Quality Assurance
McElroy’s Quality Assurance
More than 70% of our clients who responded to our 2007 customer service survey indicated that quality of translation was their greatest priority in purchasing translation services, and thus high quality and quality assurance are our greatest priorities at McElroy Translation. Our quality assurance protocol comprises several components, including translator selection, a three-step edit, proof, and final check process, adherence to industry guidelines, and customer issue tracking.
Translator Selection
Quality assurance begins with translator selection. McElroy has an excellent reputation among linguists for providing training, clear instructions, and on-time payment, which enables us to recruit and retain the best in the industry. Our network of more than 1,500 translators is made up of native speakers of target languages who have extensive and proven expertise in their subject matter area(s). The stability of our translation resources enables them to develop client-specific expertise, and many of our translators have worked with the same clients for more than 20 years.
3-Step Translation QA process
Our three-step edit, proof, and final check process is performed primarily by in-house staff, more than half of whom have been with McElroy for more than five years. Technical editors who are subject matter specialists first review each translation to ensure the accuracy and completeness of technical content, and for readability, including proper syntax, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. A proofreader then repeats this review and also checks formatting and for omissions. Finally, a document specialist ensures that the final product to be delivered meets all of the client’s specifications and requirements.
ASTM International
McElroy Translation also adheres to and promotes the ASTM International F 2575-06 Standard Guide for Quality Assurance in Translation, published in June 2006. ASTM International is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world, known for its best-in-class practices for both standards development and delivery. This quality guide, which was many years in the making and supported by the American Translators Association, is an important new standard for the translation industry and its clients.
And we’ve got the numbers to prove it!
We employ a Customer Service Coordinator responsible for, among other tasks, receiving, resolving, and tracking customer-reported questions and issues. We are proud to report that only 27 of more than 6,000 projects completed in 2007 (less than half of one percent!) resulted in a client question about the quality of the translation. More than 90% of our clients who responded to our 2007 customer service survey rated the quality of our work above average or excellent. One of our largest clients, and one we have been working with for a very long time, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, recently rated our performance over a five-year contract as 3 on a scale of 0 to 4 in all categories, including quality. We maintain industry standard errors and omissions insurance, and have only had one claim in 40 years of doing business.
McElroy Translation takes quality seriously, and we have a proven record for delivering it consistently. We measure results, poll clients, and strive for continuous improvement.
