“It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity,” said Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan.  The goal of [almost] every business is to have a global presence; and they hope to build it successfully! There is one important component that can help any business be successful overseas – translation. In our experience, there are a lot of misconceptions about translation, and we thought we’d share a few with you!

MISCONCEPTION #1 – HANDLING TRANSLATIONS IN HOUSE IS CHEAPER AND MORE EFFICIENT

We covered this in more detail in a previous blog post, so we’ll just be brief. Partnering with a language service provider can help in many ways: volume, tight deadlines, and an increase in demand for different languages. An LSP, like E-ging, has a worldwide network of resources that are in-country, native speaking, professional linguists have been vettedextensively. We also have technology and workflow processes in place to ensure cost savings over time, preparing for deadlines, building consistency and also for larger projects.

MISCONCEPTION #2: GOOGLE TRANSLATE SOLVES ALL PROBLEMS

If we had a quarter for every time someone told us, “We can just use Google – it’s free,” then we’d have stacks of dollar bills! These online translation tools are based on algorithms and not on humans who understand context, regional dialects and other important nuances. Sure, if you need to get the gist of something, it’s very easy to plug it into Google, but not when it comes to important content. It’s not worth it to sacrifice accuracy to save a few dollars! An LSP leverages technology such as translation memory tools, to help with accuracy, consistently, time and savings.

MISCONCEPTION #3: BIGGER IS BETTER

The late Freddie Mercury, front man of the band Queen, once said in an interview: “The bigger, the better, in everything.” Sure, this can apply to the music industry and live concerts, not necessarily translation. Working with a huge translation agency does not mean better quality of service. If your needs are more specialized, why not look at a smaller agency who will take the time to really allocate resources that will suit each and every one of your projects? No one wants to be just a number! Business can also be personal, and great communication and customer service can go a long way in providing quality translations!

MISCONCEPTION #4: FEEDBACK FROM BILINGUAL EMPLOYEES IS ADEQUATE FOR QUALITY REVIEWS

How does your organization measure quality? It is not uncommon for clients to have internal employees or Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) review translations. It is typically encouraged by LSPs as it helps us to gauge our quality, depth of resources, and allows us to improve. However, it is important to be cognizant of who is reviewing your translations. We’ve covered more thoroughly in a previous post: “Who Is Reviewing Your Language Translations?” There is a big difference between a Subject Matter Expert and a bilingual employee who may know just enough, but not quite enough to provide relevant or valuable feedback.