About TRI-TRAB
TRI-TRAB is a project run by María Scheibengraf and a team of volunteers as an initiative to advocate for translators’ rights and ethical business practices. We’re dedicated to rooting out any kind of unfair behaviour in the translation industry, and TRI-TRAB is a natural extension of this passion and commitment.
Meet Maria Scheibengraf
Maria is a professional translator with over 12 years of experience. Here’s her LinkedIn profile.
Over the years, María has annoyed countless translation agencies who have tried to take advantage of their freelance vendors.
By calling them out on social media, in blog posts, etc., María helps warn professionals and buyers alike against working with these bottom-feeding agencies.
But there are always more corners of the industry that need to be exposed, which is why we’re so excited about TRI-TRAB. This platform’s goal is to make sure that no translation agency gets away with exploiting their translators – and we know that together, we can do just that.
If you’ve got any ideas to make TRI-TRAB even better, let us know! From speaking opportunities at conferences to partnerships that would allow us to expand our reach, we’re always open to new ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answer is manifold:
1) Sites like TrustPilot and ProZ don’t facilitate anonymous complaints against agencies.
2) These sites are subject to manipulation. We’ve heard countless times about agencies requiring their translators to post positive reviews and threatening them with negative consequences if they don’t comply.
3) These sites use a 1-to-5 star rating, and we don’t. Users don’t come to TRI-TRAB to check how good an agency is doing – they come to TRI-TRAB to see if an agency has a profile here in the first place (which is a red flag in terms of their business ethics).
TRI-TRAB’s ultimate goal isn’t just to expose shady translation agencies – it’s also to use SEO to pressure these agencies into changing their practices.
Every time a translation buyer searches for a translation agency, we want them to come across TRI-TRAB’s reputation management tool and see the list of complaints against these agencies.
While we acknowledge that the issues addressed on our platform can be uncomfortable, we firmly believe that the outcome of this project will have a profoundly positive impact on the translation industry as a whole.
Our intention is to promote transparency, advocate for translators’ rights, and expose unfair practices. By sharing factual information and experiences, we aim to empower professionals and buyers with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.
While the content may shed light on uncomfortable realities, it is essential to focus on the long-term benefits of fostering a more transparent and equitable translation industry. We view TRI-TRAB as a catalyst for positive change within the industry, even if the content of the reviews doesn’t reflect a positive sentiment.
However, to avoid focusing solely on the grievances of translation and localisation professionals, we’ve added a blog section to the TRI-TRAB website. Here, we want to share insights and tips on how translators can promote their own careers and establish themselves as valuable professionals in this industry. And we welcome guest posts!
At TRI-TRAB, we take the verification of complaints and the maintenance of good faith very seriously. Each submitted complaint undergoes a thorough review process to ensure the veracity of the claims made. Here’s how we ensure transparency and accountability:
Collecting Submitter’s Business Information: When a complaint is submitted, we request the submitter’s business information, even though we later anonymise the complaint when publishing it on our platform. By collecting the submitter’s business information, we facilitate communication and address any potential concerns regarding the legitimacy of the complaint. This information helps us engage with submitters and ensures that the complaints come from individuals with a valid business perspective within the industry.
- Verifying Submitter’s Identity: We make it mandatory for submitters to provide a LinkedIn profile URL during the submission process. This requirement helps us verify the identity and professional background of the submitter, further reinforcing the credibility of the complaint.
Requesting Supporting Evidence: We encourage submitters to provide evidence to support their claims. This evidence may include email screenshots or any other relevant documentation that helps validate the complaint. By seeking supporting evidence, we aim to maintain the integrity of the platform and provide a comprehensive picture of each reported incident.
Allowing Company Response: To ensure fairness and provide an opportunity for the reported company to address the complaint, we offer them the option to reply to the complaint in the comments section. This allows for a balanced representation of perspectives and encourages constructive dialogue between parties involved.
Our Terms and Conditions (Ts&Cs) explain these processes in more detail, outlining the steps we take to maintain transparency and accountability.
By implementing these measures, we aim to uphold the highest standards of integrity and ensure that TRI-TRAB remains a trusted platform for information sharing within the translation industry.
The decision to exclude an open text field from the submission form is driven by our commitment to maintaining a factual and professional environment on TRI-TRAB.
By providing structured fields for specific information, we aim to minimise the potential for aggressive language and ensure that submissions remain focused on factual details.
This approach helps protect TRI-TRAB against potential defamation or libel lawsuits that may arise from unmoderated comments.
We prioritise the accuracy and integrity of the information shared on our platform, and structured fields allow us to maintain a higher level of control.