It’s not difficult to find a translation agency in London. There are a lot of different companies and offices on the market trying to attract customers in different ways. Each agency will assure you about their professionalism and highest level of services. However, this may not always be true, and there are plenty of dissatisfied customers. So what are the most important factors to keep in mind when selecting a translation agency?
What to pay attention to when choosing a translation agency
When looking for the best translation services in London, most customers first check the prices. This is obviously an important element and it is worth looking for competitive offers. However, the quality of services is definitely more important. Successful cooperation with a translation agency must be based on several important aspects.
Good contact between the agency and the customer
The basis for good cooperation and satisfaction with the provided services is constant contact with the office. The customer should know what to ask for in case of any doubts or complaints. Well-organised customer service is the sign of a professional agency. Thanks to this, customers can be sure that if the need arises, they will be able to get all the information they need immediately and sort out any misunderstandings.
The scope of services
The scope of services is an important criterion when choosing a translation agency. Companies offer various services that meet the broad needs of customers. These include both certified (sworn) translations, business translations, proofreading, as well as translations in specialised fields such as law or medicine. The translation of websites and applications is equally popular.
Competent translators
The basis for high quality services are properly educated and competent employees. Native speakers who are able to speak the language at the same level as inhabitants of a given country are most sought after. An additional advantage, apart from completely mastering the mother tongue and the target language, is knowledge of the subject matter of the translation projects. This gives translators an in-depth understanding of the content and the context.
It is a good practice to cooperate with translators who live in the country whose language the documents are to be translated into. This is how Textology operates. It offers a wide range of translation services in English and Polish. Their translations are not only correct in terms of grammar and vocabulary, but also culturally relevant. Having a good command on the nuances of a language is important when trying to reach a specific target group.
Quality assurance system
Modern translation agencies are based on the work of not only competent translators, but also advanced software. Translation nowadays is highly automated. This significantly speeds up work, but good agencies always check the results of such operations. Having a quality control system is essential for maintaining the highest quality of service.
Confidentiality
Pick the agency that assures you that your information will remain confidential. If you are dealing with information that is private, ensure the agency has privacy terms to secure the information.
Sign an NDA to enforce confidentiality with the agency. The employees at the agency must sign a confidentiality agreement. Before, hiring an agency go through the confidentiality terms.
The Translation Speed
Enquire how long the translation is going to take. However, this depends on how soon you need translation services. A high-quality agency provides services within a short period of time. A good translation agency hires translators across to the globe for timely results. Choose a company with global translators.
The Translation Costs
Translation services come at a cost. What is your budget for the translation services? The costs in a translation agency is a little higher compared to those translation websites. Agencies provide better translation services compared to websites. Hence the higher price. However, different agencies have different costs. Choose the agency with the most favourable prices in accordance to your budget.
Read the Testimonials and Reviews
Evaluate the agency’s capability based on past customer reviews and testimonials. The reviews and testimonials should be publicly displayed on the agency’s website. Choose the agency with a good amount of good reviews. Pay attention to the kind of clients the agency works with. For example, Government agencies, NGOs or major institutions indicate the legitimacy and the quality of services offered.
A good translation agency offers excellent work that is grammatically correct, the right of the jargons, accurate terminology and good sentence flow. Consider other factors such as the costs, customer service, the technical aspects of the agency and speed. These factors will guide you in picking the right agency.