Beth Worthy
2/28/2017
If you have projects that have to be communicated in both English and Spanish, you will need the services of a professional translation company. There are dozens of companies that offer English-to-Spanish translation services. How can you determine which company will be right to hire?
Most small business owners choose translation companies based on price. The problem is that price can indicate the quality of service you will receive. While translation companies offer the same thing on the surface, their quality is usually different. This is why you need to consider more than just price when hiring a Spanish translation agency.
Below are the top ten things to consider to find the right company to hire.
There is a difference between a professional translator and a bilingual individual. Companies screen and qualify their translators differently. Choose a company that works with seasoned translators, some of whom may be certified by the American Translators Association. A translation agency with certified translators will be a great hire than one that employs uncertified bilingual individuals as translators.
Learn how the company undertakes its projects. If you have specific requirements, find out whether the projects can be customized. Ideally, you want a company that can provide measurable milestones such as project works, estimates, and deliveries.
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If you have a large project, you may need a Spanish translation company that has significant technical infrastructure. These include both software and hardware. For example, if you have large video or audio files, check the storage and bandwidth the company has.
If your project includes sensitive information such as bank account numbers and social security numbers, you have to take sufficient measures to protect your clients’ information. Confirm whether the translation agency you want to hire has security protocols in place to ensure the data will be handled with care.
Choose an expert translation company that has specialized in Spanish translation. This is especially important if you work in a specific industry with its own jargon such as the medical, legal or patent industries. Think twice before hiring a company that claims it has expertise in all fields.
Any translation company you come across will want you to think they are the best in their industry. Most have a budget for that purpose. Do not solely rely on what the companies tell you. Ask for references of the works the company has done in the past. Also, ask for references of current clients that you can contact by phone or email to confirm the company’s work.
Find out whether the company has a TEP (Translation, Editing and Proofreading) process. These steps are crucial in every translation project. The TEP process ensures quality, since the translation editing and proofreading of a project are done by different people.
An experienced Spanish translation company will use technology to ensure consistency of the translated work. For example, the company can use translation memory to ensure that once a word has been translated in certain way, it can be used throughout the content consistently. Look for a company that has a glossary in Spanish translation.
You may have to change a number of things during execution of your project. Ideally, changes should be avoided during the project. Changing the project may mean an increase in cost as well as extension of the delivery timeline. Find out about the company’s change policy before putting in your order.
Generally, if you have a small project, the cost will usually be indicated in the invoice. Apart from this, the turnaround time and planning for the project will be easier. On the other hand, if you will need ongoing translation services for months, coming up with the estimates many not be easy. This is because of changes in the scope during the project. Confirm the estimates of the project you have beforehand.
You need to do your research well to find a good Spanish translation company. The above are 10 things to keep in mind to ensure the company you want to hire will be right for you.
Also Read: Excellent Resource for Spanish Translators
