Building a strong language supply chain – why reputation matters

on Dec 16 in Uncategorized tagged by

The importance of your reputation in building your supply chain is really well illustrated by an encounter Eva, our Translation Manager, had at a legal translation workshop last weekend in London. Chatting to an interpreter over coffee, Eva asked for the interpreter’s contact details for possible assignments…

Interpreter:     “I’m sorry, I never work for language agencies, they can’t be trusted”
Eva:     “Oh, I didn’t know -  I do work for a language company – Lifeline Languages?”
Interpreter:     “Lifeline? Oh, but you guys have a fantastic reputation here in London – I’d be happy to work with you of course!”

So we connected with another excellent resource, while she’s found another avenue to high-quality well-paid work.

That’s why reputation matters!

Harley Davidson Rideout! YAAAAY!

on Aug 01 in People, Plain fun tagged by

We’re SO NOT just another boring company blog… summer’s here (at last) so the Harley’s out, an 09 orange and black Nightster 1200 from Milwaukee’s finest that I take Lynn cruising on if I’m not hustling solo. Following our blats to Blackpool, Manchester and Southport (just for ice cream), the last Sunday in July saw our local dealership – the excellent Preston Harley Davidson – hosting a big rideout. We were – as usual! – sadly too busy to take the day and go, but we were there for the off and wanted our readers to share in the sights and sounds. There’s some pix below, but for the REAL experience you NEED to check out the video too – my little cameraphone was overwhelmed by the sheer volume so the audio doesn’t do justice to the ground-shaking rumble of 50+ V-twins taking off together, but I think you’ll get the idea.

What’s this got to do with translation and interpreting? Frankly, not a lot – hey, get over it…

Oh yeah – pix: mine’s the one at top left   :)

Here’s the video!

Legally French!

on Jul 15 in People, Translation tagged by

How many language companies do you know with a fully-qualified LLB (Law graduate) on their team?

Linda, our mother-tongue French Project Manager, graduated today from UCLAN with flying colours – amazingly she did her final year while working 2 days a week for us, which shows REAL commitment. I know there’s no way I could have done that during MY final year!

Many congratulations to Linda – having worked with us part-time for a year she’s decided that we’re more fun than legal work (we agree!) so she’s been here full-time since finishing her studies in July. We’ve not only gained a really nice, and excellent, PM but we also now have serious legal expertise on our team for all our own legal translation, as well as excellent mother-tongue project management for our French translation and French interpreting work

Here she is, with Lynn our MD, in all her graduation finery (Linda, not Lynn – Linda’s the one on the left. Sorry, bit obvious I s’pose!)

Linda, our French PM, gowned from her LLB graduation from UCLAN

Keeping our heads above water!

on Jul 12 in People tagged by

Fran, one of our Project Managers, took part in the UK’s Great North Swim (a challenging 1-mile open-water swim in Lake Windermere) in June – not the warmest of months, and of course Windermere – the UK’s largest lake  – is a massive body of water so hasn’t really warmed up much yet… Fran takes up the story!

It was sometime back in February or March that my friend Claire dropped into the conversation the topic of the Great North Swim. We may have been in Starbucks eating cake, or possibly having a quick drink at the pub – but whatever we were doing, I was enjoying it too much to actually take seriously the idea of swimming a mile in a lake!

However, Claire kept raising it and eventually I caved in. I enjoyed swimming in a pool – how different could swimming in a lake be? Training in my local pool was fun, and I even began to feel a bit smug about the whole thing. Big mistake…

Then I stepped into the lake on the day. It was cold – much colder than 16.2 degrees sounds like it should be.  Reluctance had begun to creep in as Claire and I sat on the ferry to Ambleside – the weather was less than balmy with a distinct lack of sunshine. Then Claire uttered those words of doom: “I’m starting to think this was a bad idea”...

