Don’t be overwhelmed by the plethora of vendors! Make sure you ask potential translation service providers the right questions.
Die Globalisierung schreitet voran, neue Zielmärkte wollen erkundet, internationale Beziehungen vertieft werden. Da stellt sich für so manche die Frage: Wo finden wir einen kompetenten Übersetzungspartner, der uns hilft, unsere Fachartikel, Whitepaper, Gebrauchsanweisungen, Webseiten, wissenschaftlichen Studien und vieles mehr, in die Sprache zu übertragen, die im anvisierten Zielland gesprochen wird?
If you are looking for a suitable translation partner for the first time, one thing you’ll quickly notice: the number of different offers, freelance translators and agencies offering their services on the net seems almost endless. In all this confusion, how can you find an offer that best supports you and your project?
Wer ein paar grundlegende Tipps berücksichtigt und strategisch vorgeht, findet jedoch genau den richtigen Partner für seine Übersetzungen. Wir haben im Folgenden sechs Ratschläge zusammengestellt:
1. Ask about the translators
What sounds logical at first should be the most important point of your agency search: take a good look at the translators working for the vendors you shortlist! Ask about the quality requirements and selection criteria by which the translation service chooses its employees. On the one hand, you want to know how many translators they have, their qualifications, their language skills, and their expertise.
- Does the translation agency know its employees personally, has it invited them for an interview, checked their personal details and also asked them subject-specific questions?
- Or were they only recruited after a written application?
- What do the respective account managers and project managers know about their translators and their specific areas of expertise?
Jeder Lektor und Übersetzer hat sein besonderes Steckenpferd, das der Agentur bekannt sein sollte. Gut ist auch, wenn eine Agentur über freie Mitarbeiter verfügt, die bereits viele Jahre für sie tätig sind – das kann ein Zeichen dafür sein, dass die Chemie stimmt und ein vertrauensvolles Verhältnis aufgebaut werden konnte. Fragen Sie ruhig explizit nach, wie gut die Agentur ihre Übersetzer kennt, damit Sie genau den Sprachpartner finden, der Sie und Ihr Projekt ideal unterstützen kann.
2. Look behind the marketing facade
An appealing website or a compelling marketing flyer can convey how professional, modern or experienced a translation agency comes across. But they can also dazzle, because these kinds of “billboards” should not obscure what you are really concerened about: you need expert translation management for your project. No single agency can cover all concerns and texts equally well. So, you need to research and ask careful questions:
- How can the supplier best meet your requirements?
- What kind of expertise is important for this subject area?
- Which systems and tools are being used?
- How flexible are the project managers?
3. Check out the customer references and look at text samples
Some translation agencies point out clients they have already successfully worked with on their website or in their marketing materials. Others can supply references and examples upon request. Personal quotes and comments from clients show you how satisfied companies have been with the translation agency. However, you can also find out whether these particular reference customers are active in similar industries or in comparable fields to you and your company. If you have a little more time and want to go a step further, you can also ask targeted questions to get a more detailed picture and contact the customer. This may not always be possible and also involves a little more effort on your part, but it can be well worth it, especially for tricky subjects or particularly delicate jobs, because you can then start your translation project feeling much more confident.
4. Look for genuine certificates and seals of quality
So manches Unternehmen brüstet sich damit, alle wichtigen Zertifizierungen und Qualifizierungen zu erfüllen. Eine ISO 9001-Angabe auf der Webseite kann aber jeder machen und wer sagt, dass er sich an diese oder jene Richtlinie halte, hat noch lange nicht die entsprechende Zertifizierung. Arbeitet die Agentur auch wirklich nach den jeweiligen DIN-Normen, dann kann sie das auf Nachfrage auch beweisen, indem sie Ihnen die jeweiligen Dokumente gerne zeigt.
5. Question how contracts are awarded
Another issue that plays an important role in translation is the day-to-day assignment of orders within the agency. There are some companies that offer out their projects to a huge pool of translators: whoever answers first gets the job. This may not always be in your best interest. What you really want is a professional translation that meets your requirements and this requires more targeted project assignment. This also includes the option of being able to make thematic or stylistic queries: if something in the text is unclear or difficult to understand, the translator should be able to ask about it. It is also advisable to ask what technical tools are available to translators to help them in their work. It can also be helpful – especially when it comes to technical texts – to start your project by collecting and defining the most important technical terms. Maybe the translation agency has some kind of software that automates these processes? Ask them about it.
6. Insist on a partner that is on your wavelength
Last but not least, the choice of a translation partner also depends on a good first impression and their ability and willingness to cooperate. If you feel understood, are on the same wavelength with the agency and have been able to establish a good rapport with an account manager during your initial contacts, this can be a good basis for many years of good cooperation. Ideally, you do not have to keep looking for new translation partners and can instead put your trust in a competent partner who is at your level.
Would you like to find out more?
We will be happy to talk to you about your specific translation requirements.
