by Michael Bastin | 23 Jan, 2017 | Translation Service Providers, Good to Know, Translation agency
For many companies or individuals that find themselves in need of a professional translation service, the prospect of choosing the right high-quality translation provider can be rather daunting.
If your content is being translated into a language that you yourself don’t understand, there is an element of trust, as you aren’t able to verify the quality of the work yourself.
The abundance of information online can be overwhelming for those working with translators for the first time.
Perhaps you’ve come across terms like CAT tools and localisation while browsing through translation agency websites and been left feeling confused, but all is not lost!
Our simple guide to what to look for when hiring a translation service will help you find the right translator for you.
Be specific about your language requirements
Let’s start with language combinations. Many translation agencies specialise in specific languages, such as European languages like French and Italian or Asian languages like Korean and Japanese, whilst others that have a larger pool of translators offer a seemingly endless list of language combinations.
Make sure that your translator is specialised in the right regional dialect for your needs. For example, if your company is branching out into the Latin American market, working with European Spanish translators is not going to be appropriate.
Be specific with your translation agency about the regional details of your target audience, and make sure that they have linguists who are experienced with the dialects your project requires.
Look for translators specialised in the appropriate subject
Linguistic knowledge is just one piece of the translation puzzle; your translator should also be knowledgeable about the subject of the text to be translated.
If you need a contract translated, you should work with a legal translator experienced in contracts, whereas a marketing translator would be a more suitable choice for your publicity content.
Working with a specialised translator will get you a high-quality translation.
When researching translation service providers, focus on those that specialise in the type of translation you need, and feel free to ask them about their previous clients, which will give you a better idea about the kinds of translation they have experience doing, and the profiles of their translators.
Read reviews with a critical eye
Once you’ve narrowed your search down to translation agencies that are experts in your subject area and language combinations, it’s time to focus on their reputations.
Take a good look at their website and social media pages, particularly focusing on customer reviews and feedback. Read the reviews thoughtfully, with a clear idea of the kind of company you’re looking for.
Do you need an agency that can turn around translations very quickly? Or would an agency with a reputation for strong communication with the clients suit you better?
Also, pay attention to the types of clients they have worked with; are they similar to your company?
Approaching this information with a clear idea of your own needs will make it much easier to process what is relevant to you and your needs.
Consider requesting a sample translation
Providing a translation agency with a short sample text (around 300 words is standard) for them to translate, which you may or may not be asked to pay for, is a great way of checking the quality of the work and confirming if they are the right fit for your translation needs.
Be realistic with what to expect from a free test translation; don’t expect a translator to translate pages and pages of text for free, especially if the job on offer is a small project.
That being said, many translators are happy to provide short samples, and it’s a useful step in finding the right high-quality translation service.
Be clear on the service that you expect
Ask for details on what the translation company offers, and be clear about what you need. Will you require extra services such as proofreading or localisation?
Don’t be afraid to ask the agency for details of their service, for example, is proofreading performed by a second qualified translator?
This is recommended as human error is natural and the more eyes on a text the better.
The bottom line is that clear communication will lead to a better working relationship and, ultimately, a better final product.
As an experienced translation agency with highly-qualified translators located around the globe, BeTranslated could be the right translation service provider for you.
Check out our past clients and some of our translator bios to get a clearer picture of the work we do. If you still have questions or are interested in a free, no-obligation quote, get in touch!
We look forward to working with you.
by Michael Bastin | 4 Dec, 2024
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by Caridad Batista | 16 Oct, 2023 | Translation news
Le Point is a French weekly political and news magazine published in Paris, covering a wide range of topics such as economics, technology, health, culture, and trends.
It is also known as one of the top three news magazines in France for its credibility and depth of content, providing readers with fresh and opinionated information through commentary and contributions to issues of public interest.
To celebrate the opening of translation company BeTranslated’s French office, an article was published on Le Point’s website, and we’d like to share it with you.
Following its arrival in Spain and Belgium, BeTranslated Opens its Doors in France
According to Umberto Eco, “translation is Europe’s language”. Michael Bastin and Jean-François Bunouf, who are the founders of the international translational agency, BeTranslated, do not beg to differ.
As a matter of fact, in the context of global exchanges, and the internationalisation of information, translation holds a key position. Furthermore, Europe is undoubtedly a global region where translation is the most practised.
BeTranslated is an expert translation agency aimed at helping diverse companies, whether they are small and medium-sized businesses, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or international establishments.
With its headquarters in Belgium and a branch in Spain, BeTranslated has now set its sights on France.
Due to a large European clientele being predominantly French-speaking, BeTranslated has an innate awareness of the importance of having a significant impact in France.
As a result, BeTranslated opened its new French branch in October 2023, located in Yutz in the Metz region. It is an area that goes hand in hand with the agency’s expertise in border markets.
It is the first step towards a larger expansion in France, with potential future establishments in Paris or Lyon.
Belgium: a translation specialist
Often considered by French businesses as the first point of call for exporting, Belgium finds itself positioned right in the middle of the French-speaking, German, Dutch and Luxembourgian markets.
These markets are the most sought-after by French businesses to test their international development.
With its three national languages, French, Dutch, and German, alongside a strong practice of the English language, Belgium continues to be a country where excellent translation is embedded in its roots.
With BeTranslated’s set up simultaneously in Liege and Metz, it is perfectly positioned to respond to the needs of French exporting companies.
Of course, the agency is equally active in Southern Europe, available to businesses who wish to expand in Spain and other parts of the Mediterranean, for example.
Furthermore, BeTranslated is also present in various other parts of the world, such as Asia and North America.
Experts in every sector and every language
BeTranslated works primarily with clients whose needs revolve around the seven most commonly used languages in Europe, which are English, French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, German, and Portuguese.
The agency regularly carries out translations into several other languages, most notably, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Arabic, Turkish, and even Cambodian.
To respond as effectively as possible to the needs of their various clients, BeTranslated calls upon freelance translators specialising in the sector in question.
A large variety of projects can be led simultaneously, which are very diverse, and can range from business, finance, and technology to IT-oriented projects. In addition, BeTranslated can also offer audiovisual services, as well as services in marketing, tourism, and culture.
Within these services, the writing style is of the utmost importance, alongside the know-how of working professionals, which remains far superior to its artificial intelligence counterpart. ChatGPT will just have to sit back and watch!
With its expertise, BeTranslated offers translations in all kinds of formats, for example, scans, technical specification sheets, and many more.
BeTranslated is also well renowned within the legal world, given its association with sworn translators.
SEO translation, with a precise adaptation of online content in order to maximise search engine optimisation, is yet another speciality of this diverse language service provider.
With the translation industry being extremely demanding, the agency is made up of a team of 10 people, with all the project managers previously being translators themselves.
They are constantly in touch with industry experts.
Quality service is provided to many renowned clients, such as Vinci Construction, with tens of thousands of pages of documentation being provided with technical translations. Other clients include Scholl, Bouygues Telecom, UNESCO, and many French universities and hospitals.
Furthermore, the agency is regularly called upon to help with the editing or translation of scientific articles.
Alternatively, BeTranslated also works in a much more light-hearted field, collaborating with Winning Moves, who is one of the agency’s most regular clients, known for their world-famous games, including Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Cluedo, and Top Trumps, with Harry Potter, Star Wars, Peaky Blinders, and Lord of the Rings versions available, amongst others.
Thanks to its expertise, quick response time, and personal communication with its clients, BeTranslated is a friendly and approachable translation agency that knows how to work with the biggest names.
by Michael Bastin | 8 Sep, 2022
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