By the time I’d got to the acclimatisation pool, I completely agreed… The zip on my new wetsuit had kicked things off by deciding to break as I was being zipped up, so I wandered barefoot, Bridget Jones-esque, through the crowds of swimmers to find the wetsuit stall in the hope they had one left I could hire. Luck was in – the ladies at BlueSeventy sized me up and squeezed me into a more robust suit, before sending me on my way. Making it to the start line with minutes to spare, I attached the timing chip (which measures your time) around my ankle, and located Claire. A swim in the acclimatisation pool, then a quick warm-up  – and off we go!

Wow… if anyone tries to cajole you into open water swimming in the UK, consider this: the water will be cold. No, not cold – I’m talking C-O-L-D. The instant you go in, your heart starts racing trying to warm you up. Some enjoy the feeling, but to me it felt as I imagine having a panic attack would – utterly terrifying. However, here I was – so it was either get back out again, or get going…

To my considerable surprise, I actually made it the whole mile – past the yellow buoys, out to the pink halfway buoy (with a couple of short stops to relax my aching muscles and chat to the rescue duty kayakers), then on past the other yellow buoys on the seemingly never-ending swim toward the finish.

Open water swimming is WAY different to swimming in a pool. In a pool, you move your arms and legs, and progress is immediate. But, in a freezing lake you move your arms and legs in the best semblance of a stroke your tired cold muscles can manage, and it feels as if you moved 2 or 3 inches at most. The hardest part is the sheer willpower to keep going – well, that and the fatigue and cold… Eventually, after slightly less than an (incredibly, hideously, long) hour of this I finally made the finish, did my (rather wobbly) walk up the boardwalk, handed in my timing chip and collected my goody bag.

I proudly wore my t-shirt into the office the following day!

Having entered the Swim too late for official sponsorship, Lifeline and I decided to donate to the Great North Air Ambulance, which rescued the swimmers who got into difficulties during the race – one of whom later sadly passed away.

What a day…

Well then – go Fran! She hasn’t yet mentioned next year’s event and none of us is brave enough to… so we’ll see…

Raced for Life – so that was Tatton Park! Phew…

on Jun 19 in People tagged , , by

Been there, done that – our heroes finished the 10km course on an alternately sunny and cloudy Sunday. Amidst 2200 other lasses in the de rigueur pink gear, Lynn, Jackie, Priya, and Joanne (and Mark there as Team Support/pack mule) romped around the beautiful Tatton Park course passing picturesque lakes, magnificent old trees, a stately home, herds of deer and superb views over the rolling Cheshire countryside (almost as nice as our own Lancashire’s!). The ominous battleship grey skies at the start softened to white cloud as we walked and then to a lovely spring day after the race – perfect race conditions really, not wet, not too hot, not windy. The real surprise came afterward, when meeting with Jackie’s family by Craig’s van he opened the van’s side door with a flourish to reveal a banqueting table laid with wine, cold buffet, candles, napkins and posh cutlery, surrounded by proper wooden chairs! The obligatory pix are of course below – thanks to everyone who took part, and especially to Craig and Joanne who gave a whole new meaning to post-race refreshments!

Again, a great big “Well done!” to those who took part in the Tatton Park Race for Life, and who has taken part or will be taking part in any of the many other Cancer Research UK events around the UK – check out the pages at Race For Life to see what’s on in your area.

Lifeline races for life – AGAIN!

on Jun 12 in People tagged by

Following our success at Southport (where we raised £265!!!) our band of heroes (well, 2 of them – plus Mark but he’s a guy so doesn’t really count) will be reprising their tired legs and windswept hairstyles this Sunday 19 June in the 10km Tatton Park Race for Life (only twice as far as last time – oh good…)

There will of course be PICTURES to come – but meanwhile, check out Lynn’s Race for Life page here - there’s a pic of our heroes in action last time, and of course you’re welcome to throw a little sponsorship her way if you like – it’s a brilliant cause and is helping not only our friends, but with 1 in 3 people being directly affected at some point there’s a good chance that you’ll be helping your own friends and family too. If you’re in the area why not come along and cheer us on!

Thanks much in advance – maybe see you there!

