Three Highly Important Aspects of Translation

Liraz Postan

January 14 , 2020 · 3 min

The important aspects of price, quality and time are probably what every translation client is looking for, but the question is, as a set of three, to what point are they feasible?

We must remember that translation is not a product, it’s a service, so it’s not something that’s immediately available when a customer requests it. Therefore, a complex process begins from the moment a client requests a translation; and there are several factors that come into play in this process, all depending on the specific needs of the client.

The best example of this is when a client requests an urgent translation: obviously the price will be higher because resources must be found quickly, and this will include a translator, editor and proof-reader. Plus, remember that these resources must not only be available, but also be qualified for the specific language pair and the field of the translation project. So, we must conclude that if a client is requesting a high-quality translation; one that passes all the processes to ensure that the end product is as per what was promised during the sales stage (meaning perfect spelling, coherence of terminology, localization, correct style, and so on), and if it’s to be delivered to the client in record time, then there’s no possible way that all this can occur at a low cost to the client.

Any client that hires translation services must consider these factors, and be aware of the reasons why the prices quoted are what they are. Translation is not a simple process: it’s a complex task requiring highly qualified and experienced people, and by that we mean they must also be experienced in the language pair concerned and in the specialized field of that particular project.

Therefore, it’s important to remember that, when discussing a translation project, a combination of two of these fundamental factors must be considered: the possibility of optimizing all three is relatively low. The combinations we’re referring to are –

Price and Quality: Time is sacrificed in this case in favor of better project management. The ideal working solution here is to have one translator handling translation, an editor working on editing, and a proof-reader to tackle the proofreading process. This combination offers the best possibility for maintaining style, coherence in terminology, and so on.
Price and Time: In this scenario, quality is sacrificed, and the reason for this is that more than one translator, and probably more than one editor will be used. This combination greatly reduces the ability to guarantee a coherent, high-quality product.
Quality and Time: The option of these two factors removes lowest cost as the deciding factor, with urgency being the overriding focus. Translators in the specific field must be located and because they’ll be asked to work quickly and probably outside their usual working schedules, the agency will charge a higher rate for their services, and ultimately a higher total cost for the project.

As you can see from the above, it’s not a simple process to generate a high-quality product in a quick fashion at a desirable price. Clients seeking a quotation for a translation project must understand the above factors (or at least have these factors explained to them) so they can determine which of these aspects they wish to emphasize, in order to meet their requirements.