Interpreting

Do you offer online scheduling of interpreters?
Yes we do. You can enter an appointment online at any time and request an interpreter. Our scheduling manager receives a notification that an appointment has been put in and we can make sure to provide an interpreter accordingly.

How fast can I get an interpreter?
Depending on the language, we can often supply one in one hour. Rarer languages may need to be rescheduled.

How do I know if there is an assigned interpreter?
One-way is to log in to the website with your login and password (call office if you don’t know it) and then you will see appointments for the date in question. If the appointment is listed as “filled,” an interpreter is assigned. If the appointment is listed as “unfilled,” it is still unassigned. In this view you can actually see the name of the interpreter.
When you add the job online, put your e-mail address in that field, and when the job is assigned you will get an automatic e-mail notification it is assigned.

Will I receive a confirmation email of the interpreter’s job?
Yes, if you have entered your e-mail address in that field when entering the appointment online, you will receive a confirmation it has been entered.

How do I confirm that an interpreter is scheduled to be at my facility?
You can confirm by logging in to our interpreter scheduling website 24/7 to see if the order is still pending. Or, if you prefer, you may call our office to confirm.

How can I get a quote for Interpretation Service?
Interpretation on site at my facility
You can obtain all of information regarding your interpreter needs by calling our office at 513-745-0888 and dialing 5022 for the Manager.
Interpretation over the phone
We are more than happy to set you up with a telephonic code to help you meet your immediate interpreter needs. Your needs can be meet in just five minutes. Please give us a call at 513-745-0888 and we will provide you with the necessary information.
Interpretation for a trade show or an event
You can obtain all of information regarding your interpreter needs by calling our office at 513-745-0888 and dialing 0 for the operator.

How can we get special rates or discounts?
Generally if you schedule large blocks of time for common languages in advance, customer will get an hourly discount.

How do I cancel an interpretation appointment?
You can cancel an interpretation appointment at any time by calling our office during business hours and/or by calling our emergency line after hours. Please note that if the cancellation is placed with a short notice, you will be charged the minimum fee as explained in the customer agreement.

If it is over 24 hours, you can cancel it yourself online. Click the void box, and then save. If it is under 24 hours, you must call the office at 513-745-0888.

What is the cancellation policy of Affordable Language Services?
If we are notified with over 24 hours, there is no charge (for standard appointments). If canceled in less than 24 hours, there is a 2 hr. minimum charge. For sign language and less common languages the minimum is the scheduled number of hours. If there are special arrangements for conference or simultaneous interpreting, then the policy will be in the written agreement for that job.

What does LEP mean?
Limited English Proficiency

Translation

How do you charge for your service?
We can provide a per project quotation based on the desired end result and delivery requirements. Complex formatting, desktop publishing and software localization are also available on a per project or per hour rate.

How can I get a quote for Translation Services?
If you would like to get a quote for translation services please submit your request at translations@affordablelanguages.com or by calling 513-745-0888 ext. 5026.

How quickly can I receive a quote?
Our usual time for providing customers with a quote is 4 hours. However, depending on the size and complexity of the document quotes are provided in 2 to 6 hours.

Do you give volume discounts?
Yes, we take into account the full scope of the project when providing pricing.

Do you guarantee your work?
Yes, all of our translations are guaranteed. Our translators are highly skilled, qualified translators who are specialists in their field.

What languages do you support?
We support all written languages identified by the American Translators Association and are able to provide you with high quality translations done by ATA certified translators, translators with a degree in translation, or who have at least 5 years of experience in said language combination.

What file formats can I provide you?
You can provide us with any file format. Although we prefer to have the original source files so that we can facilitate the translation, we understand that sometimes source files cannot be provided in a workable, electronic format.

How are documents submitted for translation?
You can submit documents in several ways.
Email: translations@affordablelanguages.com,
Fax: 513-793-4755
Mail:
Affordable Language Services
8944 Blue Ash Road
Cincinnati, OH 45242

You also have an option of using a secure upload through our or your FTP site or by using secure file transfer such as YouSendIt.

Do you provide desktop publishing services as well?
Yes, we offer a full assortment of desktop publishing services to meet any customer’s needs.

I am ready to speak with someone. where can I call and how long will it take for you to get back to me?
You can call our translations project manager at 1-866-745-9888 ext. 5026 for any questions you may have. Our response time is anywhere between 10 minutes to one hour.

What is translation memory?
Translation memory is a linguistic database that serves to capture your ongoing translation activity so that it can be utilized for future use.

Previous translations are accumulated within the translation memory (in source and target language pairs) and reused so that you never have to translate the same phrase or exact sentence twice. The more you build up your translation memory, the faster and more accurately you can translate subsequent jobs, enabling you to decrease cost on future projects.

What is the difference between your services versus a translation software product that I can buy?
There is an assumption that software technology has advanced to such a level that full translations are possible. However, software cannot differentiate between the literal translation and the intended message. There is no translation software on the market today that can be used to produce publication quality documents. Translations should always make sense and sound perfect to the native speakers of the target language, and this just cannot be achieved with translation software.

The American Translators Association says, “As a general rule of thumb, do not use raw computer output for anything outbound. It is simply not suitable: you run the risk of looking inarticulate. Even stupid.”