Because the world grows smaller; people travel across the globe additional often and much more business is done internationally, translation services are increasingly in demand. A translation service can now be needed for something in the translation of an education certificate to translating a website. As a result of demand you'll find now numerous translation agencies across the globe.



Obtaining a translation service can be daunting. Exactly where does one start out to look for any translation service and after they obtain one, how do they know if they will be able to do the job properly? What queries really should one ask? This short article will offer some helpful tips on ways to come across a translation service to meet your requires.



Exactly where to find a translation service?



You can find 3 primary approaches of acquiring a translation service.

The very first port of contact must be your regional directory for example the Yellow Pages. If you possess a precise business directory for the location then even far better. Merely look up "translation" or it may sometimes be below "translators & interpreters". Have thumb through the listings and earmark some to contact.



The second, and easiest, means of acquiring a translation service is through the internet. Using the key search engines for example Google, Yahoo! and MSN can bring up numerous listings. One added advantage of using a search engine is that you is usually much more specific with your searches. For example, when you are looking for any translation service nearby to you type "translation service London" or "translation service Oxford". Similarly in the event you are in need of a particular language try something like "German translation service".



With search engine results you will be presented with two types of listings, paid listings (advertisements) and organic listings (non-advertised results). It is good to bear in mind that those with organic listings are there to get a reason, i.e. the search engine naturally sees them as important sites for translation services. On the other hand paid listings will likely be from companies that need the business. This is not necessarily a negative thing but good to consider when making a choice.



The last means of discovering a translation service is to ask colleagues, friends or family. A personal recommendation is always finest.



Contacting the translation service



Once you may have a list of the translation service providers you want to contact, it is then key that you are prepared with facts necessary to get an accurate quote.



Any decent translation service will want to know what languages they are translating from and into, the length of the document (especially the number of source words), the nature of the text (is it business or technical?), the format of the document (is it a paper document, an email or brochure?), when you need the translation delivered by and if necessary what format it should be delivered in. These details will help the translation service price your piece of work. However, remember that many translation service providers may perhaps not give you a concrete quote until they see the document. This is because once they see it they may perhaps realise they under-quoted you resulting from unforeseen elements including the format, poor image quality or technicality of the document. It is always a good idea to have your translation in a format that might be emailed or faxed.



When speaking for the customer service agent make sure you thoroughly explain your needs. A good translation service however will always ask the right inquiries so they get a decent grasp of what you will need.



Queries to ask the translation service



Once you've got established the cost of your translation it is always a good idea to probe the translation service with a few much more queries to gain a greater understanding of their capabilities.



For example here are 10 basic queries:



1. If they gave you on price, ask what their charge is per 1000 words?



2. Will they charge you per source word or per target word? For example, for those who are having a document translated from Italian to English, Italian will probably be the source language.



3. Is the quote they gave you fixed? i.e. they can not charge you more afterwards.



4. Are all their translators qualified? What is their procedure for hiring translators?



5. Do their translators work solely into their native languages?



6. If your deadline is missed how will you still have to pay?



7. Does the price include proof-reading by another translator?



8. If your translation is distinct or technical, do the translators have experience in the subject matter?



9. What format will they return your translation in?



10. If it is a large or important job it is possible to ask to get a trial translation - however, this could not always be free.



These queries for your translation service should really give you some insight into their understanding of the industry and their capabilities.



Which translation service?



Ultimately for many folks, when it comes for the crunch they choose a translation service based on cost, location and speed of service. You will find no hard and fast rules as to ways to choose a translation service and it is really up towards the individual to go with what they feel it very best for them.



In the general scheme of things most translation service providers are bona fide and professional outfits. If when asking the inquiries above to a translation service you sense a level of uncertainty then it might be finest to go with the service that seems to know what you want and the best way to give it to you.