlo, we adapt our translations’ payment terms according to the volume and duration of the project, based on the following premises:

· If the project costs more than €1800, we split it into 2 invoices: 50% at the start of the project and 50% upon delivery. The payment must be carried out within 15 days of issuing the invoice.

· When it comes to projects that last for several months and that involve different deadlines, we follow a monthly invoicing model based on the deliveries made each month.

· Finally, for ongoing translation services with monthly invoices, blarlo will issue a single invoice each month based on the number of words translated.

The cost of a translation depends on several factors, such as the volume of words to be translated, the job’s urgency, the language pairs involved, the documents’ content type, etc.

We determine the cost of a translation based on a per-word rate, which will depend on the language pair in question. For example, translating from Spanish to English is not the same as translating from Spanish to Finnish, etc.

What’s more, in order to calculate the final cost of the translation, we separate the file’s content and analyze it to identify repeated segments within the document. This is because these repetitions are only charged once.

Finally, the price may change if the customer needs any other value-added services, such as DTP (desktop publishing), file manipulation, etc.

Request a free quote for your translation

Our per-word rates vary depending on the service, the language pair, and the texts’ content type.

For services involving post-editing and translation, the rate per word can be between €0.04 and €0.12.

For some languages, not only is it necessary to consider the target language, but also the variant. This is the case with American or British English, simplified or traditional Chinese, Brazilian or European Portuguese, etc. In these cases, at blarlo we offer the same rate per word, regardless of the variant.

For more information, visit blarlo’s pricing page

In order to make it easier for our customers to manage their translations, we have several payment options:
• Bank transfer
• Credit card or Stripe (*)
• PayPal (*)

For immediate translation requests via our website, customers can pay by credit card or Stripe. When it comes to projects handled by our Business Managers, the customer can choose how to pay, with bank transfers being the most popular option.

(*) in some cases, payments may be subject to a 3% administrative fee.

Blarlo aims to offer a service that is focused on the customer’s needs and their specific situation. For this reason, even though we analyze each document as well as the customer’s needs, our quotes are free with no strings attached.

We like to show the customer that we have fully investigated the project’s scope in order to help them understand our proposed solution. Since it is one of our goals, the customer is never charged.

Our key to success is getting to know the customer in order to offer them the best service.

It’s important to distinguish between changes and mistakes. In line with our quality and customer-focused philosophy, if any kind of typographical, stylistic, or terminological mistakes are identified, blarlo takes responsibility for implementing all the changes at no cost to the customer. We also update the glossaries and translation memories on our platform, in order to ensure quality and consistency for future translations.

To avoid having to make changes and to ensure that the translation suits the customer’s needs, it is very important for the customer to specifically define their communication and translation style when placing their order. Our Business Managers will help you to define this information by asking questions about the translation’s tone of voice, any existing glossaries, any special requirements, etc.

This being said, however, any changes to texts that have already been delivered and that are free of errors will be assessed by the customer’s Business Manager to determine the extent to which the changes affect the translation. If they have a high impact, the Business Manager will prepare the relevant quote, alongside a justification for how the changes affect the translation so that the customer can give us the go-ahead.

Yes. All our translators are organized by sector and have extensive knowledge in each industry for which they translate. This means that, when assigning a translator to your project, we choose the native professional with the most experience and knowledge in the relevant sector. This allows us to adapt the texts in the target language using the vocabulary and jargon that is so particular to each sector.

Before starting a translation, we assess the content in question to identify the text type. Then, we determine whether it requires any kind of specialization. Once the text type and required skills have been identified, we look for the best translator or translators according to the project’s needs. In fact, this is one of our prerequisites when assigning a translator to the job.

All translations are carried out by our native translators from over 120 countries.

Every one of our translators has to meet a set of minimum requirements in order to translate with blarlo. They must be a certified professional translator who specializes in a business sector and is native in the target language into which they translate. Finally, what’s most important is that they pass our translation agency’s internal skill test.

In addition, periodically and randomly, blarlo audits both projects and translators before customer deadlines. This is a way to continuously monitor the quality of our work.

Yes, all our translators are native and they only translate into their mother tongue. This means that they have a full understanding of the target language into which they translate.

When we assign a job to a native translator, in other words, a person who was born in the relevant country, we ensure the highest level of adaptation and localization, as well as the best quality in the translation.

In addition to being native, they are also professional translators with extensive experience in the field and sector of the text.

blarlo is not a platform that connects customers with translators. Here at blarlo, we take full responsibility for the translations and we take care of the whole translation management process. Therefore, if the customer or project requires information about the translator, we can provide details about their professional profile (professional activity, nationality, experience, etc.), but we can never reveal their sensitive personal or contact information, such as their name, email address, etc.

