Language Service Providers (LSP) provide translation and interpretation services, but they aren’t all equal. There are low-rent LSPs whose website might claim that they have “high quality” translators and interpreters, when in reality they are calling anyone who claims to be bilingual, and who may not necessarily have any certifications, professional training, or even proficiency in the language pair they claim to speak and/or write.
There are reliable LSPs in the market. They typically only hire certified interpreters and translators, and at minimum have a screening process as part of their on-boarding process for new translators and interpreters. They also take better care of their interpreters and translators, making sure they get paid for the value of their work in a timely manner.
You may pay more for the quality LSPs, but it is worth it. They take the time to have one professional translator translate your document, another professional translator edits your document, and typically a third person proofreads the document to make sure there are no grammatical, formatting, or desktop publishing errors before final delivery. The majority of the translators and interpreters working for the quality LSPs have higher rates because their quality is so good that there is a high demand for their services. Believe me, paying for a high-quality translation is worth the money. When your reputation is at stake, don’t let a bad translation make you look bad. Do it right the first time.
