Bubbles Translation Services Blog

One of the most important factors when trying to sell your products and services to foreign markets is to communicate with them in their native language. After all, how responsive would you be if someone tried to sell you their services in a language you couldn't understand, or in very poorly written English littered with spelling and grammar mistakes?

If you are thinking of expanding your business to foreign markets, it is essential to use the services of a professional translation agency to ensure your company’s message and image is portrayed accurately and effectively.

At Bubbles Translation Services (www.bubblestranslation.com), we have come across many examples where companies have tried to cut corners in an attempt to reduce costs, by using a variety of methods such as “one of guys in our office speaks German,”, or “we got our local distributor to write it”, or "we used Google translations”. Once they have realised the errors of their ways, they then turn to us rectify the damage that has already been done.

If you are planning to translate any of your corporate material into different languages, such as marketing material, correspondence, websites, technical instructions etc, there are several key factors you should consider when deciding on the translation agency to use;

1) Is the translator being used for your literature an expert in the field to which the text relates? For example, a technical translator for technical text, marketing translator for marketing text, etc.

2) Is the translator a native-speaker of the TARGET language? Only a native-speaker can write the translated text in a fluent style that reads naturally to a fellow native-speaker.

3) Is your translation checked by a second linguist?

4) What qualifications do the translators have? All of the 3,500+ translators at Bubbles Translation Services have post-graduate qualifications in translations, as well as being experts in their subject areas.

5) What experience do the translators have? All of the 3,500+ translators at Bubbles Translation Services have a minimum of 7 years’ experience as full-time translators.

6) Is the agency a member of a national accredited body, such as the Association of Translation Companies (ATC) in the UK? A translation agency has to be vetted to ensure the highest quality standards and procedures, before being allowed to become a member of the ATC.

7) Does the agency offer the full range of services that you may need, such as typesetting, website translations, etc?

Of course, you may think about the cheaper option of using an individual translator. There are many advantages to using a translation agency compared with using an individual translator;

• Agencies have a greater pool of translators to choose from (3,500+ at Bubbles Translation Services), thereby ensuring the translators with the most suitable expertise and background are selected for each specific assignment.

• Quality control is built-in via checking by a second linguist. The individual translator can only check their own work.

• A nominated Project Manager will co-ordinate all the aspects of a multilingual project, such as liaising with multiple translators and proofreaders. This eliminates the need for you to manage the project yourself.

• Agencies have professional indemnity insurance in the unlikely event of a problem. Individual translators don’t have this safety net.

• The Project Manager will be a regular contact point for all future requirements, thereby ensuring consistency.

If you are considering having any of your literature translated to target either an existing or new international market, please feel free to contact us for free, impartial, confidential advice.