If you’re looking for Polish translation, you might be asking whether it is better to choose a freelance translator or an agency. There are pros and cons for both, although for most businesses, a freelancer is much more likely to work as part of your extended team.
There are important reasons why you should take your time to choose the right translation solution. You will need to consider accuracy, confidentiality, communication, quality, and whether you would prefer a more personalized level of service. You will also need to make sure the person translating your text fully understands your industry or any specialist areas. If you want to avoid machine translation mistakes, you need a human to proofread your text.
The choice between a freelance translator and a translation agency for Polish translations depends on your specific needs and situation. There are some instances when a translation agency might be a more suitable choice, although there will always be clear disadvantages.
Firstly, you will be paying a higher rate to cover the agency’s overheads, and they might be paying for freelancers anyway! But if you have a large volume of materials that need translating at short notice, an agency is likely to have more staff to take on the workload.
Depending on the agency, however, there’s a risk they could just churn out the translation at speed without taking the time to check the output. As you’re unlikely to have direct contact with the translator, there’s a greater risk of errors and poorer accuracy.
Your translation experience could be impersonal because you’re unlikely to work with the same translator twice. The lack of personal contact means that meaningful discussions about phrasing do not happen, resulting in no brand consistency and possible repeated errors.
An agency team might cover a range of different specialisms. They are likely to have a large client base, resulting in more experience writing for certain industries. The team could also have greater capacity to work across different time zones if this is relevant to your business.
If you need translations in multiple languages, an agency might have a team of multilingual translators. Also, translation agencies often have the capability for localization services. Not all freelance translators are trained in localization, so you would need to carefully check someone’s credentials.
Freelancers are cheaper than agencies because they have fewer or zero overheads. A dedicated freelance translator, who specialises in Polish to English, will stay with you for the entire duration of your project. Freelance translators can often work quickly and flexibly if you give them enough notice, so you can still enjoy a fast turnaround. You will have direct contact with the person translating your text, who will be on hand to answer any queries.
As you will have direct contact with the freelance translator, miscommunications are less likely to occur. This means there are fewer errors and better consistency when it comes to phrasing, style and tone of voice.
Working with a freelance translator is often a better option if you need specialized expertise on a particular subject area. Whether you need website translation, business translations or another type of translation, you choose your specialist.
Freelancers use specialist CAT (Computer Assisted Translation) software, which can create translation memories. These translation tools remember any specialist or brand phrasing. Over time and through regular work, costs for translation will become cheaper because your freelancer will save specialized phrasing. Using one regular Polish translation freelancer instead of an agency will always ensure that your brand voice stays consistent and on point.
To conclude, your choice of translator will depend on whether you want direct contact, closer collaboration and a flexible or specialist service to suit your needs. If you decide to opt for an agency because you prefer a fast turnaround, remember that you’re unlikely to know who will translate your text. If you want flexibility and individually adjusted content to suit your brand, this is often more difficult to achieve with an agency. Freelancers work to your brief.
Looking for highly flexible Polish translation that will reflect the tone of voice for your brand and align culturally? Email info@langbay.eu to find out how I can support your project.