Working with a translation agency has many advantages. Agencies often have a large database of translators that work in different languages, meaning that you don’t have to look for each individual freelancer when adding a new language to your website. Agencies are also able to offer their expertise in the translation project as they often take care of the project management aspect internally.
Not all translation agencies are created equal; they can differ in size, technical capacity and the services that they offer. In order to choose the right translation agency, it is important to have a clear understanding of your company’s needs.
1. Technology
In today’s digital business environment, the translation workflow has evolved from translating Word documents to a complex localization system. Even print catalogues need technological expertise, in order to handle graphic files such as Adobe InDesign, high volume ecommerce CSV files or integrations with product information management (PIM) systems. It is important to understand what the optimal technological workflow is for your ecommerce business to ensure that products are translated and ready to be published as soon as possible. That is also the reason why it is crucial to find a translation agency that supports your required file formats and technological integrations.
2. Accessibility
The ecommerce industry has been growing at an accelerated pace, especially when it comes to cross-border sales. Businesses that wish to keep up need to be able to react to customer demand and market trends quickly and efficiently. In the past, translation involved sending files to the agency, waiting for a quote, approving it, then waiting for the final work to be delivered. It was a fairly opaque process, making it difficult to keep track of project statuses. Today, some agencies have developed online platforms that enable users to send their content for translation, get an instant quote and monitor the status of their project. This self-service type of workflow is becoming more and more common among languages service providers.
3. Price
This is one of the factors that often has the strongest impact on decision-makers. However, companies need to be wary of choosing a translation agency solely based on low price. Low price can mean low quality, which will have a cost in the long term – either through low conversions or lost customer loyalty. Experienced translators with a sophisticated writing style or specialized knowledge require a higher rate; however, this does not mean that translation budgets need to be massive. Translation technology on the market can improve the workflow and create significant cost savings on high volume projects.
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