Buyer's guide

Ten questions to ask
a language partner in the AI era

AI has made first drafts fast and cheap. It has not made errors in submissions, manuals or contracts any cheaper. These are the questions that separate a partner who carries responsibility from one who resells machine output — with our own answers under each.

  1. 01

    Which AI models process our content, and is our data retained or used for training?

    Ask for model names, not "proprietary AI". Our workflow uses enterprise APIs — Google Cloud Translation LLM, Claude and OpenAI, depending on the project and the client's requirements — with data retention disabled. Client content is never used to train public or third-party models. For highly sensitive programmes, on-premise AI deployment is available, and model and data-processing details are provided under NDA.

    Confidentiality & Security →
  2. 02

    Who reviews the output, and what domain credentials do they hold?

    AI drafts are only as safe as the person who signs them off. Our experts are matched by academic and industry background — for example, electrical engineers for semiconductor content — and more than 60% hold engineering, medical or legal backgrounds. Every delivery carries a named reviewer.

    AI + Expert Workflow →
  3. 03

    Which quality model and error thresholds apply to each type of content?

    A single promise for all content usually means no measurable promise at all. We calculate the composite error rate per GB/T 19682, China's national standard for translation quality, and audit against the LISA QA 3.1 model: L2 ≤1.5‰ (meets the national limit), L3 ≤1‰, L4 ≤0.5‰. L1 is AI-only with a basic check and carries no error-rate commitment.

    Choosing a service level →
  4. 04

    Is the partner certified to ISO 17100, with revision independent of translation?

    ISO 9001 alone does not evidence the translation process. ISO 17100 mandates qualified translators, an independent revision step and full traceability. Angel Translation holds ISO 17100:2015 (certificate 20138-UK) and ISO 9001:2015 (195947-UK), both issued by Bureau Veritas.

    Credentials →
  5. 05

    How are our glossaries and termbases built, maintained and reused across projects?

    Terminology should become an asset you own, not something rebuilt on every job. Each project is checked line by line against your glossary and project termbase; newly approved terms are extracted into a client-specific termbase and reused on the next project.

    AI + Expert Workflow →
  6. 06

    How far does the partner's accountability extend, and how are failed deliverables remedied?

    Get the remedy in writing before work starts. Ours is full accountability within reasonable limits: free revisions, and if two revisions still miss the agreed standard, the fee is refunded. QC reports and a written quality guarantee are provided on L3 and L4. Liability terms are set in each contract.

    Pricing and service levels →
  7. 07

    Can the partner research target-market language regulations before translating?

    Regulators decide which language, which wording and which document version counts. We offer regulatory research ahead of translation — for companies entering China, covering the requirements of Chinese regulators. It is research and document support, not legal advice.

    China Regulatory Research →
  8. 08

    How is confidential data protected: NDA, access control, audit trail, on-premise options?

    NDAs are signed at company level, and can use the client's own template. Each project is assigned only to the specialists it needs, and a restricted dedicated team can be set up on request. Confidentiality measures sit inside our ISO 9001 documented processes, with key actions logged. On-premise AI is available for highly sensitive programmes.

    Confidentiality & Security →
  9. 09

    Can the partner release many languages at once, in source formats such as DITA and InDesign?

    Reformatting after translation is where layout errors and delays creep in. We deliver in the original layout, including InDesign, DITA and XML. Standard projects take 2–4 working days and compliance projects 5–10; simultaneous multi-language release adds 1–2 days.

    Chinese language pairs →
  10. 10

    Which quality metrics will the partner report on during the engagement?

    Agree the scorecard at the start, not after a problem. We track five with clients: composite error rate, terminology match rate, on-time delivery rate, first-round regulatory acceptance rate, and unit price by tier.

    Request a quote →

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