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What to Look for in a Translation Company
In the early days of translation, individuals performed foreign-language services for other individuals. In today’s global economy, international business dealings represent a steadily growing demand for more robust translation, interpretation, and localization services. In other words, larger Language Service Provider (LSP) entities are sharing this now immense market with hundreds of thousands of individual freelancers. The importance of accurate, speedy, and cost-effective translation has never been higher. The fact that providers often take out professional indemnity insurance highlights the financial risk involved in the challenging nature of translation. In the current economic downturn, a financial loss of any kind can be the final nail in a business’s coffin. Poorly translated business documents, legal contracts, or medical texts can have devastating consequences. That is why choosing a top-notch LSP is crucial to modern businesses looking to survive in a tumultuous global economy.
One of the most important elements to look for in a reputable translation company is the presence of various certified linguistic specialists. Companies like Translators, Inc. (www.translators.com) house many certified translators that specialize in over 130
languages. The more translators that are available in a company, the more likely it will be that they’ll have the perfect resource for a particular foreign language need. A wide variety of native speakers tends to offer greater understanding of the nuances of a language. A company that has gone through the act of consolidating and grouping together the best translators they can find is a much more attractive option than just one freelancer who may or may not be limited to just one specialized area of expertise.
As a rule, it is wise for businesses seeking important foreign language services to stay away from translation freelancers. Unfortunately, with an estimated 200,000 individual translators worldwide, the fact is most translation work is outsourced to freelancers. In some cases, freelancers even outsource work to other freelancers. The overall effect of such fragmentation is a lack of consistency among service providers, and a degradation of translation quality. With an absence of industry-wide standards for controlling quality and price competition, it is up to translation companies to set their own standards.
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