How To Choose A Translation Company
At our company we frequently get calls from prospective clients at a time when they’re just beginning to shop translation companies to find the right one for their project. Everyone has ideas about what’s important in selecting a vendor. As a translation company ourselves, we don’t mind honest competition (well, maybe we mind a little). Seriously, good companies in the translation and localization space help promote the profession overall.
So what sets one company apart from another? Here are a few things one might look for:
1) The specialization area of the agency. Some agencies are multi-language, others specialize in specific languages, or have other areas of focus. If your project is principally centered on a single language, a specialist agency might be a better fit. It stands to reason that a specialist will will excel in their respective area of expertise.
2) How responsive is the company to your inquiries? What sense (or dare we say it ‘feeling’) do you get when you’re in contact with representatives of the company? Do they ‘suck energy’ from you , or actually create it? Hey life is short. Why spend time working with people that you don’t mesh with. We’re not saying spend twice as much money to work with a company just because you like the people. Other things being equal though, working with people you share an affinity with is better – hands down.
3) Look for ‘professionals’, people who obviously care about doing good work. Even the humblest of tasks can be done well. Perhaps you can’t judge the quality of their translations since you don’t speak the target language. As importantly, what intangible things do you observe about the company and what do those things tell you? The company’s web site, their telephone greeting, their responsiveness, collectively these things communicate something. It’s worth noting.
4) Do they belong to professional trade associations like the American Translators Association (or others)? Quality companies tend to care about the industry they’re in and will invest in joining organizations that support professional standards and work to better the standard of service in general. Ask prospective translation companies about their affiliations.
5) Do you get the sense that the company will go the extra mile for you? We all know organizations that do just enough to get by. Regrettably it’s the standard many businesses aspire to. Others are genuinely interested in meeting the needs of customers, love what they do, and strive to cultivate long-term relationships with customers. When’s the last time you noted performance above and beyond the call of duty from a vendor? Whenever it was, take note of it and perhaps seek that quality out in all the vendor relationships you have.
These are a few things to think about the next time you need to consider a language translation company.
About Affinity Spanish
Affinity Spanish Language Solutions is a leading Spanish language services company. Affinity Spanish helps people and organizations communicate and do business with the Spanish speaking population in the US and Latin America. Language services include Spanish translation, Spanish interpretation, and a range of business solutions involving Spanish language skills. Additional information is available at http://www.affinityspanish.com
Contact: Ron McCoy, Director, Affinity Spanish Language Solutions,
+1.303.404.8699 ext. 84 or
ron.mccoy@affinityspanish.com
Tags: language, Spanish, translation
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