What differentiates Professional Translation Services from others?

Author: Shreya Gupta

For any marketing manager, the decision to opt for translation is both a strategic and a tactical one. On one hand, the manager has to ensure that the task aligns with the overall branding and marketing goals. On the contrary, there are details around translator’s proficiency, costs, time-management, audience expertise, etc.

For the latter kind, it is better recommended that some questions are not ignored or tucked away at some later point in time in the project. Identifying and cementing an LSP (Language Service Provider) is not as simple as choosing a font size for a tagline. In fact, sometimes the seemingly simple and insignificant task of the right font can have many grave consequences than one can ever imagine.

So what makes a professional language translation service provider an expert?

  • Someone who does not just rush-start a given task without understanding the big scheme of things and the given document’s part in that.

  • Someone who is well versed with linguistic elements of a given text and has a grip on the way they affect the overall goal of a marketing manager.

  • Someone who dares to spend time on understanding the precise audience profile for a given language translation task.

  • Someone who is not only strong in basics of the language, grammar, and construction, etc. but also sharp on other invisible parts like expressions, slangs, culture-specific interpretations, etc.

  • Someone who has a good grip on both the sides of the language spectrum – the source language and the target language.

  • Someone who does not let the context part go out of the window.

  • Someone who asks about the intended goals, response expectations, and message’s aim before jumping on to the actual act of translation.

  • Someone who has a keen eye for inconsistencies, contextual twists, real connotations of a message, etc.

  • Someone who takes deep interest and ownership of the core message with the language translation services projects.

  • Someone who helps with extra insights and support whenever suitably required.

  • Someone who is detail-oriented and sticks to deadlines.

  • Someone who knows that semantics play a significant role on languages and the way one communicates.

  • Someone who understands and adapts well to new mediums beyond print, like online, apps, websites, visual signage, etc.

  • Someone who has a legal eye for any regulatory angles.

  • Someone who respects coherence, clarity and consistency.

  • Someone who handles can exhibit proficiency in many languages of the world, so it becomes a one-stop shop for all translation related work.

  • Someone who has supporting resources and a variety of experience to handle any scale and scope of translation work.

  • Someone who can bring in precision and intended comprehension of the message without complications.

  • Someone who has got tools and support systems handy to complement manual translations like say, machine translation.

It is not impossible to find such LSPs if one does not do adequate research and evaluates options with a long-term approach. Doing so is extremely important because marketing strategies seldom change overnight so it would be highly advantageous if you have someone on board who is part of the long-running journey and can bring in depth and loyalty for the brand like no other.

Marketing managers should inject the same strategic mindset in hiring professional translation services that they use in designing brands and their messaging.