5 Factors to Consider When Selecting a Translation Agency
Do you deal with international customers, partners and markets? If so, working closely with a professional translations provider can help you in creating a strong brand image globally.
Whether you run an SME or a large, enterprise-sized business, you must have a strong bond with your target market to meet their requirements. You may struggle to achieve your goals if you can’t speak their language, or they fail to understand your company’s message clearly. Creating a consumer-focused brand image globally is one of the most critical aspects of international business today, and it cannot be achieved without the help of professional language translators and interpreters.
Working closely with professional translation agencies can help you deliver a carefully crafted message to your target audience in a language they can fully understand. Today, professional translation services help thousands of businesses, from local SMEs to large, international organisations, to convert their content, business documents, campaigns and other materials into a market’s native language, allowing brands to communicate effectively with their chosen audiences and business partners.
In this article, we’ll look at the key aspects and factors to remember when choosing the best translation partner to help you achieve international success.
What Do Translation Agencies Do?
According to statistics, the global language service market was valued at £71.77 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow by 7.2% by 2030.
Language translation companies are growing at a rapid rate because of globalisation. These agencies offer immense support by helping you get a translated version of diverse languages for seamless communication.
Translation agencies are full-fledged companies that translate spoken or written content into various or one universal language.
These partners usually charge by the word, per hour, or per age. While the rate may vary depending on their expertise and skills, many companies charge between £0.08 to £0.20 per word.
Their per-page prices often range between £35 to £50. The average per-hour charges for interpreting services are between £30 to £50.
Again, it is important to note that these rates may vary depending on the status of the translation partner you pick. Newbies may charge you less to be competitive, while established companies might ask you the average market rate because of their reputation and client base.
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Should You Partner With a Translation Company?
Working closely with a professional translation company can streamline customer service and overall business performance in many ways.
• Your translation partner can help translate your website and all related content, allowing you to target new markets overseas.
• A translation service partner can help you communicate with multilingual employees. As a result, you can convey your mission and review in-house in the native language.
• With the help of a professional translation service, you can get an accurate representation of your brand in multiple languages. A translation partner can help you run multiple marketing campaigns in various parts of the world without considering language as a barrier.
• With the help of a professional and experienced translator, you can avoid possible legal issues and fines. Professional translation agencies will always consider the audience’s social norms and local regulations before translating your content.
A translation partner can help you enter and conquer local markets. However, you need to make sure that your chosen partner is the most appropriate one for you. So, before you pick a translation service provider for your use case, consider the five factors mentioned below.
EXPERT’S TIP: Find out how expert translation services can help your brand with international marketing campaigns.
The 5 Factors to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Translation Agency
Picking a professional translation service or a partner can be quite daunting sometimes. After all, with so many ventures offering this service, you may feel confused about picking the right one.
To streamline your selection process, you can evaluate your choice by considering these five factors before making a choice.
Your Project’s Scope and Requirements
Before you pick a partner, ensure to be clear about your own requirements and the scope of the project. This is the best approach to set budgets and work timelines.
Suppose you have a small project that demands content translation within a one-week deadline and a limited budget. In that case, you can communicate these project characteristics to a partner so they can see whether they can work with you.
Domain Expertise of the Translation Company
Certified translation service providers work for multiple clients and local markets. However, there are many that may not have expertise in the market that you wish to focus on.
Therefore, always consider the domain the translation partner excels at or serves in. For the best outcome, consider a company with proven expertise in the industry you want the translation for.
The Agency’s Expertise and Certifications
When shortlisting a translation partner, ensure that they understand your target market and can help localise your content. You should also review their portfolios to see all the clients they have previously handled.
In addition, you should review your translation partner’s certifications. To serve you well, they should either have ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 17100 for translation quality, ISO 28001 for information security, or even all of these.
The Agency’s Reputation
You shouldn’t pick a translation partner without evaluating their reputation. Do they have a track record that helps you know about their work ethics? Can you find customer reviews on the translation company that reflect their performance?
A well-reputed company will help you achieve your objectives without any glitches. Plus, you can always trust them for their quality of work.
Translation Service Charges/Costs
Before you proceed with a professional translation service provider, get a breakdown of their charges. Many services charge affordably and competitively. However, if you need a translation for a small niche market with a rare language, you may be charged more than other services.
Also, before you proceed, make sure to obtain a clear breakdown of all costs, including any hidden charges, to avoid surprises later.
Conclusion
To conquer a new market, prepare yourself to speak, think, and operate as effectively as any local business in that country would. While paying attention to the market’s culture, traditions, and laws, you must also understand the people’s language.
However, learning every language is not easy. That is why you should add a professional translation and interpreting service to your team.
With the help of an accomplished translation partner, you can speak the language of your target audience and localise your brand’s marketing efforts to reach your ultimate goals.
About TS24 Translation Agency
Translation Services 24 (TS24) is the UK’s leading translation agency in London with professional translators working in over 200 languages. We provide services to clients in all corporate and public industries and specialise in sector-specific linguistic solutions. With over a decade of experience in the industry, 15+ million words converted every year and 100,000+ projects completed, TS24 is a leading provider of expert translations and interpretation services and an officially certified member of the ATC. Contact TS24 here. You can also read all of our recent articles here.
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