When a company or a private individual needs a translation service, they may not be sure whether to contact a translator or an agency. Both options are legitimate, although they have their respective advantages and disadvantages.
In any case, when hiring a professional translation service, the main goal will always be to achieve a quality final product. The translation must be faithful to the original text, perfectly adapt to the receiving culture and be well written.
The key to knowing whether it is more convenient for a potential client to use a translation agency or a freelance translator lies in understanding the disparities between these two approaches.
Pros and Cons
Productivity: Generally, translation companies have a higher production capacity than a freelance translator, as they usually have an extensive database with suppliers specialized in various disciplines. Therefore, translating large-volume projects, distributing them among several professionals, will be an easier task.
Multi-language and Multi-services: For the same reason mentioned above, by having various suppliers, an agency can offer a wide range of linguistic services (translation, subtitling, interpretation, proofreading, layout, etc.) in different source languages and into multiple target languages.
Consistency in Texts and Delivery Times: However, due to these large volumes, the simultaneous management of multiple professionals can make it difficult to maintain consistency between different projects of the same client and even within the same project. Instead, by hiring a freelance translator, the entire process falls to a single dedicated professional, guaranteeing high quality, consistency and a significant reduction in delivery times.
Direct Communication and Problem Resolution: By opting for a freelance translator, communication will be more direct and the relationship of collaboration client-translator will be closer, a relationship that is nullified when an intermediary is introduced. This direct communication ensures a translation that accurately reflects the client’s vision and message. Furthermore, the freelance translator will be able to intervene quickly and directly in any phase of the project to resolve any incident that may arise.
Fees: Logically, the variety of services and suppliers that an agency can offer makes its costs more expensive. Instead, a freelance translator takes care of all functions, from management to quality control, which can be reflected in lower rates.
So, What Is the Best Option?
There is no final answer to this question. Each case, client and project are different. However, we could say that for multinationals and big companies with large volumes of work in multiple languages (more than 4), outsourcing translation services to specialized companies is usually the best decision. On the other hand, for small and medium companies that operate in a limited number of languages (between 1 and 4), it would be best to opt for more direct communication and establish closer collaboration by contacting freelance translators.