CRM tools for translators: Podio

Hi there dear readers!

As you might know, during the Q&A session of my presentation on Translation Day,  fellow translator Robin Humphrey asked if I had tried some CRM tools and suggested me to check this (really helpful!) link. I promised in turn to write a few blog posts about this topic, so here I am!

One of the free CRM tools suggested there was Podio and here is my review of it.

Positive aspects

• Once you get to the CRM function inside Podio, I have to say that it’s very intuitive
• There are some really useful features. For example, when you add a contact, you can already classify it as New, Lead, Customer or Former Customer.
  Also, you can add notes and files, thus avoiding to keep relevant folders and files stored somewhere in the computer
• It is also possible to add a reminder for something like a follow up and a nice email will land into your inbox so that you don’t have to remember anything
• Also, the Podio team is really looking forward to help you get the best from this CRM, so you will receive weekly emails with a few tips to improve your experience

Negative aspects

• I signed up for the Italian version of Podio and while some parts are localised and with a fresh and humorous twist – such as ‘Raccontaci qualcosa in più sulla tua fantastica azienda’ (Tell us more about your amazing company), most of it is in English. I would prefer to have everything either in English or in Italian
• Although the CRM function is intuitive, it is a bit hard to locate it as it is somewhat hidden in sales management
• When connecting my Google account, Podio asked for permission to have access and delete my files, calendars and contacts on Google Drive. That sounds scary, I would say that re-formulating this would be a good idea

Overall, CRM is only one of the many things that Podio can do and I think it might be a great tool for teams of people.

And have you tried Podio or other tools dear readers? Did you like them?

Thanks in advance for your comments!

Translation Day on 30th September: impressions of a first-time Zoom speaker (aka little me!)

Hi there dear readers!

Translation Day is now behind us, so I would like to share my experience as first-time Zoom speaker at the BP 30h event where I presented ‘How to apply successfully to translation agencies’.
Here are my suggestions and comments based on my experience.

– Do not just have a glass of water as I did, but actually remember to drink it 🙂 I believe a good time might be when the host wraps up your topic between the end of the presentation and the beginning of the Q&A session, so that you don’t start answering questions with almost no voice

– If you are in a room with natural light, make sure that the light at the time you rehearse is similar to when you actually present. I rehearsed with other presenters at 6pm, however at noon, shortly before my presentation, the light was completely different. A lamp did the trick though!

– Since eye contact is not possible, try to look into the camera as much as possible. I found this really hard as I kept looking at the slides and I would very much appreciate any tips to make this easier. Maybe a post-it on the top of the screen saying ‘Look here’?!? 🙂

– You views might be challenged (in a good way) because those events are an occasion to learn more both for attendees and presenters. In my case, Robin Humphrey kindly asked my opinion about free CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools. I have not had the chance to look into them, so stay tuned for future post about those and thanks for inspiring me Rob! This was the best part of the whole experience as I did not expect to leave the event so full of enthusiasm regarding new blog posts!

And do you have more suggestions for any speaker with almost no experience?

Thanks in advance for your comments!

Case study about translating labels for a company producing organic herbal teas and spices

Hi there dear readers!

Some time ago I truly enjoyed a project involving labels of herbal teas and spices that had to be translated into Italian, so I thought of sharing this with you.

The customer had 40+ labels as *.pdf files to be translated. They sent me an editable file where I had to insert the translation. In this way I was able to work faster and in a more consistent way.
However, the customer cleverly sent me the *.pdf files too, so that I could draw from the images, the layout and the colour palette to provide an appropriate translation. This is always a good idea!

A few things to check were:

– Are there any character limits for the translation? We don’t want the graphic designer to get crazy!
– Are there any previous versions of the labels? If so, do they need to be checked again/re-translated or are they acceptable? To err is human; to persist is of the devil 😉

After sharing comments and insights, I checked the drafts prepared by the graphic designer for spelling, punctuation and hyphenation (how words are divided into syllables) mistakes.
For example, while in German quotation marks are „  “, in Italian they are “” and the German version would make a strange impression on a label. All these comments were made on annotated *.pdf files so that my software could talk with the graphic designer’s.

And after this check, off to printing!!!

And do you have similar experiences or advice you would like to share?

Thanks in advance for your comments!