What You Always Wanted to Know About Translation Services

As a business owner, you may have been considering hiring a translation service so that you can start acquiring customers from all over the world. There are many questions I’m sure swirling through your head. Answers that you want about translation services.

What Do Translation Companies Charge?

Each company can be different, so it’s best to contact the one you are interested in. But for the most part, translations are charged per source word. Some companies charge an hourly rate so be sure you know which one it is.

What is the Daily Count for Words Translated?

Professional translators can usually provide you with between 1500-2500 words a day. It’s dependant of course on the nature of the document and any formatting involved, but that’s an average estimate.

What is Considered to be a Great Translation?

There is no real right or wrong way in the world of translating. It’s very dependant on the type of document you want to have translated.

But keep these key features in mind, a great translation should have:

  • An intended purpose answered
  • Technical terminology needs to be exact
  • Accuracy
  • Appropriate style and tone
  • Be culturally specific

It’s important when hiring a translator to always use the same one for all projects. A translator gets a feel for your company and mimics the values that your company focuses on. Hiring different translators could cause your documents to not have the same flow. Not to mention the more a translator becomes familiar with your company, the better the translations will be over time.

What is the True Role of a Translator?

When it comes to hiring a translator, you should know what to expect from one. A translator’s job is to carry out a translation project from start to finish. The document in question should be delivered complete and ready to be sent out. The document should be a high-quality translation and should meet all the requirements that were set out by the company.

A professional translator should be aware of what needs to be done to effectively complete a project.  Following specific directions is necessary and but as a professional don’t be surprised if they aren’t aware of better ways of handling the project so don’t be afraid to keep an open mind.

Can I just Use the Bilingual Staff in My Office?

When it comes to translating documents using someone who is bilingual is taking an awfully big risk. Especially if the document you want to have translated happens to be a technical document. Just because someone is bilingual doesn’t mean they have the specific skills necessary to translate a document. Not to mention the fact that you could be putting sensitive documents into an employees hands that can’t be trusted.

When it comes to hiring a translation company, do proper research and hire someone with a good reputation. They will be able to walk you through the process and help you to understand the ins and outs of translating. It’s the best possible way to get your business booming in other countries.

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