The language barrier is among the thorniest challenges that businesses have to contend with when pushing their products or services to the global market. Without using the native, most dominant language in a given locality to advertise for a product or to educate prospective customers, international businesses always record unimpressive return on investment (ROI). This is owing to the fact that people from across the world tend to best identify with content when it is presented to them in their native languages.
Your newsletters, brochures, blogs, visualized ads, and any other promotional materials need to be translated accurately and professionally. If you are targeting to expand your business internationally, therefore, it is imperative that you hire the best translation service provider to translate your content into the languages that speak directly to the hearts of your prospective clients. But do you know how to choose a god translation agency for optimal ROI? Here are seven key questions to ask a translation service provider in order to establish their legitimacy:
Most translation agencies use either computer-assisted translation (CAT) techniques or human-powered translations. Computers depend on translation software to do the job quickly, although their accuracy and fluency leave a lot to be desired. Human translators, on the other hand, are able to capture both the letter and the spirit of your content, consequently producing the most fluent and appealing translation possible.
Competent translators need to be academically qualified for the job; at least hold a diploma or a bachelor’s degree in translation-related disciplines. On top of that, the agency should have a diverse workforce that includes qualified translators for most of the key specialized domains: law, finance, medicine, IT, etc. Translators need to fully understand not only the standard language but also your niche’s specific language and jargon if they are to effectively communicate your message to the target audience.
Being qualified is one thing, complying with professional standards is another thing. The last thing you want is a translator who ignores basic grammatical rules: punctuations, spellings, syntax, etc. You also can’t afford to have omissions, additions, or misinterpretations to your original content. Are the translators and everyone else who accesses your content committed to confidentiality? As much as you will sign a confidentiality agreement with the agency, you need the assurance that all stakeholders will honor it.
After the translators finish their job, does the agency send you the draft as is or are there editors who double-check and revise it first? How high has the agency set the quality bar for their translators? Are the translators supervised and, if yes, by who? The more the stages your content passes through before getting back to you, the higher the probability that it will be of high quality.
Last-minute changes are normal in business. In case you need a given piece of translation completed, say, 48 hours earlier than the pre-set deadline, does the agency have the capacity to cope with that sudden change? Sometimes you may need to add more documents to the initial translation volume, without necessarily being able to push the initial deadline. Is the agency sufficiently-staffed and technologically-equipped to handle such fluctuating workloads?
If the agency has been handling projects similar to yours before (and up to satisfactory standards for that matter), then you can trust that your content will be in the right hands. Ask for their list of clients and, if possible, contact some of them for third-party reviews.
A good customer service team takes you through the translation process right from day one until the day you receive your translated content, without showing any negative attitudes. The team should be ready to address your complains in a satisfactory and timely manner. Bonus tip: It is important to inquire about how many revision requests the agency allows its dissatisfied clients. Conclusion: With thousands of translation agencies competing for your translation project, choosing the right translation company can be mind-boggling. It is imperative that you take your time to analyze one company at a time to determine its credibility before investing in them.
The seven questions that we have discussed will come in handy in this case. Are you searching for reliable translation services Singapore? At Letter Crafts, we have built a strong reputation around quality, punctuality, and professionalism. Our team of translation experts is dedicated, qualified, and sufficiently equipped to truly communicate your brand to its target audience. Contact us today for all your translation needs.