When you buy cheap, you buy twice!
...that’s the saying.
You wouldn’t ask a DIY enthusiast to install your entire kitchen...
You wouldn’t ask your neighbour, who enjoys playing on the computer, to set up your professional website...
So why do some people think that a translation can be done by amateurs?
Many companies turn to amateur translators they find online to translate their content. Or they use Google Translate or their own employees who speak a few words of the target language to translate very important documents...
The end result is often of very poor quality...
You know the saying: Quality comes at a price!
We’d like to give you our three main reasons why you should hire a professional translator!
1. Reliability and Honesty
These qualities are crucial for a translator!
If I were to ask you:
How long does it take to translate 1000 words?
Would you know the answer?
You might guess, but only industry professionals would know exactly what they can achieve within a given timeframe. This knowledge is gained through experience!
We are constantly asked by our clients how long a translation will take...
...and we always provide an honest (and reasonable!) estimate!
It’s much better to be realistic and offer good service than to promise something unrealistic.
And let’s be honest, if someone promises to translate 2000 words in an hour, you know that the translation would definitely lack quality! You don’t need to be an expert to know that!
Your clients will appreciate that you haven’t compromised on quality and that the end result meets high standards!
2. Competence
Professional translators know their source and target languages inside out...
They are trained linguists who know how to handle the nuances and challenges of a language...
They are experts in their field and specialise in certain types of translation: legal, medical, financial translations...
They know the cultures of their source and target languages like the back of their hand!
Sounds good, doesn’t it?!
Unfortunately, this is not guaranteed if you ask your colleague to translate your business report summary into French just because he learned a bit of French at school!
And although technology now plays a big role in the translation industry, even the best translation software cannot replace human translators!
We ensure that all our translators speak your target language as their native language and live in the country where the translation will be published.
This way, we can be 100% sure they know the most up-to-date colloquial terms and whether the content is culturally appropriate and fitting.
If cultural nuances are not taken into account, it could lead to embarrassing misunderstandings!
You can find many funny (and dreadful!) examples of translation errors online—where companies have used an amateur translator or translation software...
Sometimes it’s surprising that such errors weren’t spotted earlier.
When the American cosmetics company Clairol launched their curling iron in Germany, they were surprised at how poorly it sold...
The problem? They didn’t translate the English name...
And most German women didn’t want to buy a Mist Stick which is German slang for manure!
A similar example: The car manufacturer Ford introduced a new car in Brazil.
The car was called the Nova...
Which translates to Don’t Go!
Imagine how bad that would be for sales!
In a competitive market, the last thing you need is your product to be laughed at!
3. Attention to Detail
Professional translators pay attention to detail...
And ensure that all your content is translated with care and precision.
Amateurs can miss out on these critical details.
They might overlook typos, grammatical errors, or inconsistencies...
But a professional translator will check and proofread their work.
They will ensure the translation reads naturally and fits the tone of your original content.
Professional translators also maintain the correct formatting...
And make sure everything aligns properly, as in the original.
This is especially important for technical documents, where a single misplaced comma can change the meaning...
Or for marketing materials, where the right tone can make or break a campaign!
Our aim is to ensure that your content is translated flawlessly and professionally...
So that it effectively communicates your message to your target audience!
If you have any questions or would like to discuss how we can assist you with your translation needs...
Please don’t hesitate to contact us!
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