I do not speak Chinese. And Google Translate is good, but not that good.
For detailed answers to specific questions about environmentally friendly hydroelectric power generation in China, I needed a translator. My client's marketing manager in China translated the questions into Chinese, sent them to people in the know at HydroChina Huadong Engineering Corp., then translated their responses back into English.
That is going above and beyond, if you ask me.
The insights into their design strategies and engineering information management made for a fascinating case study. Without that first-hand perspective, the story would have been sketchy indeed.
For another story, the client's customer was the team player. I emailed questions about the ROI for a software integration project, and he forwarded them to his team for input. The follow-up phone interview delved into more detail than would otherwise have been possible.
Happy customers make great stories.
I work alone, mostly. But working as a team sometimes produces better writing.
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