What Added Values Do LSPs Bring You?
If you ask what is the most common myths people say about Language Services Provider (LSP) (or Translation Agencies as many people would like to call them), it would be the misjudgment of the values LSPs bring to customers. Most people think Translation Agencies are just an intermediary that receives files from clients, transfers them to linguists and forwards the translated files back to customers. And they earn a lot of money from that. The truth is… the services they provide go far beyond just forwarding files.
1. Translation and localization knowledge and advice
Translation and localization do not stop at translating words from one language to another. Images, symbols, and colours must be adapted to fit the cultures and social norms of the country. Experts must get involved throughout the process to make sure all those requirements are met and the best translations are achieved. Working with translation agencies, your projects are in the good hands of translation experts who make sure you fully understand how your files will be handled and what results to expect. What’s more, LSPs give you advice and the best tailor-made approach for each project. In simpler cases, they analyze deeply the features of resource files and help you choose the most suitable linguists for the project.
2. A pool of certificated linguists
The cornerstone of every translation project lies in linguists. It is a common misunderstanding that choosing the most experienced linguists can guarantee high-quality outcomes for your projects. Only the most suitable one who matches your projects’ features can, though. So how to find that “perfect” linguist? Well, that’s when LSPs come into play. They work with hundreds of linguists from every part of the world. With the strict recruit process, LSPs are aware of the capability, expertise, and capacity of their linguists, so they can assign your projects to the best translators, editors, and proofreaders.
LSPs also have another option for you in case you want to choose the linguists yourself. They give you the profiles of some of the highly qualified translators (who they have already picked among the most suitable linguists in their network.)
3. Absorb coordination challenges
Working with freelance translators who live in different parts of the world can be a real headache for many people. Language barriers, time zones, or working styles to name a few are just some of the challenges you cannot avoid. But with help from LSPs, you can reduce the time and workload for your translation projects. Your projects are managed by dedicated and responsive Project Managers who bridge you with the linguists and do all the communication jobs with both sides. All you have to do is to send LSP the source files with detailed requirements and they handle the rest.
4. Specialization in CAT tools and technical support
The use of translation memory (or TM) in CAT tools helps translators reduce the time re-translating identical text or terms and remain consistent with the whole documents. It is also beneficial to clients in terms of costs. Customers only have to pay the full price for new words. All translation agencies make use of CAT tools for their projects regardless of the volume of a project. You can also be benefited from a professional team of technical engineers who deal with complex file types or documents that required high visuals such as brochures, websites, apps, etc. Freelance translators don’t always support this kind of demand. LSPs, on the other hand, have technical experts who support your requests anytime.
