Our philosophy
We listen to your needs and meet them.
Whether you are an experienced international player looking for additional localization expertise or taking your first steps into the global market, we provide a professional, high-quality solution on time and to budget. Our business model is designed to deliver quality, value and flexibility which are second to none.
Our philosophy
When launching Alpha, founder Isabelle Weiss already had considerable experience in localizing software, help material and documentation, working as a freelance translator for a number of software companies and translation agencies. She felt that the approach commonly taken to localization at that time - subcontracting to freelance translators - did not always produce the best quality results. She believed that the only way to ensure the quality of the finished localization was to do the work in-house, drafting in specialist input when necessary.
From the beginning, Alpha has therefore employed staff translators, as well as DTP/graphics artists and engineers. Much of the project work takes place in our production centres in Cambridge UK (HQ) and in Barcelona, where our Project Managers have constant access to the resources they need. Each team involved in a project can communicate and interact to develop high-quality products quickly and efficiently.
We have also developed a significant outsourcing capability for larger projects, employing a mix of in-house and outsourced resources. This has given us an extremely successful, scaleable solution that maintains quality and delivery at the level of excellence our clients require.
Our methodology
We assign each project to a Project Manager who is responsible for liaising with the client, controlling the project schedule, and organising the workflow of the various project components. Each individual department (Language, Graphic, DTP, Engineering and QA) is led by a Departmental Manager, who allocates and supervises the tasks within that department.
The key element in our methodology is a detailed analysis of each product by a multi-disciplinary team, led by the Project Manager. This enables us to identify the most efficient workflow for the project, define the methods to be used and specify any tools that are required. A project involving several languages will often justify considerable investment in the development of tools, a process to which we devote substantial programming effort.
Our infrastructure
We employ a core of full-time, in-house postgraduate translators working into 19 different languages. We can source other languages and subject/technical expertise on a project-by-project basis from our extensive network of contacts and experienced freelancers. This approach gives us the flexibility to put together the right team of language and technical experts to suit the requirements of each project and client.
Our success has allowed the company to grow from five people at the start to over 130 staff now. In addition to our production centres in Cambridge, Barcelona and Beijing, we also have sales offices in the US and Germany.
Our technical capabilities
We are able to work in a multi-platform environment, including Windows, Mac, Lotus Notes and Unix. We work with Flash, Director, Freehand, FrameMaker, Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark, as well as help and web authoring tools, video editing software and audio software and equipment. We also have considerable programming capability in C, C++, Delphi, Visual Basic and Foxpro, with several of our engineering staff having previously worked in development.
We have specialist knowledge in the following areas:
| Translation | Internationalization |
| Engineering | Voiceovers |
| QA/Testing | Lip Synchronization |
| DTP Layout/Graphics | Technical Documentation |
| Project Management | Multimedia Localization |
| Audio | Phonetics |
Committed to you
Our in-house, 'all-in-one' philosophy and our organic growth as a privately-owned company, built entirely on our own success, makes us unique in the localization industry.
Quality
We employ qualified, professional translators working into their mother tongue to deliver the highest levels of quality.
Consistency
Our in-house teams ensure a consistent approach and faster turnaround times for our clients.
Flexibility
With in-house teams supported by a pool of reliable and experienced freelancers working from various locations, we can find the right combination of skills and experience to suit your project.
Experience
With our extensive experience of serving the needs of the IT industry, we are perfectly placed to help companies in a wide range of business areas with the localization of software, documentation, audio, websites and other marketing material.
Competitive pricing
Our pricing is highly competitive and our costing methods are transparent. We offer detailed quotations, with costs fixed up front, keeping projects within the assigned budget.
On time
We meet your delivery deadlines.
