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Three Things to Consider When Switching Translation Agencies

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Are you growing increasingly dissatisfied with your translation agency? If so, it might be time to consider taking your business elsewhere, especially if your current agency is missing deadlines, isn't communicative with you about the status of a project, has raised the prices of their services to a level that isn't manageable, or has had issues with quality that have affected your operations. If any of these issues have occurred, switching translation agencies may be in your best interest, but how do you make sure that the time and money you invest in finding a new agency will be worth it? Here are several points to consider as you conduct your search:

Will You Need the Agency to Review Previous Material? If you weren't satisfied with the previous translation memories, style guides, or other materials, you may have to go back to the drawing board with a new agency. Some translation agencies may prefer to start from scratch; others may be fine going with translation memories to ease the transition. This should be something that you should go over with them before you sign on with a new agency.

Does the Agency Have Specific Experience within Your Industry? Let's say, for example, that your company is in the Life Sciences industry, and you require material safety data sheets for translation.  You will obviously want an agency that offers technical translation services and has translators with extensive experience with that industry.

Provide the Agency with a Clear Picture of What Went Wrong with the Previous Agency: It's best to let any potential agency know exactly what the issues were that caused a rift with your previous agency. This will make it easier for the new agency to focus on those concerns. It also brings accountability as the agency will know your expectations right away. Be sure to be transparent about your goals, expectations, and past experience with agencies.

If your current translation agency is not meeting your expectations, it's understandable that you may be reluctant to change. Your day-to-day operations could be affected, and there might be a learning curve for the new agency in the beginning. However, finding the right agency that goes above and beyond to exceed quality expectations, has experience in technical fields, and offers affordable pricing could be well worth these early challenges. Consider these tips as you find that translation agency for your organization.