Four things to look out for when picking the perfect translation agency

Trying to choose a great translation agency can be a minefield. For a start, there are so many out there, but really it’s quite simple. The trick is to work out what is important to you in a translation agency – UK based? Multilingual projects? Fast turnaround times?

Whatever you need, here are a few tips to try and choose the right translation company for you.

Great Translators

industry-specific experience is absolutely essential. Think of all the sector-specific jargon and technical terms you might use on a daily basis. The right translator can understand and accurately translate these terms. Look out for the term native-speaking translators. This means the translator will only ever translate into their mother tongue. Why? Well for the simple reason that they’ve grown up speaking that language all their life. While there are lots of people out there who can speak two or even three languages, becoming truly fluent in another tongue is a rarity. Here at Reflective Source, all of our native-speaking translators hold a diploma in translation or interpreting, but also a second (and often even a third!) qualification. They are tried, tested and reliable. We wouldn’t have them on our books otherwise. Quality Assurance ‘To err is human’, so the famous quote goes – but when it comes to your translation project, there’s simply no room for error. When searching for the right translation agency for you, you’ll need to ensure there are strict quality processes in place to make sure the translation that reaches you is completely accurate.

Great Testimonials

It can be difficult to check the portfolio of a translation agency, especially if you don’t speak the lingo! Any translation agency, UK or worldwide, should have a long list of recognisable clients from a wide range of sectors. With careful research, you should be able to check testimonials on a translation agency’s website. With big names including banking giant, Santander, the British Red Cross, and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, we think our client list speaks for itself.

Processes and Project Management

Heading up a translation project can be a tricky business, particularly if there is a large volume of work, multilingual projects or anything requiring a fast turnaround. Carefully check how a translation company goes about their projects. Are you assigned a dedicated project manager? Can you contact them when you need? We know how important communication is, so when you give us the go-ahead for your translation project, we allocate you your very own project manager who will be your main port-of-call for any queries throughout the translation process. Whether you have two or 2000 pages of translation, you can be assured it’s in safe hands. And if you have any questions, your project manager is there to answer them all. Talk to us today if you’d like to know more about the way we work.