Market research project guide

Translation Requests

For new project requests, email your designated project manager, the market research inbox at marketresearch@argotranslation.com, or request a quote directly through the Argo Translation Customer Portal (ACP). To ensure timely quote delivery, translation, and review, please have the following files and information ready. We are also happy to set up a briefing call to discuss further details.

Files Needed

• Translatable source file: such as .xlsx, .XML
  • If the final programmed file isn’t ready yet, please provide the pre-programmed version of the survey, an estimated word count, or the estimated length of the survey in minutes to receive a rough quote via email.
• A pre-programmed version of the survey: usually in .docx
  • This reference file aids linguists in understanding the survey context for accurate translation.

Information Needed

Workflow
We offer various service levels, timelines, and optional review steps to meet your unique needs. The following service levels are listed based on the highest quality and cost to the least:

• 2 Human Linguists (default): A qualified translator completes the work, and an equally qualified editor reviews it.
• 1 Human Linguist: A qualified translator performs both the translation and the review.
• Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE): An AI handles the initial translation, followed by thorough review and editing by a human linguist.
• Machine Translation (MT): The entire translation process is conducted by AI, without human intervention or review.

Timeline:

• Let us know your specific turnaround times. We offer expedited services, including weekend and evening work, to meet tight deadlines.

Link Checks:

• We provide an additional review step to ensure your survey functions as intended. We can follow your specified paths or create them for you.
• You may waive this step or request multiple rounds of link checks according to your requirements.

Client Review:

• If you have in-country or end-client reviewers who need to provide feedback, we can integrate an additional workflow step to accommodate their input.
• For best practices on conducting client review, check out our eBook.

Our flexible workflow is designed to deliver precise, high-quality translations tailored to your needs.

Content
In order to provide translations that align with your expectations, we will need the following information:

• Target language(s): languages and countries (ex: French for Canada/France/Switzerland)
• Style: target audience, informal/formal voice, gender-neutral language, survey medium (phone, online, etc.)
• Do not translate: all translatable (non-programming) text will be translated unless otherwise indicated.
• Decoy: provide a list of decoy brands/cities/etc. (if applicable)
• Localization: currency, brands, ethnicity, education, etc. (PM will follow up if applicable)

Link/Program Check

We make all of that data available in the TI Calls section of the Reporting Menu, as shown in the screen capture. You can also download the entire call history to an Excel file. Please review this video to learn how to download the information and quickly create a pivot table to segment the data.

Files Needed

• Translated overlay (latest version): any linguistic revisions will be applied directly, and cells with changes will be highlighted for your reference.
• Survey links: both the translated survey and the original English survey (if you have it).
• Pre-programmed version of the survey with path instructions
  • Ideally, the document should include instructions to help non-programmers navigate the screener, view all questions, and complete every possible survey path.
  • If clear path instructions are not provided, our internal team will need to create a path document for the linguists before we start the link check process. This requires additional time and costs. The project manager will make every effort to write path instructions, but please be aware that they are not programmers. Consequently, there’s a risk that the survey may not be thoroughly reviewed.

Project Add-Ons

Your project will remain open for 5 business days after final translations are delivered for initial programming. During this period, any source text changes or add-ons can be requested at a reduced rate and will be returned back within 1 business day unless otherwise specified.

After 5 business days, regular minimum fees will apply. Any additional rounds of link checks will still be honored at the quoted price after the 5 business days. Please inform the PM as soon as possible if you anticipate further actions on your project to ensure proper resource planning. To save time, all add-ons are considered pre-approved unless otherwise noted by the customer.

Timing and Service Expectations

• Standard Quotes: Typically turned around within a few hours.
• Rush Quotes: Processed as soon as possible, usually within the hour.
• Translation Services: Timing is based on the project’s word count. Please inform your project manager of any internal deadlines when making your request so they can be accommodated.

Hours of Service

• Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm Central Standard Time.
• After-Hours Requests: Any requests received outside of these hours will be addressed as soon as possible the following business day.
• Evening, Weekend, and Holiday Work: We are available for evening, weekend, and holiday work with prior notice. Additional fees will apply.

Tips for Success

The following suggestions are designed to help you build your surveys for a more cost- and time-efficient translation process:

• Confirm Receipt: Confirm receipt of all emails so the PM knows you received the files.
• Placeholders: Specify the type of content for each placeholder (e.g., brands, countries), as this can affect translations in some languages (gender/number). The PM can provide examples upon request.
• Excel Files: Ensure your survey files are in the newest version of Excel (.xlsx) for compatibility with our translation tools.
• Client-Provided Translations: Inform us if client-provided translations in the overlay should be reviewed for consistency and inclusion in the quote.
• Survey Trackers: For ongoing tracker updates, provide previous translations to ensure consistency between new and existing text.