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| Hire or Outsource? Best Model for Translations |
Expanding overseas is exciting. It also means there is much work to be done and many decisions to be made. One of those decisions will be in the area of translation. Do you hire an in-house, local team or outsource to a language service provider? Here are some things to consider before making that choice.
Cost of In-house or Outsource Translations
While the fees of companies providing outsourced translation services may seem high, hiring an in-house employee is often not cost-effective. Consider the following costs associated with in-house translation teams:
- Recruitment, Screening, and Interviewing: Significant time and resources are required to find the right candidates.
- Orientation and Training: New employees need to be trained, which incurs additional costs.
- Salary and Benefits: In-house employees receive a salary and benefits, even during periods of minimal workload. Overtime pay is also required during heavy workload periods.
- Technology: You will need to purchase the latest software for your in-house team.
- Facility Space: Your facility will require space to house your internal team.
In contrast, outsourcing translation services offers the following benefits:
- Pay-as-You-Go: You only pay for the work you need.
- Zero Cost During Downtime: When there is no work, your cost is $0.00.
- Scalability: A language service provider can handle spurts of heavy workload with their available manpower.
- Advanced Technology: Professional language service providers integrate the latest software with manual translation, regularly updating it to streamline work and reduce costs.
Most managers and executives agree that it is more cost-effective to outsource translation services. The main drawback is communication, but with the right partner, you can establish processes for regular and emergency communication needs.
Quality Control
The types of content that must be translated can vary widely, including employee manuals, marketing materials, technical documentation, and local legal documents. In-house translators may be adept in certain types of translation but may struggle with technical or legal terminology, requiring time-consuming research.
A solid language service provider offers expertise in various content types. For example, specialists in legal or financial documents ensure accurate and high-quality translations, essential for complying with local laws and regulations.
Managing Workflow
Heavy workloads require management at a higher level. Tasks must be delegated, progress monitored, deadlines met, and projects completed within budget. A project manager is necessary to oversee these tasks, especially for lengthy and complex projects.
Good outsourced language service providers have managers and project management technology to keep everything on track. Meeting deadlines and budget parameters becomes easier with their assistance.
Growing Global
As your business expands into new markets, translation needs to rise again. For instance, from an office in Paris, you may want to establish a web presence in North Africa. Your current in-house staff may lack the expertise to localize your website and marketing content, necessitating the hiring of more translators. This involves additional costs and time. Therefore, should you rely on in-house translators or simply outsource?
A well-selected outsourced translation company eliminates this issue. Expert translators are already on board, ready to handle your translation needs. It’s simply a matter of communicating your needs, providing the content, and setting a deadline and budget.
Translation Model to Choose: In-House or Outsource?
In a global society, businesses aim to establish a presence worldwide, requiring extensive translation tasks. These tasks can become expensive and chaotic, especially with urgent deadlines. Your time is valuable. You can spend it on recruitment, screening, training, and managing translators, or outsource translation services to a trusted partner and focus on other critical aspects of your expansion. We believe the latter is the better choice.