If you’ve ever required a good translation service in Singapore, chances are you’ve scoured the web for the top translation service providers; calling and requesting blind quotations and turnaround times from each one.
You may become frustrated by what seems like endless back-and-forth communication with the translation company’s sales executive or project manager, who is persistent in their request for every small detail of your requirements.
Or you may just want to know the rate for translation and be wondering why set rates aren’t simply listed on the web!
There are good reasons for this process and for why set rates are rarely available. The fact of the matter is, every translation requirement is unique, and translation projects vary so much it is difficult for translation service providers to give the same advice for all.
It is easy to see translation as just another commodity. After engaging the services of a good translation company, however, you will realise translation is a very specific service, where you should be concerned about what will be done, how it will be done, and what specific tasks will be performed.
For each translation project, a range of factors need to be considered. Prices and lead times can only be determined after essential information has been exchanged between you and your chosen translation service provider. Here are some examples:
Language requirement
The first thing your translation service provider will want to establish is your language requirement. What is the language of your text (the source language) and what language or languages do you want your text translated into (the target language)? Either the source or the target language will affect the cost and lead time for the project. Rates for different language combinations will usually be governed by supply and demand. Hugely popular languages will have a larger number of translators, which will often reduce lead time and cost. Conversely, there will be fewer translators available for rarer languages, which can mean higher rates and longer lead times.
Content and subject matter
The content and subject matter of the text will often play a role in determining cost, linguist and project lead time. If you require translation of highly technical texts, such as medical or legal papers, you may need the assistance of translators with specific skills and knowledge of the industry. The right translation service provider will have a wide network of specialised linguistic experts to meet your needs.
Length or volume of text
Translation agencies charge using different methods. Trustworthy and established service providers, such as Lingua Technologies International, charge on a per word basis. They will always request to see the source file to do a proper analysis of the text before offering even a rough quotation, to ensure you do not overspend. If you have hundreds of pages to be translated, your service provider may be able to give you a packaged price for the job.
High quality service at the right price
So the next time you, or your business, have a translation requirement, make sure you are prepared to discuss your needs with your chosen provider. When you engage with a good translation service provider you will realise that translation is a service rather than a commodity, and one where cost and lead time will vary according to the scope and complexity of the project.
Lingua Technologies International is an ISO17100 certified translation service provider that recognizes every translation service is unique, and translation jobs are definitely not created equal.
Because of this, Lingua Technologies International will ensure your exact requirements are clearly established, and you will always receive high quality translation services at an efficient cost.