When you want to find translation services that will help your company cross linguistic barriers, there are many factors to consider.

1. How do I know if an agency is right for our company? Some translation agencies are specialized in certain fields and you should know what their niche may be. Others can offer you a better rate as long as you don’t mind sacrificing quality assurance (some have no reviewing or proofreading department). Ask about their translation process, the qualifications of their team, if they are in house or freelance translators, how long have they been in business, etc.

2. Should you hire a freelance translator? Some freelance translators are very good however, there is no way to know if the one you have found possesses the qualities you want. A good agency will work with freelance translators that have a proven track record and a long list of satisfied clients.

3. What is your budget? Everyone will want the best results for the best price, but is it reasonable to expect the same quality for (let’s say) half the price? As you are shopping around, try to find an agency that starts in the range of $0.20 per word for basic translations. Any less and you will be getting a discount agency with discount results. Quality translations take time and experienced translators deserve to be paid a fair wage. If you consider that a good translator can translate 1500-2000 words per day and earn a living by doing so, paying them any less and they would be better off pumping gas or serving drinks!

4. What is your timeline? Plan ahead and allow a sufficient amount of time for a good translation agency to complete your translation project. You should realize that the best translators, those who are in demand because they can produce the desired results, are already working right now. Many of those who can promise incredible turn around times at low rates are fly-by-night operations working with unqualified translators. Often, there are groups of translators working on a single project where everything is pasted together and sent to the customer as quickly as possible. In this case, volume is more important than quality.

Think you are ready to proceed? As founder of Sudbury Language Services, I've seen just about everything in this business; the great and the not so great. In the end, the right due diligence and the proper planning prior to starting a project can go a long way towards a smooth process with satisfying results. Visit www.sudburylanguageservices.net to learn more.