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Polish English Translation Guide: Choosing an Agency for Your Polish TranslationsHiring an agency for your Polish translations? The Polish English Translation Guide has tips to help you sort through the often similar-sounding agency offerings and make an informed choice. At the bottom of the page, you’ll also find information about typical translator prices and advice on reducing your translation costs. How to choose a translation agency1) Ask for referrals. Do you have colleagues or contacts who have gotten Polish translations in the past? Find out if they're happy with their translation provider and, if so, request a referral. 2) Ask for references. If you are considering an agency that hasn't been referred to you by someone you know and trust, request a list of their current Polish English translation clients whom you may contact. Many agencies also publish client lists on their websites; you can call some of the companies listed and talk to the person responsible for translation outsourcing. Client lists alone will give you interesting information about an agency. Does the agency work with well-known, reputable companies? Does it have experience in your own professional sector? Ask the agency's past clients how satisfied they are with the agency in terms of quality, communication flow, and adherence to deadlines. "Network with other businesses and colleagues to see whether they've done a translation before and if there is any agency or freelance they can recommend. The safest way to choose is based on recommendations. If an agency has done a good job in the past, there's a greater likelihood that they'll do a good job again. You can also look at the company's website and see what you think. Or you can ask the agency for references, but they might give you references that aren't reliable. The best way is to get a recommendation from someone you know." - Karolina Taflaj, Polish Translator 3) Ask for samples. Have the agency send you samples of Polish translations they've done in the past, preferably in the same subject matter area as your own project, so that you can form an opinion about the quality of their work. 4) Ask about specialization. If your Polish English translation has special requirements such as a legal or medical translator, look for an agency with extensive experience handling projects similar to yours. 5) Ask about the translators. Most agencies subcontract translations to a pool of freelance translators. Ask the agency you're considering about their processes for selecting and screening the translators in their database. Even better: request the CV of the specific translator who would be working on your project. 6) Ask about quality control. Most agencies promise "quality control" or "proofreading" as part of their service. However, these words can mean very different things depending on the agency, so it is important to get more specific information. Ideally, you want an agency that will have a second native translator reviewing every word of your translation and comparing it to the original for accuracy. If the agency promises this type of review, you can follow up by requesting a copy of the reviewer's changes along with the final translation. 7) Ask for a quote. We suggest requesting price and timing proposals from several agencies before making a choice. Resist the temptation to go automatically for the lowest price you are offered. There can be big differences from one agency to another in terms of quality control and the professionalism and specialization of translators they hire, so it is important to look beyond just the price and investigate what value is really being offered. Beware of agencies that charge prices below market rate, as these are almost certainly working with lower-cost translators. Polish English Translation Guide - More ResourcesFind out average prices for Polish translations Get advice on lowering your translation costs Get advice on hiring a freelance translator |