How to tell a good translation agency from a bad translation agency

If your business is in need of a professional translation agency, it stands to reason that you want one that will provide you with a high quality translation service for a decent price. However, how can you tell if that’s what you’re going to receive, before you commission an agency to undertake your translation work?

Test the agency’s skills

One way is to ask the agency to undertake a test translation. This can help you to assess the agency’s customer service style, turnaround times and linguistic skills. Of course, there’s no guarantee that the translator who worked on your test translation will be the same person who works on your business translation – but a quick test translation can at least provide you with some indication of the translation agency’s abilities. 

Do your research

It’s also important to do your homework. Delve into Google to find reviews of the translation agency that you are considering using. Read as many as you can find and use them to assess the agency in question. Needless to say, steer clear of any agencies that have nothing but poor reviews published about them! 

Look for transparency

Keep a look out for how transparent an agency is in its initial dealings with you. A good agency will be clear on price from the outset (consider the Tomedes instant quote feature, by way of example), so that you know where you stand with them. 

This transparency should give you confidence in the translation agency. Back that up by asking them about a guarantee for the translation work. A good agency should be happy to offer such a guarantee. 

Undertake quality assurance

Once you’ve appointed an agency, be sure to keep checking the work that it produces. Checking the quality of your translation is an important part of ensuring that your agency maintains high standards throughout your relationship with it. The quality of your translation will reflect on the quality of your business, so be sure to ensure that you always get the best! 

Ensure you get value for money

No company wants to pay over the odds for the services it receives and translation is no exception. However, cutting corners on price could be to the detriment of the quality of the translations that you receive. Make sure you opt for an agency that balances the translation cost with a high quality service, giving you good value for money. This might not be the cheapest approach, but it is the wisest. 

If you would like to discuss in more detail how to tell a good translation agency from a bad one, Tomedes would be happy to help. You can contact us by phone, email or the live chat service on our website.