Translation vendor vs. translation partner: The benefits of having a reliable partner

How often have you sent off a project for translation only to be left feeling somewhat cold by the process? You sent it in, you received the translation, you paid the company, and that was it – no follow up, no after-care, no sense of client satisfaction. That’s a translation vendor for your – a once off relationship with very little in the way of customer care.

Now, imagine enjoying a myriad of benefits when you have translation work to be done. Imagine a handy centralized process, professional quality control, and – most importantly – cost savings. Imagine having all your localization and translation needs taken care off while you take care of running your business. That’s what a translation partner can do for you.

The Benefits of a Translation Partner

1. A Centralized Process

Keeping track of project details and statuses is a lot of work, especially if you use multiple translation vendors and you have several points of contact. Working with a reliable translation partner, in a central environment, eliminates the hassle of having to track your own teams and vendors. It also gives you the opportunity to build professional relations with a central project manager who understands your requirements.

By building a long and trustworthy partnership with a translation agency, you can look forward to a personal team who knows your preferences for each job and whose workflow project you understand. What’s more, you can rely on your translation agency to pull in extra power in emergencies.

Once you commit to working with one partner, your translation program is centralized within their management system, making it easier for all parties to access everything needed, whenever it is needed.

2. Quality Control

Working with one partner means consistent quality outputs. As a repeat client, you may get the same linguist for all your projects which offers an array of benefits, including a better understanding and knowledge of your preferred terminology, style, and tone. In turn, you receive consistent translations across all your materials.

Over time, the linguist will become so familiar with your translation program that they will know how to portray your company brand best, and the more familiar they become with your content, the quicker the turnaround time.

Besides quality control, when you work with one partner, you don’t have to worry about keeping a team of vendors in the loop when developing or amending your style guides.

3. Cost Savings

Partnering with one translation agency not only eliminates the chaos of multiple vendors but, a reputable agency will also make use of sophisticated translation memory software. In turn, this leads to significant cost savings for you as the agency will use the software to manage, store, and access your translation memory as efficiently as possible.

What’s more, if you have a high number of projects for the agency, you may be eligible for volume-based discounts, too.

Don’t outsource to a myriad of vendors and compromise your brand’s voice, quality, and reputation. Partner up with a reliable agency who will truly get to know your preferences.