Why Should You Choose a Translation Agency?

Companies worldwide are struggling with the financial crisis, making essential cuts to their operational costs. On the other hand, they are trying to expand their businesses on a large, international scale. This can be done only with texts being translated and products being localized.

There is always a choice between directing source texts to freelance translators or translation agencies. Even though freelance translators usually charge less, there is a number of factors that are advantageous to translation agencies.

Project Management

Translation agencies offer careful and well-developed project management. They very often hire specialists in management, customer care, development and delivery. Owing to that, translations are taken care of by a group of people who work in their specialist areas, from translators, through admin workers, to development managers.

Quality

Agencies very often offer higher quality of translation. This is because they have a team of translators and proofreaders who cross-check translations, instead of having just one translator. Also, non-translation staff helps in maintaining high quality. Quality should always represent and mirror the company.

Professionalism and accountability

Agencies are usually more professional, organised and accountable than freelancers. They have managed to develop a stable process and they know their procedures. They are usually more reliable, concerned about their reputation.

Experience

Translation agencies translate much more texts than freelancers, therefore their experience in dealing with specific texts and problems is much more extensive. Agencies also use Terminology Management tools helping them in maintaining consistency and using their experience in new texts.

Team work

Submitting translation assignment to an agency usually involves a group of people on the other side. A translation agency is not one person, therefore the responsibility for the completion of the project is shared between groups of people.

Collaboration

Agencies are much more efficient in finding reliable specialists or consultants to help them in solving translation-related problems. They usually already have a pool of professionals to assist them and collaborate on the project as proofreaders or editors.

Past clients

Translation agencies maintain a good record of their past clients and are easy to be verified. A rich list of past clients ensures the quality and reliability of translation.

Further assistance

Agencies are also able to offer further help with texts, such as Desktop Publishing, editing, preparing for print. Translation agencies very often maintain a whole network of co-operating businesses and it is much easier to negotiate a full package. Agencies very often also offer localization professionals, as well as intercultural guidance.