If you are the owner of a company and need website translation You have three main choices: You can hire a full-time translator, or work through a translation agency, or hire freelance translators. These solutions have their advantages and disadvantages, that’s what we’re going explore in this post.
Though in essence, an in-house translator and translation agency perform the exact thing, they provide solutions to different requirements and circumstances. Some large companies will even make use of both. Also, companies can ask translators who are freelance, but the downsides are the same as those of managing an in-house translation department. Also, it will not always be possible to check the quality, in the absence of an internal team member who is able to perform the task.
The best time to pick a translation service?
There are at least four situations where a translation agency is probably your best bet. Let’s look at each individually:
You need translation and localisation
In general, a full-time translation specialist will not have the required knowledge and experience to provide both of these services. As you’ve seen from our previous blog post, localisation is a more complete process for translating that considers all the cultural and non-textual elements of the text in addition to other linguistic concerns. To properly localize the text it is necessary to have a native speaker, preferably one that lives in the country of your choice. If you’re requesting business or marketing translations that require localisation the agency will usually be your best bet.
There is a need for multiple languages
A translator generally works with only two languages: the native (source) language, and a second foreign (target) languages. Often, companies need translators to transliterate the same document into multiple different languages. This is particularly when it comes to marketing materials for example, like product information sheets, as an example. If you require information about your product sheets that include three or more languages, you’d be prudent to go with a translation agency. Translation agencies work in many languages, and so such an assignment will pose little problem for them.
You’d like to pay only for the work that’s been done
A translation company is a more affordable alternative. You pay just for the translation, and absolutely nothing else. You are able to start or end your collaboration at almost any time , and you don’t be required to cover insurance or other non-wage costs. That’s not the case with an in-house translation service, however. If you’re looking to cut costs on translations, opt for an agency for translation.
You’ve got a large amount of materials that need to be translated in a short time
A single translator has two hands with one head, and can work for approximately 8 hours of working time. In the end, what they could accomplish each day is limitless. With a translation agency, you have no limitations. Agencies work with many translators, which means they can translate large amounts of text within a limited duration, without affecting quality.
What is the right time to employ an experienced translator?
Some companies decide to hire full-time translators. Why? Again, there are 3 different reasons:
You would like to provide customer service in another language
If, for instance, you run an e-commerce business and wish to provide services to customers from other nations, you should give them the option of being capable of communicating with you in their own language. In this scenario, you may decide to recruit a native speaker of a particular language and train them in the customer support role. You could also employ a full-time translator and ask them, as well as providing customer service support, but that’s an uncommon solution.
You are able to do a consistent amount of work per month
If your business requires the same number of translations each month, a full-time translator may be a necessity. In this case it is possible to pay a salary each month is more affordable than hiring a translation company. However it is important to think about the extra overhead costs, like insurance, and providing the translator with an appropriately equipped workstation.
You require a translator who has a specialization in your area of expertise
In addition, translation companies typically deal with a variety of industries and niches and you’ll be able to find an agency that’s focused on the area you’re in. If you want to be certain that the person working with understands your business (and your business) from top to bottom It is best to choose a full-time specialist who can devote all their time to the company they work for.