Translation Buying Guide

There is no easy way of knowing whether translation services provided by one company is better than the other. All translation companies promise accurate translations but then not all are equal. While some are expensive, some are cheap. Some promise unending quality while others proclaim fast delivery. The truth is that good translators are not cheap, nor should they be. The bottom line is that in choosing a translation service, price should not be your ultimate deciding factor. For translation of your important document and to get the final product according to the best quality that you require, always take into consideration the following factors besides price:

• Know the quality you need. If you just want a general idea of the content, it is better to use a freelancer. If you want the highest quality, go for a translation company.
  
  
• Be certain that the translation companies use native speakers.
  
  
• Give your translator time to complete because if there is time pressure, there is bound to be mistakes.
  
  
• Submit final original text for translation. Check facts, figures, graphics, tables before the document goes to translation. Submit full documents for translation.
  
  
• Check technical, scientific and industry specific terms with the translator. There are certain words which have different meanings in other languages. At times it is better to provide translations of obscure technical terms if you have any.
  
  
• Ask for a glossary of technical terms with the completed project. This will help in maintaining the consistency of future projects.
  
  
• Ensure that the translator keeps a copy of previous work so as to maintain consistency.
  
  
• Try to avoid unnecessary, frequent changes of translators.
  
  
• Get references and a sample of work before hiring any translator.
  
  
• For long-term projects or technical projects, provide as much information as possible to the translator. The more information you give, the better the work you will get back. Besides the reason for the translation and for whom to translate, also provide the following:
  • reference material
  • bi-lingual terminology glossaries
  • any in-house style guidelines.
  
  
  
• If the translator has some specific queries, you can also give the name, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the author of the document. Good translators ask questions. They are not ignorant but they know when to consult you about concepts and terms that only you can explain.

Some questions that you can ask before hiring a translating service are:

• How does the company select its translators?
• Are you sure the translators work in their native language only?
• Does the translation company specialize in the type of material you want to translate?
• Does the translation company specialize in some languages?
• Can the translation company provide with some sample work?
• Does the translation company give reference of its previous clients?