Reports/Case studies

I am a freelance translator working for individual business and translation agenciesin the UK and in Europe. The Internet brought about a switch in our professional tools from paper-based dictionaries, necessarily limited to a narrow range of specialist subjects, to online reference material. However, I used to feel at a disadvantage compared with my competitors in Europe and in my native country, the Netherlands, who had access to broadband much earlier and were able to overcome the restrictions on speed, file size and online access which I suffered.

With the arrival of broadband I can now search the Web for accurate terms, however technical, I can access images for confirmation and ask for expert assistance if necessary; the quality of my translations is higher than ever and I am offering a wider range of subjects, as well as earlier delivery.

My clients also benefit from both bandwidth and from my being always online, so I can answer emails or tender invitations instantly - deadlines have decreased sharply and clients frequently demand delivery within hours, rather than days or weeks. Source texts are increasingly delivered in PowerPoint or .pdf format, including pictures, in a size which would be very slow or impossible under dial-up.

I can now compete with European colleagues on an equal footing, and as a result my sales in Europe have increased enormously.

As I am writing this my pc is playing streamed music :-)