Planning your company's 2018 translation budget? Read these five tips first!

It’s that time of year when many companies experience a lull in enthusiasm levels, as workers around the world start thinking about presents, feasting and family, instead of focusing on the tasks in front of them. However, for those in charge of annual budgets, the work doesn’t stop. As such, if you’re in charge of your company’s 2018 professional translation budget, these hints and tips are for you, to help ease your passage into the world of professional translation in 2018. 

Don’t just think about written documents

Two of the fastest growing areas for which professional translation services are sought are video translation and mobile app translation. Translation is no longer simply a medium for converting written documents, so think strategically about how your company can best engage with audiences around the world. A video advert on Facebook could grab a lot more attention than a text-based ad. 

Think one language ahead

One thing that our translation company often sees is how quickly businesses are able to progress with their international strategies once they use professional translation services. For many companies, the pace of their success with foreign audiences is both surprising and motivating. We have many clients who plan to only tackle one language per quarter (for example) but then quickly come back for a second language translation ahead of schedule. As such, if you’re planning your 2018 translation budget, always think one more language ahead than you need to. That way, you’ll be well positioned to capitalise on your overseas success. 

Don’t trust the machines! 

A few weeks ago, we highlighted one of the problems with machine translation, after China’s largest messaging app, WeChat, was found to have incorporated racist language into its vocabulary. Relying on machine translation in a business context is simply not professional. 

There are certainly some business tasks that new technology can assist with, particularly in light of products such as Google’s Pixel Buds hitting the market. However, these tasks are limited in their scope and technology should not be relied upon to deliver consistent, professional business messages. 

Human translation services remain the best option for companies that want to be taken seriously in other languages. Cutting corners by using machine translation often ends badly. 

Think about specialist services

As part of your 2018 translation planning, map out the kinds of services that you are likely to need. Marketing translation, legal translation, website translation, financial translation and so forth all require different skills, knowledge and experience on the part of the translator. Therefore, think through the kind of specialisms that you’re going to need in 2018, so that you can line up the perfect translation team. 

Start choosing your 2018 translation company now

Finding the right business translation company can be a lengthy process, particularly if your organisation is new to the world of professional translation. If you plan to use business translation services in 2018, it’s time to start reviewing translation companies now. Don’t leave this task to the last minute and end up rushing into an arrangement with a company that won’t meet your business translation needs sufficiently. 

Tomedes provides professional translation services to businesses around the globe. Please contact us for further details.