Translation offers a unique focal point for a business to grow and flourish. As such, translations can be expensive. However, many things should be considered before one chooses a method of translation. Factoring in accuracy and turnover time is an important first step to manage the costs of translation. In this article we will be suggesting some methods you – as a client – can employ to get affordable translation services.
Here are three tips for availing affordable translation services:
- Plan ahead – Translating in a hurry is going to cost you more than translations that have been planned. Wanting translations in the next 24 hours versus translations that are done over a week – as you can imagine which one will cost you more. So, if you have a visa interview in a month plan ahead, however, if you are approaching a deadline you are going to have to choose rush translation.
- The right amount of expectations – You know the cheapest method of translation – Google translation. But wouldn’t that put translators out of business? No – the truth is translation services are thriving. This is because machine translation is not very accurate – Google translate was rated 4.3 (out of 6 – i.e. 71% accurate) when translating from Chinese to English. However, human translation (and ingenuity) remains accurate as ever. There is a right balance between translation services rates and accuracy – online translation services provide you this balance. Furthermore, major online translation services provide results that will then be proofread by a native speaker to ensure that they are accurate.
Let’s look at a case, you have a Chinese birth certificate you want a translation of (you are applying for visa – we are exaggerating of course). You get the cheapest translation service possible (Google translate). You apply for Visa and it gets rejected on the ground that it doesn’t have a certificate of accuracy. You get a certificate of accuracy (at a price) and again apply for Visa (paying more expenses). This “headache” can be easily avoided if you had opted for online certified translation services on the first go.
Choosing the right translation services – Make a list. Look at samples and review of every document translation services. Many good translation services provide a free quote to make use of that. Never put all your eggs in a single basket – try and test first.
Once the list is done, it is much easier to choose the correct cheap translation services. Also, aim for the cheapest translation with 98-99% accuracy. Some premium certified translation services also provide seamless integration into your content management system (CMS), be aware of these additional benefits you get with online translation services. Also, translations from hundreds of languages can be flawlessly conducted – since translations are done remotely. Confidentiality, scalability, and content management should also fall in your consideration. Factoring these “extras” can further help you save money.
Besides, convenience is one of the inherent qualities of online translation services. Translation can now be performed at a click of a mouse button – invariably helping your cause. So great has been the popularity of online translation Googling “translation services online” links you to a premium online translation services.
