Why are we interested in this language? Spanish is so popular worldwide. It is the second most spoken language used in more than 20 countries.
Today, we will look at quality Spanish translation services. It is not only a task for a linguist, but also a business investment. A legal contract, a medical statement, or marketing research requires the right agency choice. Otherwise, this can lead to misunderstandings, financial and reputational losses, and even legal consequences. We have prepared an expert checklist for readers to help you choose a reliable agency with Spanish language specialists.
ISO Certification: A Guarantee of Quality and Transparency
The primary thing you should pay attention to is the certificates that the firm has. ISO 17100 is a well-known standard for translation services. ISO 9001 is about quality management. It indicates a high level of services.
Why should you study this? ISO 17100 regulates the translation process: from the qualification of specialists to the editing procedure. You will receive guarantees that real professionals will deliver the final work, not random freelancers with little experience.
How to check certificates: Request a copy of the document and check its relevance. Many reputable agencies post this information directly on their websites.
Recommendations and Reputation of the Agency
Studying customer reviews is a simple and important process that speaks about a company’s reliability. Pay attention to the ratings on the company’s website from real clients and to external sources such as Google, Trustpilot, and specialized forums and communities in social networks.
Check cases: Modern agencies can provide examples of completed work (taking into account their clients’ non-disclosure of confidential information). This point can also be verified from reviews.
Ask about experience in your field. You may be looking for specialists in medical texts, who require different competencies than marketing professionals. Look for specialization.
Studying the Price: Reasonable, Not Minimal
An unusually low price is a red flag and a reason to be wary. A good translation by legitimate specialists costs money. High-level professionals receive a decent salary. The texts undergo additional proofreading and editing. In some cases, even layout and final checking are required.
Main factors to pay attention to:
- Payment per word, page, or hour of work.
- Are there free edits? For example, a large agency, Rapid Translate, offers such a bonus.
- Is editing/proofreading included in the price?
- Are there additional services, such as certification, notarization, and formatting? Large agencies often have them.
Advice: Clarify the preliminary estimate and check it for hidden costs.
Execution Speed: It Should Not Be at the Expense of Quality
High-quality Spanish translation services take time. To help you get your bearings and understand the balance between a reasonable deadline and quality, here’s an example:
- Too fast deadlines are an indicator of automatic translation with minimal editing. You may incur risks, and the essence of the text will not reflect that of the original.
- Standard deadlines for 1-3 pages and a small amount of text are approximately 24 hours.
- Urgent orders can be processed in a few hours, depending on the volume of the original. They require additional payment and the involvement of 1-2 specialists.
Editor’s tip: Clarify the process and details such as who does the translation, who edits, and whether there is a final check.
Working with Native Speakers
Large companies always offer Spanish translation services from native speakers. It is an ideal option when the work is performed by a specialist familiar with industry terminology, abbreviations, and mentality.
Who especially needs to look for native Spanish speakers:
- Advertisements and PR materials.
- Localization of websites and applications.
- Legal and technical texts.
- Creative works and dissertations.
A native speaker will easily adapt the text, preserve the essence, and not just translate it verbatim.
Technical Capabilities and Confidentiality
A reliable agency offering Spanish translation services uses professional data encryption tools.
Check the following points to feel safe in the future:
- How is your information stored before and after the final?
- Do they sign an NDA with translators and employees?
- Is there a policy for protecting personal data (especially documents with personal information)?
It is ideal when there is an account with data protection, where the originals and finished versions of files are stored.
Conclusion: Do Not Skimp on Quality
Choosing a Spanish translation services agency is an investment in your brand, company reputation, and legal security. Use a simple checklist to ensure and inspire trust in the company:
- Check ISO certifications.
- Reasonable deadlines.
- Recommendations and cases.
- Translation with the participation of native speakers.
- Transparent pricing policy.
- Modern technologies and data protection.
A high-quality approach guarantees the final text will sound professional and competent in Spanish.
Please be vigilant and watch out for these red flags:
- Few reviews.
- Many (not isolated) nasty comments from customers.
- No simple certificates.
- No native speakers.
- Prices are too low.
We will be glad if the information from our material is helpful to you.
