Imagine that you need the translation of a legal document on data protection for your company. Or that your firm has opened up to new markets and you need to translate all your products into another language (or several). You may need the translation of a clinical study, a technical manual or a financial report.
You know that you are looking for quality, affordable prices and the shortest possible translation time. You do a Google search and find hundreds of translation companies that offer you all these requirements traduzioni giurate online. How do you choose the right one?
As a quality translation company that has been in the sector for more than 12 years, we know what it takes for a translation to be well done. We want to share with you the 10 most important points in this regard:
- Assess the level of specialization and quality you are looking for: it is not the same that the final translated text is addressed internally to three employees than that it is addressed to your clients.
- Make sure they are native translators (of the target language) and professionals (who have university studies in translation or, at least, years of experience): being bilingual is not the same as being a translator, just as knowing how to change a wheel does not mean become mechanics.
- Find out how long the company has been in the market: this usually happens in all sectors, but in translation time is especially important, because it is equivalent to experience gained . An indicator of experience is usually being asked about the purpose of the translation. If they ask you what the text will be for or who it is directed to, it is probably a company that knows what it does.
- Review the company’s comprehensive services : the more specializations, language combinations and pre- and post-translation services it offers (analysis of the original text, proofreading, layout or DTP), the more complete and experienced the company will be. In this regard, it is usually easier to find translation companies that are dedicated to all these tasks, rather than freelance translators.
- Ask if there are various roles that participate in the translation project: ideally there will be a project manager (prepares, analyzes and manages the project), a native, professional translator specialized in the subject (translates) and a proofreader (makes a correction to the translation).
- Check if they use tools specific to the world of translation: CAT tools (computer-assisted translation), any verification or review program for the translated text, and translation memory management tools, glossaries and databases .
- Check if they have the certificate according to ISO standards . These are international standards that guarantee the quality of the company after exhaustive controls. The standard for the translation sector is the ISO 1700:2015 quality standard .
- Assess the translation time they offer you: in this case, less is not more. Less translation time does not usually equate to higher quality, quite the opposite. As in an original, for a text to be well done, several readings and reviews are necessary. If they offer you to translate 10,000 words in one day, be suspicious!
- Take into account fluidity in communication with the translation company. Has it taken them a long time to respond to your emails? Do they answer the phone? Do they ask you any questions that may arise? It is essential that you can communicate calmly and quickly with the company whenever you need it, whether to resolve your doubts about the status and progress of the project or to detail requirements.
- Look for references and opinions , both online and by consulting acquaintances.