For blarlo, the quality of our services is paramount. This is why we assign the translators who are best suited to each project to work on the translations.

In this regard, here at blarlo we have 3 prerequisites that must be met when approaching each project:

• All translators must have a degree, they must be professionals, and they must have at least 5 years of experience.
• They only translate into their mother tongue. We are aware that, for a perfect localization, it is essential to write in the same way as the intended audience of the translation, in order to avoid rigid texts that are difficult to read.
What’s more, we identify the translator with the necessary specialized skills, according to the customer’s content or sector.

Yes. At blarlo, we provide a broad range of services, from more general translations to highly technical ones.

We’re aware that many translations require a high level of specialization and attention to detail. This is why all our translators are organized according to their specialization.

When it comes to technical translations, we require translators to have extensive experience in the sector. What’s more, they must go through a previous testing process to certify their skills.

To sum up, at blarlo we offer technical translations in any sector: technology, cybersecurity, legal affairs, architecture, engineering, medicine, etc.

For blarlo, quality is our main goal in all our projects and services. This is why all our projects go through a quality process whereby we proofread each translation before delivering it to the customer.

In line with our philosophy, another translator who is native in the target language and has not been involved in the translation project so far proofreads the text to guarantee impartiality and objectivity.

Keeping in mind our goal to maximize quality, the proofreading process for our translations is always included in the standard price, unless the customer requires an exhaustive review or if we’re dealing with a packaging project. In such cases, the proofreading process is billed and appears on the quote.

As the saying goes: “Two heads are better than one.”

As a customer-centric company, we always want to offer the best quality in all our projects or language services.

Together with blarlo’s professional team, we implement several review processes to maximize quality before delivering the translations to our customers.

If any questions arise about the translation, we’re always available to resolve any queries or suggestions. Our main goal is for your documents and content to be translated to the highest standard. If the customer identifies any problems in the delivered translations, they must let blarlo know, with examples if possible, so that we can assess them and apply the necessary changes. The steps involved are as follows: modifying the translation, updating the memories, and documenting the changes in our style guides to maximize quality and adhere to the customer’s stylistic choices in future translations.

Yes, as an internal rule at blarlo, we never deliver any translations without them going through a proofreading and quality control process first. This process is carried out by a professional translator, or even a team of translators, who are native in the target language and did not work on the original translation. This helps us to maintain impartiality in both the translation and quality steps.

What’s more, we periodically and randomly audit our translators’ work to continuously monitor and assess its quality, keeping in mind their specializations.

At blarlo, we give you 15 days to review the translation and check that everything meets your expectations. If you’re not satisfied and you let us know within the set timeframe, we will audit your project and correct the necessary parts.

To prevent such issues from arising, all our customers and projects have a Business Manager assigned to them. In this way, they can manage communication, queries, etc. between the translation team and the customer. This is in order to align any goals, stylistic aspects, terminology, and other elements required by the customer for the translation.

At blarlo we also offer a 15-day guarantee period, which can be extended for high-volume projects.

When we receive a translation request from a customer we analyze, in addition to the language pair, the format in which the content has been sent to us. Then we assess the complexity of any DTP (desktop publishing) services required. We also assess whether the variability of the texts’ length in the different languages will affect the formatting or whether there is any non-editable text, among other aspects. Depending on all these parameters, we include a DTP service in the quote. If the customer does not approve the DTP quote, they will be in charge of any creative or DTP-related tasks.

In the case of documents that are not editable, the customer can send us the document for layout and formatting upon request. This work is subject to additional costs.

When it comes to any DTP-related tasks, we have a team of DTP professionals for each format (PowerPoint, Word, InDesign, etc.).

We are a translation and language services company that is focused on quality and efficiency. In this regard, we focus all our methodologies and processes on optimizing the translation services we offer our customers, significantly streamlining both costs and deadlines. To do this, we use our T.O.P. (Translation Optimization Platform) which allows us to identify repeated or similar segments in order to optimize the price and deadline.

What’s more, both our translation management tool and methodology allow us to put work teams together, maximizing both the quality and consistency of our translations. They also allow us to fully adhere to the customer’s deadlines.

Since the very beginning, we’ve carried out over 20,000 projects and have been able to deliver them all by the deadlines established with our customers. In fact, some of these deadlines were exceptionally tight and it was paramount to meet them, since they were for a government tender.

