What Should Clients Pay Attention to Before Choosing a Translation Company?

— A Practical Guide to Finding a Translation Partner You Can Trust | By Elite Translation

In today’s global business environment, translation is more than just a service — it’s a crucial extension of your brand, operations, and communication strategy.

Whether you're translating legal contracts, product manuals, websites, marketing materials, or technical documentation, choosing the wrong translation company can cost you time, money, and even credibility.

So before you commit to a translation vendor, here are five key things every client should check to make the right decision.

1. Don’t Focus Only on Price — Focus on Value

It’s tempting to choose the cheapest offer, especially when comparing quotes.

But ask yourself:

• Is the translation done by professional linguists, or is it machine-generated?

• Does the price include editing and proofreading?

• Will there be style consistency and terminology management?

• Is post-delivery revision or support included?

✅ Cheap translations often come with hidden costs — such as rework, reputational damage, or client confusion.

2. Don’t Ignore Industry Relevance — Check Their Specialization

Just because a company "does translation" doesn’t mean they understand your field.

Ask the provider:

• Have you worked with clients in our industry (e.g., legal, medical, manufacturing, finance)?

• Do you have subject-matter experts or industry-specific linguists?

• Can you provide relevant case studies or sample projects?

✅ Industry experience ensures that terminology, formatting, and tone are accurate and appropriate — not just grammatically correct.

3. Don’t Overlook Their Workflow — Ask About the Quality Process

A professional translation company should go beyond “translate and deliver.” Ask if they offer:

• A TEP workflow: Translation → Editing → Proofreading

• A dedicated project manager or team lead

• Use of CAT tools, terminology glossaries, and translation memory

• Style guides and consistency checks

✅ A mature process means consistent quality — not just lucky results.

4. Don’t Fall for “We Do Everything” Promises — Know Their Limits

If a company claims they can do any language, any industry, any format, it might be:

• Outsourcing to unknown freelancers with little control

• Lacking internal subject-matter knowledge

• Delivering inconsistent quality across languages or projects

✅ A reliable provider is transparent about their strengths and limitations, and isn’t afraid to say no when something is out of scope.

5. Don’t Overlook Communication and Security — Ask About Service Details

Translation often involves tight timelines, multiple revisions, and sensitive information.

Before choosing a vendor, ask:

• Will I have a single point of contact?

• Do you offer urgent/rush delivery or phased submissions?

• Do you sign NDAs and protect client data?

• Can you provide official contracts and invoices?

✅ Professionalism is shown not just in translation, but in how they handle your requests, data, and deadlines.

✅ Summary: 5 Things to Check Before Choosing a Translation Company

Elite Translation Tip: Ask These Questions Before You Commit

✅ Do you have experience in our industry?
✅ Is this human translation or post-edited machine translation?
✅ What does your review process look like?
✅ Can I see a short sample or past project?
✅ Will you sign an NDA?
✅ Can we sign a formal contract and receive official invoicing?

If the answers are vague or inconsistent, it’s time to keep looking.

◀️：What Are the Key Criteria for Choosing a Professional Translation Company for Your Business?

▶️：What Should You Pay Attention to in Audiovisual Translation?