Translation is equal parts art and science – so there is a little wiggle room when it comes to finding the best services available. You have to take your time to find the right match.
The key to hiring the best translation services online lies in looking for a company with good reviews, great customer service, and passionate workers. You also have to be patient until you find what you want.
Here are nine things you have to keep in mind when you’re halfway through the hiring process.
1. Realize it’s an Ongoing Process
A good translation doesn’t happen overnight. Big projects take months. Because of that, you need an open and ongoing relationship with the team of translators you are working with.
What does that mean? You need to be able to contact customer support at any time – in the language you prefer. That way, you can make sure you can consult anything you want and clear any doubts you have.
You don’t have to constantly meddle in the work until you grind everything to a halt, though. You should be able to check things out for peace of mind and quality control – once in a while.
2. Check reviews and References
Being able to contact your translator when you want it is a must – but not the only thing you need to look for. Looking at reviews, references, and ratings is a great way to assess a translation company.
First, look at testimonials. Businesses usually provide them on their website. Second, look at reviews from other sites.
There is no need to search for a company with nothing but picture-perfect 5-star ratings – because they do not exist. Look for a business with high ratings but do not waste your time trying to find perfection.
References are also great – as long as they come from someone you can trust.
3. Expertise is Important
Raving reviews usually guarantee a good service – but that does not mean a company is the right match for you. The translation process is complex. It usually requires a translator with knowledge of the subject at hand.
For example, it would be better to have someone with legal experience translate a legal document. There is no need to be a lawyer – but having expertise in law-related matters helps a lot.
Sometimes, expertise is not needed, but familiarity is. For example, translating video games is difficult for someone who does not enjoy playing them. Thus, you need to search for a good company that has different translators with a variety of skills and relevant experience.
4. Ask for Certifications
The best way to know who is qualified and who is not is to ask for certifications, for instance, ISO certificates. Keep in mind finding someone with the right diploma will not ensure finding the right person for the job you want – but it will narrow down your choices.
Why are certifications important? Because there are a lot of websites that provide translation services. It is impossible to check them all out! An easy way to remove low-quality translators is to look for qualified people only. That is not to say certifications are a must – but they sure help.
5. Speed Matters but Accuracy is King
We all want a project to be delivered right away. That is why we value speed. Do not let that fool you, though. Speed should always take a back seat and let accuracy be the most important thing.
It is impossible to translate something with 100% accuracy – but you want it to be as close as possible to the original. And if the project has to take a little longer to be more accurate, that is a trade-off you want to make.
You may need to hire translation services online for a rush job. They usually provide quite fast translations and offer proofreading services if needed. That is when speed may be as important as accuracy. Moreover, sometimes it is even cheaper than to have your own team, especially if you do not have a huge corporation.
6. See What kind of Style Guide they use
One of the best ways to rush a project along is to make sure there are no gray areas or subtle nuances a translator may miss. Using the right style guide is fundamental for that.
There’s no need to create a style guide on your own. Sometimes, simply asking for American English over British English is enough. Other times, you may have to do a deep dive on grammar, syntax, and whatever else you want.
The company you hire should already use the style guide you want. Or, at least, is willing to adapt to what you want.
7. Scalability Matters – Even if You’re Not there Yet
How big is your project? You may want a quick 500-word document translated – or you may want to translate an entire manual or book with countless words and phrases. A good translation company can take care of both jobs with no problem!
The best in the business can handle a job no matter the workload. They can also scale up if that’s what you want.
Imagine you turn in a small document and receive a perfect translation. You may decide to continue to work with them in the future – and you need to make sure they are available for that kind of thing. Make sure you ask about future projects and availability before you hire someone.
8. Are they Culturally Aware?
As you probably know, translation and localization are not the same. The best translation companies know it – and you do not even have to ask them about it.
That does not mean you should not ask. In fact, you should! Why? Because that is an easy way to figure out if you are talking to people who are passionate about translation or not.
If they can explain the differences between translation and localization, they are culturally aware. And that is key for a good translation. The translation services that are aware of cultural differences will help to deliver your message clearly, so people from other countries will not feel that language barrier. Of course, if you need to translate some legal documents, localization is not needed here as there is nothing about culture.
Conclusion
You want to hire a company full of passionate translators who know what they are doing. Remember, accuracy comes first, and speed is a close second – for any job.
Something important most people forget is rapport. You want a good line of communication with your translators. The right company will provide everything on this list.