If you have used an English translator for your previous job, then you certainly understand how difficult it is to find someone who can work professionally and meet all the criteria that you have previously set. But homework will be easier when you know what to look for. It is very important to choose the right service if your company’s reputation is very dependent on the quality of the written material to be translated. Try to imagine how a company’s prestige could decline when the company’s brochures, newsletters, presentations, and website were not translated accurately. For this reason, you need to pay attention to some important pointers for choosing the right translation agency on this page.
Understand what you need
When it comes to promoting written materials, you need a translation agency that is able to accurately convey product benefits and a call to action. On the other hand, translation agencies need to understand technically exactly how to translate information for operational manuals. Don’t be lazy to read translation examples when looking for an agent. Also, find out if they are able to accurately convey the essence of the message.
Get to know the agency better
When conducting an evaluation, ask what translation method the agency used. Either they belong to a “traditional” agency that relies solely on the manual translation of human linguists or they use computerized software to assist in the English translation process. Computer-aided translation (CAT) techniques rely on memory translation software and a terminology/glossary management system to help do the job. If you want better accuracy and smoothness of translation work, then choose a translation that is done by humans. Every English or multilingual translator is an expert in one or more language pairs, and must also have solid knowledge of difficult business, legal or medical terms.
Find out the quality of work
Each agency will provide a different quality translation result depending on their interpretation of what is meant by “quality work”. For example, what quality control measures do they implement. There are agencies that have an editor to revise the translation results, some do not. There are also those who include the tone of the original text in the translation in the hope that the reader will later appreciate the original work, but some do not. You can choose an agent based on the quality of their work.
Has specialization in the field
If possible, choose a translation service that has vertical expertise in a variety of industries. An approach that treats one way for all areas will not be able to meet the communication objectives to be conveyed and achieved. It is important to remember that not all agencies are capable of translating complex legal or medical documents or even confusing IT and financial content. Find agencies that work with English translators who have in-depth knowledge of the topic at hand so that the part of the communication you want to convey resonates with the target you want to achieve.
Good working speed
Find out the turnaround times and whether the agency can place orders outside of normal business hours. When agencies work with translators who live in other time zones, they can consistently meet their time and respect client work schedules. If the agency cooperates with international workers, it is certainly a solid company.