As the world grows smaller; people travel across the globe a lot more frequently and more business is completed internationally, translation services are increasingly in demand. A translation service can now be necessary for anything from the translation of an education certificate to translating a website. As a result of demand there are actually now numerous translation agencies across the globe. Get far more information about Переводческое агентство Астана
Getting a translation service might be daunting. Where does one start off to look to get a translation service and once they discover one, how do they know if they are going to be able to do the job effectively? What concerns ought to one ask? This short article will offer some useful suggestions on the way to obtain a translation service to meet your needs.
Where to find a translation service?
You can find three main strategies of acquiring a translation service.
The very first port of call need to be your local directory which include the Yellow Pages. Should you possess a certain business directory for your location then even superior. Simply look up "translation" or it may often be beneath "translators & interpreters". Have thumb through the listings and earmark some to contact.
The second, and easiest, means of locating a translation service is through the internet. Using the most important search engines for instance Google, Yahoo! and MSN can bring up numerous listings. One added advantage of using a search engine is that you might be extra particular with your searches. For example, in case you are looking for a translation service local to you type "translation service London" or "translation service Oxford". Similarly should you are in need of a particular language try something like "German translation service".
With search engine results you is going to be presented with two types of listings, paid listings (advertisements) and organic listings (non-advertised results). It is good to bear in mind that those with organic listings are there for a reason, i.e. the search engine naturally sees them as important sites for translation services. On the other hand paid listings will be from companies that need the business. This is not necessarily a negative thing but good to consider when making a choice.
The last means of acquiring a translation service is to ask colleagues, friends or family. A personal recommendation is always most effective.
Contacting the translation service
Once you've a list of the translation service providers you want to contact, it is then key that you are prepared with information necessary to get an accurate quote.
Any decent translation service will want to know what languages they are translating from and into, the length of the document (especially the number of source words), the nature of the text (is it business or technical?), the format of the document (is it a paper document, an email or brochure?), when you need the translation delivered by and if necessary what format it ought to be delivered in. These details will help the translation service price your piece of work. However, remember that many translation service providers might not give you a concrete quote until they see the document. This is because once they see it they may realise they under-quoted you on account of unforeseen elements which include the format, poor image quality or technicality of the document. It is always a good idea to have your translation in a format that is usually emailed or faxed.
When speaking towards the customer service agent make sure you thoroughly explain your desires. A good translation service however will always ask the right questions so they get a decent grasp of what you will need.
Questions to ask the translation service
Once you may have established the cost of your translation it is always a good idea to probe the translation service with a few extra concerns to gain a far better understanding of their capabilities.
For example here are 10 basic queries:
1. If they gave you on price, ask what their charge is per 1000 words?
2. Will they charge you per source word or per target word? For example, in case you are having a document translated from Italian to English, Italian will likely be the source language.
3. Is the quote they gave you fixed? i.e. they can not charge you a lot more afterwards.
4. Are all their translators qualified? What is their procedure for hiring translators?
5. Do their translators work solely into their native languages?
6. If your deadline is missed how will you still have to pay?
7. Does the price include proof-reading by another translator?
8. If your translation is certain or technical, do the translators have experience in the subject matter?
9. What format will they return your translation in?
10. If it is a large or important job it is possible to ask to get a trial translation - however, this might not always be free.
These queries for your translation service ought to give you some insight into their understanding of the industry and their capabilities.
Which translation service?
Ultimately for many people, when it comes towards the crunch they choose a translation service based on cost, location and speed of service. There are actually no hard and fast rules as to how to choose a translation service and it is really up for the individual to go with what they feel it ideal for them.
In the general scheme of things most translation service providers are bona fide and professional outfits. If when asking the queries above to a translation service you sense a level of uncertainty then it may be very best to go with the service that seems to know what you want and ways to give it to you.
