TiMe, a three-decade journey and counting

Our company has turned 30 and we have been reflecting on our history through anecdotes and lessons learned. From a company project that was born during college time in Argentina to our well-established translation company, we lived through it all: technological changes, personnel turnover, personal crises, economic and political crises of all kinds —including devaluations and hyperinflation.

At the beginning of the nineties, there was not much work for two translators in Rosario, our home town. Most of the work was concentrated in Buenos Aires, the capital city, so we started our venture by offering technical translation services for local companies combined with in-company language training in English, which was in demand, especially in the industrial area around Rosario and the financial vertical.

The 2001 crisis in Argentina hit hard on us: companies cancelled all kinds of training, including our courses. Fortunately, by the end of the nineties, we already had some translation clients abroad, in the US and Europe. So, we decided to gear our business towards translation and localization. We started using CAT tools and getting trained in localization, both locally and in the US. It was definitely the right move. Our company started growing organically.

Some of the principles that enabled our success are:

• We choose our clients carefully. Some clients are not a good fit for us. Yes, we have turned down clients. Our peace of mind is more valuable to us than getting every possible project. Sometimes, clients require things that we cannot accept, like extremely low rates or unfair working conditions. Surprisingly, we have seen some come back and accept our terms. If your service is good, sticking to your guns might prove good tactics. Good projects and clients that we were not capable of serving well due to our own constraints (for instance, languages or very specific niches that we did not offer at that time) were referred to valued colleagues or trusted agencies. This resulted in interesting collaborations with other players in the market. Conversely, we got several projects and clients through referrals by our own freelancers or colleagues, which proves our mutual trust.
• We always treat linguists and other vendors as professionals. We never try to impose rates but rather ask them what they charge. Since we are translators, we strongly believe there are no expensive translators, instead, there are translators we cannot afford. A little negotiation is OK but not to the point where the linguist might feel you are imposing the rate. Sometimes, linguists prefer to work at a lower rate if other conditions are good, such as good communication, continuous workflow, payment terms, interesting projects, collaborative environment, etc. This way, we have kept our team stable over the years and growing. Our internal team and network of providers are a fundamental piece of our success. Many of them have been working with us for decades. The photos below show TiMe's directors next to two dear collaborators who have walked with us since the beginning.

• Resilience and creativity. Over the years, we have learnt to adapt to different clients, environments, tools, demands and requirements. When a challenge appeared, our team jumped at the opportunity to create and address that challenge. That is the adrenaline running through our veins, what keeps us moving and alive.
• Diversity of client-portfolio. Translation is always in demand. When the economy is thriving, some verticals demand translation and localization, when there is a crisis, other verticals drive the demand. Diversifying is the key. For instance, during the pandemics, subtitling and voiceover requests grew and we were able to meet that demand by honing our skills and hiring the best vendors for the task.
• Becoming a trusted partner, not just another provider: There were countless opportunities for us to help our clients win new accounts and preserve the ones they had. Many of our clients have worked with us for 10 and even 20 years. When they needed to win bids by passing tests, we were there for them. When they needed to keep an account tidy and neat, we helped them build the terminology, kept stable teams in the account, managed their TMs, kept track of preferences if the client had reviewers, and made an overall commitment to the account. Sometimes, there is a lot of turnover on the client-side staff but we keep their accounts consistent through time.

These are some of the ingredients of our recipe for success. What are yours? Do you have any advice as a company owner or freelancer?

Follow us: https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/time-translations-&-training/

Visit our website: www.timeargentina.com

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