To get a good translation you need a good translator. But where can you find one? The simplest way to do that is through a translation agency. They bring together under one imaginary roof a lot of specialists who speak dozens of world languages and even reliably navigate difficult texts. But how to choose the right translation agency and what to look out for to ensure that you get the exact translations you need – professional, accurate and perfect?
How to pick the right agency
First of all it’s a good idea to do a little research, map out the terrain and not jump at the first offer you come across. There are many translation agencies on the Czech market, but not all of them will provide their customers with impeccable service and quality translations.
The size of an agency does not matter so much. Even small translation companies or freelance translators often do excellent work. A potential pitfall in these cases, however, can be the smaller circle of cooperating translators, which is usually associated with a smaller range of offered language combinations and sometimes also complications in the case of larger orders.
No matter the cost?
While the price of a translation may be a key consideration for many customers it should not be the only, or even the most important, factor in deciding on and selecting a translation agency. After all, translation is a demanding craft that comes at a price.
What should be more important is the security that the agency can guarantee to the customer in terms of price. The definite recommendation is therefore to always agree on the price in advance, including the delivery date. If the agency offers to specify the final price or deadline afterwards, this should be a clear warning to the customer that the translation transaction may not be completely smooth.
The credibility of a translation agency is enhanced by the quality of work and open communication with customers. Top agencies will certainly not keep you waiting unnecessarily and will promptly respond to enquiries. They are also usually able to accept orders in many different forms – from printed documents to electronic versions in various formats, even including complete websites. They can also arrange express delivery of a translation. They will take into account all the important criteria for selecting the most suitable translator for a given topic. They will simply take care of the entire order, saving you time and ensuring the necessary quality.
Experts, professionals, native speakers
It is therefore worth contacting translation agencies whose portfolio covers a wider range of translation services so that you do not have to turn to different suppliers for different translation jobs.
Of course there should be an offer of professional translations, by translators specialised in the relevant field (construction, IT, marketing or law), as well as the possibility to order a certified translation from the same agency, to use the services of interpreters or to have subtitles for audiovisual content translated.
Leading translation companies also actively monitor the state and development of modern technologies and use advanced language tools to make translation work more accurate, faster and easier. Some agencies are even involved in the development of these tools themselves.
A top-quality translation cannot be done without proper proofreading, which is always carried out in good agencies by native speakers of the language into which the text is being translated.