Lifeline races for life!

on May 15 in People tagged , , by

Before our competitors get too excited by the heading I should clarify – the Lifeline team piled into Southport today to join Cancer Research UK’s Race For Life to raise money for researching this cruel and brutal illness. Everyone was there except 2 who couldn’t make it and another who was there, but committed to running with another team (hi Sarah!). Over 1600 ladies aged 2 to 82 participated, in oufits from the practical to the peculiar and included a pair who completed the 5km course as a 3-legged race and a team of 4 carrying an inflatable dinosaur (also of course wearing the essential pink T-shirt). Lifeline opted for Company logo’d T-shirts and “sensible” kit giving a practical but cool look – in the less than clement weather, a little too cool and the T-shirts were largely obscured by jackets until the gang warmed up!

As you may know it’s an event for the fairer sex only so Mark was there in a photographic and support role – but dutifully completed the course with the girls anyway! A few pix are below – fortunately the potential downpour stayed away, and the worst we faced was a stiff breeze and light showers… we’ve yet to tot-up the proceeds but it looks like a couple of hundred pounds for this excellent cause.

For most who took part the Race is a real opportunity to have fun and raise money to help friends and relatives – and for some the research may save their own lives one day. On a depressing  note however we were stunned to hear that 1 in 3 will fail to send in their sponsorship money. While some of these may forget, for most of them this is simple and cynical theft from the family, friends and colleagues who’ve sponsored them in good faith. In case any of these thieves are reading this we want them to know they’re really, really pathetic…

For everyone else though, a great big “Well done!” to those who took part in the Southport Race for Life, and who has taken part or will be taking part in any of the many other Cancer Research UK events around the UK – check out the pages at Race For Life to see what’s on in your area. It’s a great way to spend a morning – we all enjoyed it, despite the weather, and some of us are already planning to join the Tatton Park event in June – which is only twice as far… gulp!

To finish – pix! We have below:  Lifeline & friends BEFORE the race…

Lifeline warming up to the Village People’s “YMCA” (no, seriously!)

… and Lifeline & friends POST-Race – tired but happy, medals in hand!

(Yet another) Happy client – conference transcription this time

on Apr 14 in Interpretation, Language, People, Transcription tagged , , , by

Just delivered hours & hours of conference transcription for an international petroleum client – and we’re pleased to report they told us, “Many thanks to you and your team for turning this around so quickly … we will undoubtedly be calling on your services again”

Many thanks Victoria! Transcription – particularly conference transcription – is often needed quickly and of course must be accurate – so here’s evidence that we do it well! This one was in English, but we offer similar transcription services in many other languages – and of course can also translate the transcripts too. With conference transcripts being reviewed twice against the audio it’s time-consuming so we’re not the cheapest, but our various happy transcription clients seem to think we’re worth it…

The biggest problem with this project was the French to English conference interpreting (which we DIDN’T provide!) – frequent long pauses before the speech was translated, which when it finally emerged came out rushed and unclear. This obviously makes the transcriber’s job harder – but more importantly, it means the delegates themselves lost much of the content. If you’re looking to hold a conference, you could do worse for your conference interpreting (as this demonstrates) than to consider our services.

Still no Walking Wednesday!

on Apr 14 in Language, Voiceover tagged by

I know we promised regular nature walks on Weds but the job’s getting in the way – I was on an early train last Wednesday to visit a TV company in London on a nice big new voiceover project, and this week Lynn’s off to Bristol to attend a business conference… normal service will hopefully be restored next week!

That’s one problem with success – it’s very demanding of your time! But we wouldn’t have it any other way…

Well done all – £250 for Shelterbox for Japan!

on Apr 14 in People tagged by

You may have seen from our website and this blog that we’re putting £1 from every March job to Shelterbox - so there’ll be a cheque on the way to them very shortly for £250. Thanks to everyone who used our services in March – isn’t it good to know that, as well as getting great friendly service and quality product, you’ve done something good?   ;)

Thanks again, and best wishes from all the team here!