Finding the best translation agency for your needs requires careful consideration and research to ensure they’re the right fit for business and your requirements.
Here are some steps to help you identify and select the right translation agency…
Define your translation project
Defining your translation project’s scope, target languages, and content will give you a clearer idea of the type of language services you’ll require and which translation agency will be best placed to support you.
Consider any special requirements you might have such as certified translations or marketing and design aspects, and prioritize your requirements in order to make selection of a translation agency more straightforward.
Research various translation agencies online, and ask for recommendations from colleagues, peers, or industry contacts.
Use a translation agency which specializes in your target language as they will have in-depth cultural knowledge which is beneficial for localizing content to suit a particular audience.
Choose an industry specialist
In order to narrow your search parameters, it is a good idea to look for translation agencies that specialize in your industry or type of content.
A translation agency which uses translators and linguists with additional qualifications or experience within your particular field tend to offer a more accurate and appropriate translation.
This is because they are familiar with industry terminology and also, with the processes, developments and technology linked to a particular industry.
For instance, if you require a legal translation, choose a translation agency which offers translators who have a legal background or training.
Other specialist translations might include:
• Marketing and PR translations
• Media and TV translations
• Tourism
• Financial
• Oil and Gas
• Publishing
Translation price, quality and timescale
Some of the most important factors when deciding which translation agency to use are often linked to cost, quality and time.
It is worth clarifying exactly which of these takes priority for your particular translation project.
For instance, if you require a really fast turnaround time then you may have to pay a little more.
Alternatively, if you don’t require a highly accurate or technical translation then you may be able to negotiate a lower price.
Remember though, you often get what you pay for, and it is rare to obtain a high quality, speedy translation which is also cheap!
Language services
When selecting the right translation agency for your project, you’ll need to consider the range of language services which you’ll require.
For example, multilingual marketing projects for a global firm will generally require a localization and design service to ensure an appropriate fit for each intended audience, so make sure the translation agency you select offers these services.
Some of the language services you might require, include:
• Translation
• Localization
• Interpreting
• Design
Translation technology and tools
While machine translation has become more popular, accurate and accessible in the last few years, it is still a long way from being good enough for use in a professional setting.
However, that doesn’t mean that translation agencies don’t make use of translation technologies and tools, they just use ones which are more advanced and innovative.
Accessing a translation agency which uses translation technology such as Computer Aided Translation (CAT), Translation Memory software (TM) and other translation tools can really help to speed up turnaround time and quality, especially when you require frequent updates or have lots of content to translate.
Check with translation agencies to see what tools they use for their translations and how this can help your project achieve its aims.
Review translation agencies
Finally, before selecting which translation agency to partner on your project, consider the following points:
Quality credentials – do they offer certified quality credentials? For example, ISO9001 which assesses the international standard for quality management. Also, consider elements such as, proofreading, editing, and quality control, and check they if they are included in the translation price.
Review samples and portfolios – ask the agency to show you examples of similar projects they have completed to assess their proficiency.
Confidentiality – check for confidentiality agreements and data security processes to ensure your content and documents are secure.
Selecting the best translation agency requires careful consideration of your project’s unique requirements and a comprehensive evaluation of potential agencies.
Once you’ve gathered all necessary information, you can make an informed decision to ensure high-quality and accurate translations for your content.
If you would like to speak to a member of the Creative Word team to see how we can help with your project, simply contact us here.
Alternatively, you can view examples of our work here.
