Advice on choosing a Translation Service Provider

Here are a few points to bear in mind when selecting a Translation Service Provider:

• Professional translators work into their native language. This means that if you contract an English-to-Spanish translation then it should be translated by a native Spanish speaker. Ignoring this basic rule is likely to lead to disappointment.
  
  
• Ask for credentials. These can come in a variety of forms. Both companies and freelancers providing translation services may hold certification or belong to professional bodies, and individual translators may also hold specific translation qualifications. It may also be possible to ask the Translation Service Provider for references from clients working in your sector.
  
  
• Who will be doing the translation? What are their qualifications and fields of expertise? Can you speak to the translator directly? Working through a Project Manager or Co-ordinator is all very well, especially if the project involves several language combinations, but who will actually be doing the work? Is the translator in-house, or will the work be outsourced to a freelancer? Does the Project Manager have the language and subject expertise needed to manage the job adequately and provide the standard of quality that your organisation requires?
  
  
• How big is the Translation Service Provider? How many staff are there in the office? Are any of them native speakers in the language combination that you require? The vast majority of Translation Service Providers are Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. Given that they only employ a few staff, how many language combinations can they realistically provide to the standard of quality that your organisation requires?
  
  
• Address, telephone numbers, contact details. These common sense criteria are equally applicable when selecting a reliable provider of any product or service. Does the Translation Service Provider include its address on its website or marketing material? Does it include telephone and fax numbers, or is there only a mobile telephone number, or just an e-mail address? Do you know who you need to speak to?