Don’t be overwhelmed by the plethora of vendors! Make sure you ask potential translation service providers the right questions.
Globalization is progressing, there are new target markets waiting to be explored, international relations deepened. This leads some to ask: Where can we find a competent translation partner to help us translate our technical articles, white papers, user manuals, websites, scientific studies and much more, into the language spoken in our intended target country?
If you are looking for a suitable translation partner for the first time, one thing you’ll quickly notice: The number of different offers, freelance translators and agencies offering their services on the net seems almost endless. In all this confusion, how can you find the offer that best supports you and your project?
However, if you take a few basic tips into account and proceed strategically, you will find exactly the right partner for your translations. We have compiled the following six tips for you:
1. Ask about the translators
What sounds logical at first should be the most important point of your agency search: Take a good look at the translators working for the vendors you shortlist! Ask about the quality requirements and selection criteria by which the translation service chooses its employees. On the one hand, you want to know how many translators they have, their qualifications, their language skills, and their expertise.
- Does the translation agency know its employees personally, has it invited them for an interview, checked their personal details and also asked them technical questions?
- Or were they only recruited after a written application?
- What do the respective account managers and project managers know about their translators and their specific areas of expertise?
Every editor and translator has his or her particular pet passions, which should be known to the agency. It is also good if an agency has freelancers who have been working for them for many years – this is a sign that the chemistry is right and a trusting relationship has been established. Feel free to ask how well the agency knows its translators so that you can find exactly the language partner who can ideally support you and your project.
2. Look behind the marketing facade
An appealing website or a compelling marketing flyer can convey how professional, modern or experienced a translation agency comes across. But they can also dazzle, because these kinds of “billboards” should not obscure what you are really about: You need expert translation management for your project. No single agency can cover all concerns and texts equally well. So, you need to research and ask careful questions:
- How can the supplier best meet your requirements?
- What kind of expertise is important for this subject area?
- Which systems and tools are being used?
- How flexible are the project managers?
3. Check out the customer references and look at example texts
Some translation agencies point out clients they have already successfully worked with on their website or in their marketing materials. Others can supply references and examples upon request. Personal quotes and comments from clients show you how satisfied companies have been with the translation agency. However, you can also find out whether these particular reference customers are active in similar industries or in comparable fields to you and your company. If you have a little more time and want to go a step further, you can also ask targeted questions to get a more detailed picture and contact the customer. This may not always be possible and also involves a little more effort on your part, but it can be well worth it, especially for tricky subjects or particularly delicate jobs, because you start your translation project feeling much more confident.
4. Look for genuine certificates and seals of quality
Some companies make a big thing about meeting all the important certifications and qualifications. However, anyone can make a ISO 9001 statement on their website, and saying that you comply with this or that guideline is a long way away from having the corresponding certification. If an agency really works according to the respective DIN standards, then it can also prove this by showing you the respective documents.
5. Question how contracts are awarded
Another issue that plays an important role in translation is the day-to-day assignment of orders within the agency. There are some companies that offer out their projects to a huge pool of translators: Whoever answers first gets the job. This may not always be in your best interest. What you really want is a professional translation that meets your requirements and this requires a more targeted project assignment. This also includes the option of being able to make thematic or stylistic queries: If something in the text is unclear or difficult to understand, the translator should be able to ask about it. It is also advisable to ask what technical tools are available to translators to help them in their work. It can also be helpful – especially when it comes to technical texts – to start your project by collecting and defining the most important technical terms. Maybe the translation agency has some kind of software that automates these processes? Ask them about it.
6. Insist on a partner that is on your wavelength
Last but not least, the choice of a translation partner also depends on a good first impression and their ability and willingness to cooperate. If you feel understood, are on the same wavelength with the agency and have been able to establish a good rapport with the account manager during your initial contacts, this can be a good basis for many years of good cooperation. Ideally, you do not have to keep looking for new translation partners and can instead put your trust in a competent partner who is at your level.
Would you like to learn more?
We will be happy to talk to you about your specific translation requirements.
