How to "kick the tires" on a new service provider
We provide you with 3 tips on how to determine which translation agency is right for you!
You are tight on time and have a limited budget to play with. How do you know for sure which translation agency will give you the best bang for your buck, while still providing you with good quality translations?
Increased specialisation, growth of the so-called knowledge economy and outsourcing of service-related activities have made the purchase of business services a substantial element in companies’ total acquisition of external resources.
Here are three tips to keep in mind when considering a new translation service provider:
1) Ask for an information package
This will be your opportunity to make contact. Pay attention to the small things during this first phone call. How quickly is your call answered? How friendly and courteous is the customer service representative at the other end of the line? Ask for an information package, in order to get an overview of the services offered from this agency. Does this translation agency have a web presence? Some agencies have an extensive "Frequently Asked Questions" page, which elaborates on their services and procedures. Does this agency provide the languages and support the file formats you require? Your main objective during this first contact will be to find out if this service provider provides the capabilities you need.
2) Ask for a free sample translation
This will be your opportunity to evaluate the quality of the translations provided. Pay attention to the reaction of the service provider to your request. A lot of translation agencies shy away from sample translations due to the added work and effort required on their part. However, more seasoned translation agencies will see this as an opportunity to shine and to impress a potential new customer with the quality and speed of their services. A sample translation will give you the opportunity to evaluate the delivery times for their services, the connection with the customer during the translation process and the quality of the translations provided. Were you made aware of the delivery date & time? Did the agency address any questions with you before the project started? Were you updated about the progress of your translation? Was the translation delivered in the format you expected? Were you given the opportunity to review the translation and to send back any questions you might have? Your main objective during this sample translation process will be to find out what it would be like to work with this service provider on your next translation project.
3) Ask for a non-obligatory quote
This will be your opportunity to evaluate the pricing of the service provider you are considering. Pay attention to how quickly the quote is provided to you. How do they charge for their services? Watch out for hidden fees and surcharges. Does this agency provide a volume discount for large volume jobs? Is the delivery date & time clearly visible on the quote? What kinds of payment methods are offered? The most important point to remember is to check what is included in the quote. A lot of translation agencies only quote a rate for translation and proofreading services are
not included. For the client that means that
only one translator will work on the document. If you need a second set of eyes to review the text (perhaps because you are going to print a brochure), ask for your quote to include translation AND proofreading services. Your main objective here is to find out exactly what you get for the price that is quoted to you.
Want to "kick the tires" on Premier Focus?
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Premier Focus is happy to provide sample translations free of charge. If you've been on our mailing list for a while and would like to get a feeling of what it's like to work with us, get in touch via Info@PremierFocus.com to request your small sample translation. Let us know which language combination you require and we'll connect with you to discuss the details.
Interesting language facts
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It is estimated that up to 7,000 different languages are spoken around the globe. Less than 100,000 people use 90% of these languages.
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Languages are grouped into families that share a common ancestry. Hence, English is related to German and Dutch, and they are all part of the Indo-European language family. These also include Romance languages, such as French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and others, which come from Latin.
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Nowadays 2,200 of the world’s languages can be found in Asia, while Europe has a mere 260.
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Nearly every language uses a similar grammatical structure, even though they may differ in regards to vocabulary or origin. Communities, which are isolated from each other due to mountainous geography, may have developed multiple languages. Papua New Guinea for instance, boasts no less than 832 different languages!
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