The world has become a global village, but there are still many barriers that impede cross-border trade. One of them is the language barrier. China is a global economic super power, and there are a lot of business opportunities for international corporations and entrepreneurs who would like to take advantage of the booming economy to enrich themselves. However, they first have to overcome the language barrier. One way to do this is to learn Chinese. The second option is to hire an English to Chinese translator. When you need English to Chinese translation services, there are a number of factors to consider, including:
i) Experience
Experiences, as most people already know, is always the most effective teacher. Therefore, you should always give priority consideration to the most experienced translators. You can expect to get real value for your money when you do this. Therefore, you should start by checking the number of years a translator has been in business as well as the number and types of translation jobs they have handled in the recent years. The most experienced translators should be given strong consideration.
ii) Reputation
You can never really know whether or not a translator is effective unless you experience what they have to offer. However, you can also read the comments, reviews and testimonials provided by previous clients to learn more about the quality of service offered by a translator. Ideally, you should give strong consideration to translation agencies that have a great reputation in the industry.
iii) Qualifications
A person cannot become a translator by reading a dictionary and learning to speak a different language. They must go to school and learn to not only speak, but also write in that language. For instance, an English to Chinese translator might be a Chinese national who has learned to speak English proficiently. The translator can also be a native English speaker who has learned to speak Chinese fluently, but the former is the best option.
iv) Certification
Every profession has a certifying authority. Professionals in a particular industry need to be certified before they can start offering services to the public. Therefore, you should only shortlist certified English to Chinese translators. In addition to that, the translation agency needs to have a license to run this type of business.
v) Cost
The rates charged by a particular translator or translation agency needs to be compared to what other service providers are charging. This will help you to identify the most affordable service provider.
vi) Insurance
Errors in translation can cause a number of problems. Some mistakes can be too costly for the client. Imagine losing a contract because of a simple translation error. For this reason, the ideal translator should have an insurance policy to guard against these liabilities.