Overall, the core competency of quality assurance is the rigorous project management executed from the beginning to completion. In the following paragraphs, we will focus on the decisive factors in the process of project management according to the characteristics of each business.

Translation Projects

High Quality “First-Round Translation”: the so-called “first-round translation” means the translation at the first round. Years of experience indicates that the level and attitude of the first-round translators decide 70% of the quality of a final work. An unsatisfactory first-round translation will present huge difficulty for proofreading, and even needs to be re-translated. Our first-round translators are all veterans with 8-17 years of experience, which guarantees the quality of our completed works.

Complete Process: we always stress that our clients’ works are not completed by a lone translator but by a whole team. From the salesmen taking orders, to the project manager making arrangements - translator A for first-round translation, translator B for proofreading and translator C for final review, and to the salesmen delivering the text to our clients, we check at each stage to minimize errors and improve the translation quality. Within the limited time, the process of translation-proofreading-final review optimally guarantees the quality of final works. However, this is not the case in some other translation companies, which only deliver translated text without proofreading and final review (or with only very random inspection). Of course, such a process requires our clients’ understanding and cooperation, to give us additional time to complete the work. Fundamentally speaking, translation quality is positively correlated to the amount of time put for each project.

Attentive Services: our exclusive customer service staff is dedicated to providing clients professional support / logistics services, such as checking and confirming clients’ requirements in advance and in a timely manner before and during the translation. During the project, we always answer our clients’ calls and e-mails as soon as possible (within the same day) and reporting on the work progress to clients without delay; and after the translation, we take the initiative to contact our clients and inquire about their feedbacks.

Computer-Aided Tools (CATs): appropriate translation technology support software can improve the efficiency of translation, and guarantee the consistency and quality of the translation with the glossary/language assets accumulated for specific clients. In some urgent projects, which require multi-person collaboration, we can use CAT to extract and unify the terms before translation, thereby avoiding easy-to-occur inconsistencies.

Interpretation Projects

Interpreter Referral Program: the initial interpretation business helped us get some high-level interpreters. With the increasing demand in the number of projects, our interpreters refer many other interpreters from their network. Unlike translation, interpretation, especially simultaneous interpretation, requires partner coordination, so the interpreters normally know more of their partners’ competence than others. We often ask our interpreters to recommend us new interpreters. It turns out that such a screening method is very reliable. We also have certain interpreters who are hired through various recruiting channels. All of these interpreters, after passing the initial interviews and oral tests, will be required to undertake small and short-term projects before working on large projects; all their performance in this process will be closely monitored.

One Designated Person to Clients and Supplier: in interpretation projects, there are many details and temporary changes, so we resort to assigning one sales manager or project manager for both the clients and interpreters communications, to ensure efficient implementation of the project requirements.

Value-added Service of Business Communication: interpretation is more direct and responsive in helping the business communication between two or several parts. This requires not only bilingual competence, but also good skills in business communication and etiquette, which create higher value for our clients in an actual business setting. Therefore, 1E attributes great importance to exploring the specific needs of our clients and perfecting the business training, management and logistics service of our interpreters to create more added values for our clients.

Audio and Video Transcription, Subtitling and Voice-Over

Complete Process: we guarantee that native speakers transcribe, translate, and proofread the audios or videos in their native languages, the technical engineers conduct the subtitling and professional native speakers carry out the voice-over. All the critical steps are done by different personnel to assure the quality and fastest response time.

Localization Projects

Strict Project Specifications: localization projects are more complicated than traditional translation projects from the technical standpoint. Therefore, we follow strict processes and technical specifications at each step to ensure seamless projection implementation.

Teamwork: besides sales personnel, project management, translation, proofreading and typesetting, a localization project still needs programmers and engineers. Multiple processes are needed to complete a localization project, and requires the collaboration of a team of specialists.