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How to Choose a Translation Agency

The need and the demand for translation services are greater than ever before. As the world economy becomes more integrated, the importance of top quality translations will only continue to grow. And, as industries and cultures continue to move closer together, market forces will require that translations be complete, accurate and culturally appropriate. The first goal is finding the right agency.

But where do you start, and what criteria do you use to find the one that’s right for you? If you’ve ever wondered how to go about selecting an excellent translation agency, one that will grow with you and meet your needs as the market changes, consider the following guidelines.

Go Native. What is the best way to make sure that your translation will sound right to your target audience? Go native! By native, I mean a native speaker of the target language. Native Speakers have the advantage of linguistic intuition that makes it possible to say things so that they sound right to the target audience…your audience. However, just because someone speaks the target language, it doesn’t mean that they understand the source language, in this case English. Ideally, your translator will be as fluent in English as in his or her native language. And that should include experience living and working in the U.S.

Get References. The best and most reliable way to find a good agency is to use the reference of a trusted colleague; someone who has experience with your field, and who has also worked with the agency in the past. Although this is not always possible, you can evaluate prospective agencies or individuals in other ways. The approach should be similar to the selection of a valued employee, since translators can have a big influence on how you are perceived in the target audience. In the U.S., the American Translator’s Association (http://www.atanet.org/) can provide valuable information and references for agencies in your area.

References are perhaps the most important way to ensure a quality job. Clients typically don’t speak the target language(s) and cannot make a first-hand assessment of the finished product. For this reason, agencies place a lot of importance on their reputation. A good agency will be happy to provide solid references. Companies that bid on large translation contracts are often required to provide resumes for translators with specific qualifications. A review of individual translators’ resumes is an effective way to predict how your project will turn out.

Match Skills to Topic. Can the agency provide a translator with background in your subject matter? It will be easier to work with a translator familiar with your specific translation challenges. Many translators have strong backgrounds in particular specialties. The more specialized your translator, the better the quality of the translation. Always ask for samples of previous work. Additionally, small, specialized translation agencies can often provide better service: (a) their translator recruiting can be more focused than that of general-purpose agencies; (b) they often enjoy better and more up-to-date training and experience, as they operate in a more finely-tuned market.

Project Management, Methodology. Project managers are there to help you organize your translation or localization project. Since translation is very labor intensive, poorly designed translation projects can be very expensive to fix. By getting it right the first time, you can save money and time.

A good project management team will make sure that clear lines of communication are always kept open. It’s always helpful to have a dedicated account manager working with you on questions and problems. The best agencies and translators create project-specific glossaries and work with you on them in advance. Also, an experienced translation agency will understand and appreciate the need for an internal review, and should welcome the process.

As we’ve seen, a professional translation agency will feature translators that have both experience in the target languages and special skills relevant to your topic. The agency will also have an established methodology of best practices, which includes a strong quality assurance focus and effective project management methodology.

Following these guidelines will allow you to minimize or eliminate many of the potential negative outcomes that can result from poor execution and save the embarrassment of inaccurate or inappropriate translations.

If you have questions about our translators or processes, a viaLanguage representative would be happy to talk with you.


	viaLanguage Translation Articles How to Choose a Translation Agency The need and the demand for translation services are greater than ever before. As the world economy becomes more integrated, the importance of top quality translations will only continue to grow. And, as industries and cultures continue to move closer together, market forces will require that translations be complete, accurate and culturally appropriate. The first goal is finding the right agency. But where do you start, and what criteria do you use to find the one that’s right for you? If you’ve ever wondered how to go about selecting an excellent translation agency, one that will grow with you and meet your needs as the market changes, consider the following guidelines. Go Native. What is the best way to make sure that your translation will sound right to your target audience? Go native! By native, I mean a native speaker of the target language. Native Speakers have the advantage of linguistic intuition that makes it possible to say things so that they sound right to the target audience…your audience. However, just because someone speaks the target language, it doesn’t mean that they understand the source language, in this case English. Ideally, your translator will be as fluent in English as in his or her native language. And that should include experience living and working in the U.S. Get References. The best and most reliable way to find a good agency is to use the reference of a trusted colleague; someone who has experience with your field, and who has also worked with the agency in the past. Although this is not always possible, you can evaluate prospective agencies or individuals in other ways. The approach should be similar to the selection of a valued employee, since translators can have a big influence on how you are perceived in the target audience. In the U.S., the American Translator’s Association (http://www.atanet.org/) can provide valuable information and references for agencies in your area. References are perhaps the most important way to ensure a quality job. Clients typically don’t speak the target language(s) and cannot make a first-hand assessment of the finished product. For this reason, agencies place a lot of importance on their reputation. A good agency will be happy to provide solid references. Companies that bid on large translation contracts are often required to provide resumes for translators with specific qualifications. A review of individual translators’ resumes is an effective way to predict how your project will turn out. Match Skills to Topic. Can the agency provide a translator with background in your subject matter? It will be easier to work with a translator familiar with your specific translation challenges. Many translators have strong backgrounds in particular specialties. The more specialized your translator, the better the quality of the translation. Always ask for samples of previous work. Additionally, small, specialized translation agencies can often provide better service: (a) their translator recruiting can be more focused than that of general-purpose agencies; (b) they often enjoy better and more up-to-date training and experience, as they operate in a more finely-tuned market. Project Management, Methodology. Project managers are there to help you organize your translation or localization project. Since translation is very labor intensive, poorly designed translation projects can be very expensive to fix. By getting it right the first time, you can save money and time. A good project management team will make sure that clear lines of communication are always kept open. It’s always helpful to have a dedicated account manager working with you on questions and problems. The best agencies and translators create project-specific glossaries and work with you on them in advance. Also, an experienced translation agency will understand and appreciate the need for an internal review, and should welcome the process. As we’ve seen, a professional translation agency will feature translators that have both experience in the target languages and special skills relevant to your topic. The agency will also have an established methodology of best practices, which includes a strong quality assurance focus and effective project management methodology. Following these guidelines will allow you to minimize or eliminate many of the potential negative outcomes that can result from poor execution and save the embarrassment of inaccurate or inappropriate translations. If you have questions about our translators or processes, a viaLanguage representative would be happy to talk with you.