Sunday, November 01, 2009

Criteria For Choosing Professional Translation Companies

By Christine B. Steverson

There are numerous translation companies operating online that offers quality service. The challenge now is to find the right company that will meet all of your needs. Price is not your only concern when finding a translation company, you also need to know whether they can deliver the service that you need.Get the most value out of your money by asking translation companies these questions:

Can they provide a quote instantly? Most companies can now offer fast project estimates online. You just need to fill up a form in their website and your request for a quote will be processed immediately. Some companies will forward your request to a project manager first, for a more accurate quote while others may automatically give you a quote based on your inputs. Whatever their method might be, you can expect a reasonable estimate of your project quickly.

What types of translation services are available? A well-established and experienced document translation company may offer several types of translation services that are industry-specific. This means you can count on a higher quality product, because the translator performing the translation will likely have advanced knowledge of terminology and concepts for your particular field. Industry-specific translations include business and financial translations, marketing brochure translations, intellectual property law and patent contract translations, scientific manual or textbook translations, and pharmacology or medical report translations. Find out what types of specialized services are available so that you can count on getting a high-quality product.

How long will they work on the project? Various companies have the option to expedite small projects and deliver them within 24 to 72 hours. Take the time to research different companies and see if they actually adhere to their promised turn-around times.

What type of experience do the document translation agents have?Some document translation companies screen every candidate to ensure they meet certain translator qualifications. Find out if the company recognizes translator associations such as TRANSLEX, ATA, the U.K. Institute of Translation and Interpreting, and UN amongst others.

Will the company provide an account representative? A lot of companies assign a project manager to serve as a client's contact person throughout the project. The primary job of account managers is to update the clients regarding the status of the project. Account representatives will also handle the billing process for the project.

Are they using software to translate your documents? Although software can instantly translate a document within minutes, the end product will often be of less quality compared to a document translated by a real person. Only consider companies that have live persons working behind the scenes, to ensure the quality of your translated documents. - 2364

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