Understandably, for many companies keeping translation costs under control can be a concern. Logically, as a businessman, you want to achieve the best results, but this is often difficult if your budget is limited. In order to get the highest return on your translation investment, here are 7 helpful tips to save on costs without compromising the quality of the work.
1. Plan your project: with proper planning, you can save a lot of money. Review the material to be translated and remove any unnecessary parts; reducing the number of words will also reduce the translation costs. Also, keep in mind that some languages, like French or Spanish, have 20-30% more words, while others, like Chinese or Japanese, have fewer words. Keep this in mind when creating the layout and you will save on post-editing costs. Do not forget the text featured on the graphs and images that has to be translated; save time and money by using easily editable text.
2. Partner with your translation agency from the start, they will be able to advise you on the steps to take and the most appropriate translation formats.
3. Avoid unnecessary work later: make sure that the files to be translated correspond to the final version before you submit them for translation. Any change you make to the text may incur significant costs if the translation has to be modified once it has been delivered by the agency.
4. Keep in mind the format of the file: providing your translation partner with simple formats will save you a lot of money. For example, it takes many hours and therefore money to transcribe handwritten documents or PDF files into an editable format. By sending documents that can be worked on directly, without altering the design, you will save a lot of time and money.
5. Avoid minimum fees: most translation providers invoice a fixed minimum amount even for small projects (downloading files, preparing quotes and orders, searching for translators, proofreading, delivery, invoicing, etc.). Accordingly, try to group several small jobs in one order.
6. Avoid surcharges for urgent projects: the normal turnaround volume for a translator is approx. 2000 words a day. The more urgent the job, the more expensive it will be. Bypass extra-charges for these projects, by planning the delivery dates in advance.
7. Do not decide for the cheapest provider: as with all else, also with translations, you will get what you pay for. Some companies will offer you very low translation rates, but in return, you will receive very poor quality work. Many times, you will not be able to assess the quality of the target language because you do not speak it, but your end customers will. Think of translation as the investment that will create a bridge to reach international clients and offer them your products and services, a bridge that must be safe and solid, built by expert hands. As you can see, translation is a valuable asset worth investing in.