Based on our experience, we having established a series of productivity and efficiency KPIs, always guided by quality. Among these KPIs, we have established that the number of words that each translator can translate per day is 3000.

It is important to keep in mind that this is the translation capacity per language pair and translator, and that our process allows us to assign more than one translator to each job and language to bring deadlines further forward if necessary.

Of course. With more than 7 years of experience, we have put together a portfolio of more than 1000 recognized customers who can vouch for our work as an international translation agency specialized in different sectors. Not only this, more than 20% of our customers work with blarlo on an ongoing basis, fostering a collaboration built on trust, quality, efficiency, and tailored support.

When you get in touch with a blarlo Business Manager, you can ask for references in your sector and they will be happy to provide you with a list of companies with references regarding our agency.

Translations are delivered in the same format in which the customer sends us the original text.

Format plays a key role in maximizing the efficiency and quality of the translations. This is why at blarlo we always prefer, as far as possible, for the customer to send us their documents in an editable format that is compatible with our methodologies and platform.

Once the translation is completed in one of these editable formats that are compatible with our methodologies and platform, blarlo will deliver the file in the same format as the original. In this way, the translations will be much easier to publish and use.

If the attached document is not editable, it may vary in terms of appearance and design when it is converted for translation.

Finally, we’d like to point out that the customer may need the translations in a format that’s different from the original. This being said, however, such tasks come with an additional DTP and file conversion cost, depending on the complexity and time needed to adapt the document.

Sometimes, the customer is aware that they need to translate a series of documents or content that won’t be fully available at the beginning of the project, since they plan to produce them gradually. In these cases, blarlo works with the customer to establish a delivery timeline for both the original content and the translations. What’s more, the conditions are laid out regarding the project’s incremental budgeting.

In such cases, having a Business Manager assigned to each customer and project streamlines the management process, as well as the communication between blarlo and the customer.

Yes, as long as all parties have been informed.

When a customer requests a translation, they must tell us about all the key aspects so that we can manage the project efficiently. If the person receiving the translation is not the same as the person requesting it, this information must be provided and clearly indicated by the requester.

It is also important that everyone be informed and aligned in order to maximize efficiency and avoid any problems concerning the project’s coordination and monitoring.

In the initial stages of a project, when we determine the quote and scope of the job, we set a deadline by which we will deliver the content. Initially, and depending on the project’s volume, we set a single deadline to optimize the translation and quality process.

However, we often deal with large projects that require partial deliveries, or even customers who need partial deadlines to move forward with their internal processes. In such cases, the customer informs their Business Manager about their delivery timeline and both parties work together to establish a work and deadline plan that is fully adapted to the customer.

Currently, we can deliver sworn translations both as a hard or digital copy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs allows us to deliver sworn translations that have been digitally signed in electronic format. However, if the customer needs a hard copy of the sworn translation, it can be delivered to the person and address provided by the customer.

The documents are sent via registered mail, given the type and importance of such translations.

If you would like more information about our sworn translation services, get in touch with us.

Marketing campaigns have a significant social, cultural, and generational component that is very specific to each country. Therefore, it is very important to localize and translate campaigns keeping in mind the target audience in each case. This localization service is performed by native professional translators who are experts in marketing translation, given the creative aspect and degree of adaptation required.

Oftentimes, the success of your campaigns will depend on the level of adaptation, not only to the language, but also to the culture of the users or people being targeted.

Check out our marketing translation services, and get in touch with us

In this case, we’d like to point out that customers can benefit financially based on 2 factors:

• The first factor is “economies of scale”: oftentimes, the more the customer works with blarlo, the greater the optimization over time. The reason for this is that all the translations carried out by our professional translators are saved in our translation memories. Therefore, when we analyze repetitions, we get a higher ratio of repeated segments in the memories.

• The second factor is “high-volume projects”: when it comes to high-volume projects or services, we can organize highly efficient work teams and reduce the price per word. In these cases, we can apply a discount for:
Either: Projects that involve more than 150,000 words per language pair.
Or: Ongoing services involving more than 50,000 words per language pair for at least 6 consecutive months.

How long it takes to finish a translation will depend on factors such as word volume, the specialization, and how much we can optimize the process according to the analysis of repetitions in the content and matches in the memory.

Thanks to our T.O.P (Translation Optimization Platform), we are able to optimize translation timings and organize work teams in order to bring the deadline forward.

It is important for the customer to let their Business Manager know when the translation is required by. We also need the project roadmap to organize our teams and the translation process in an efficient way that’s aligned with the collaboration between the customer and blarlo, just like a production chain.

Request a translation that’s in line with your timings.
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