Why should you opt for professional translation?

Why should you opt for professional translation?
Before answering this question, let’s try to understand why non-professional translators are commonly chosen.

Misconceptions about the translation profession.
It is often assumed that understanding a second language is sufficient to be able to translate. But having excellent knowledge of a second language doesn’t necessarily provide the required skills that a professional translator needs “to make crucial decisions” on a daily basis. These are acquired via higher education and years of experience.
Let’s compare translation with photography. If you like taking photos and you think you’re good at it, does that make you a professional photographer?
Would you use your photos in a company brochure to be sent to hundreds or thousands of clients? Probably not.
You probably think that it’s best to use professional photos for your company’s professional texts. Photograpy is an art. Not only does it require professional equipment, it also requires a professional eye to get the right shots and ensure the highest possible quality.
So why are non-professional translations used in company’s professional texts?
This question brings us to our second point.

Economic considerations
Budgetary constraints often force clients to rely on bilingual employees who work in the same industry to translate the company’s professional texts.
However, clients underestimate the costs involved, particularly the time spent by their employees on this translation work, who don’t have  professional equipment or translation experience and who can only produce an end result which lacks professionalism. What’s more, poor quality translations will also affect the company’s image and have a negative economic impact.

What are the advantages of using professional translators?
Just like professional photography, professional translation is an art. Not only does it require professional equipment, it also requires a professional eye for detail, in-depth expertise in the subject matter and years of experience if the right message is to be conveyed in the target language, with the highest possible quality.

Ensuring your documents are handled by a professional translator can be crucial when it comes to:

user manuals, in terms of safety…

marketing materials, in terms of brand image…

legal contracts, in terms of legal ramifications…

audiovisual content, in terms of their long-lasting impact…

Professional translators will not only save you time and money, they will also provide the highest possible quality. Boasting years of study and experience, they can easily make informed translation decisions to render information appropriately in another language.

There are additional benefits to working with a professional translation company too.

• You will work with a dedicated project manager who will manage the project for you from start to finish.

• Your project manager will be able to manage several language combinations simultaneously.

• Your project manager will choose the best professional translators for each individual project, language and context.

• Your translations will undergo thorough quality assurance procedures to guarantee quality and consistency.

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between a professional translator and somebody who speaks another language can be crucial to getting quality results with your translated texts.

Professional translators have skills, knowledge and expertise that go far beyond linguistic proficiency alone. They are much more likely to produce a quality translation than someone who is untrained  but bilingual.

Using a professional translation company rather than individual translators offers other potential benefits. A professional translation vendor provides expertise in translation project management and superior quality assurance processes. It will also allocate work to the translators who are best suited to a particular text or project.  This all adds up to higher translation quality and peace of mind, both for you and your business. Last but not least: professional translation will enhance your company’s image and save you time and money.

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