Free Chinese to English Translation Guide: How to Choose an English Chinese Translation AgencyHow to choose an English Chinese translation agency? This advice on English to Chinese translation providers can help you find the best value for your budget. At the bottom of the page are links to additional information on Chinese translation, including a pricing guide. (No thanks, I was looking for a free online translator.) Top Tips for Choosing an English Chinese Translation Agency1) Get client references. Is the agency working with similar companies to yours? Ask for client references, then contact other clients to find out how satisfied they are with the agency's English Chinese translation work. Many agencies also display lists of clients on their websites. "It's best to use a highly established and reputable agency." - Siaoning Jhang, English to Chinese Translator 2) Get translator résumés. Most agencies subcontract translations to a pool of freelance Chinese translators, so when you hire an agency, it's hard to be sure who will actually be translating your document. Ask for the résumé of the specific translator who will be working on your English to Chinese translation. How much experience does this translator have? If you are translating a technical document, does this translator have the necessary technical background? 3) Get Chinese to English translation samples. Ask the agency to send you samples of, or links to, non-confidential English Chinese translation work that they have done in the past. If you yourself do not have the language skills to judge the quality of these translations, ask a native speaker to assess them for you. You may additionally wish ask the agency for samples in your own language and/or area of specialization to help you form an opinion of the agency's work. 4) Find out about quality procedures. Ideally, an agency should have every word of your Chinese to English translation checked against the original by a second native translator. This reduces the chance of error and can lead to a more polished translation. Note: We have been told that some agencies that advertise revision as part of their service do not actually send the translation to a second native translator. Sometimes, what is called "revision" really just involves a project manager or someone else who may not even speak the language of the document taking a superficial look at the translation to see if it's complete and properly formatted. If an agency promises you "revision," or "editing," investigate further to find out exactly what they mean. You can check up on them by requesting a copy of the reviser's corrections along with the final Chinese to English translation. 5) Get quotations from more than one translation agency. You may find a big difference in pricing among agencies. A price that's too low is a warning flag. A very cheap agency is probably working with low-cost, less professional translators, skimping on quality control, or otherwise cutting corners. After all, they have to pay their translators and still make a profit. On the other hand, a very expensive agency may be charging you for their high overhead or marketing costs. We don't recommend making a choice based on pricing alone. But it's important information to have before making a decision. And an excessively high price or a suspiciously low one can be reasons for crossing an agency off your list. 6) Find out about their experience. Look for an agency experienced in Chinese to English translation. If your translation project has any unusual requirements -- for example, a specialist translator, additional services such as website programming -- look for an agency with a record of managing similar projects. Otherwise, there's the risk that the agency will "test" a new translator on your project or simply subcontract it to another agency that you have not chosen. Where would you like to go now? Read tips on reducing Chinese to English translation costs View typical English to Chinese and Chinese to English translator rates Get advice on choosing a freelance English to Chinese translator Return to the Chinese professional translation services main page
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