eLearning Translation Love | Affinity

There are numerous translation companies that can professionally translate eLearning materials for your organization (including our company Affinity Translation). Given the choices and number of vendors, why choose one company over another?

Assuming other things are more or less equal, one answer is to first seek out and then decide which company you click with best. Companies have “personalities” (in a manner of speaking) in addition to having the required skills. eLearning course creators tend to be excited by the course materials they’ve developed. Matching that level of interest, if not excitement, in a partner for translation services seems like a reasonable thing to want to have.

The skill part is relatively straightforward. Established translation vendors generally have disciplined translation and quality control procedures in place. Many can provide voiceover services, video localization, and some even integration within popular eLearning authoring tools such as Storyline. Pricing then is another vendor selection criteria that carries some weight. A word of caution however, if pricing becomes the only factor in deciding which vendor to work with, then the assumption is that eLearning translation services are a commodity (i.e., differentiated only by price). Virtually no category of professional services is really that. There are many differences in service providers, some only becoming apparent after the relationship has begun and there’s some cooperative work experience in place over time.

 

Not every translation company is right for every translation client. Your goal? Find the one that’s right for you and then get to work.

 

In the more intangible categories, we look at things such as:

1) Responsiveness. When you need information or have questions about translation services a fast and efficient response can be a big advantage. Project pricing and scheduling questions can be especially time sensitive.

2) Professional Operations. Leading translation vendors will exhibit professionalism in all aspects of their business, from client communications to project quoting, and in each touch point with their clients. Companies that exhibit care in their operational details are also likely to be detail oriented and implement quality control procedures in the translation process.

3) Positive Overall Working Interactions. Do interactions with the company bring you up or down? Intangibles in the quality of interactions with a translation vendor are important. Most ongoing translation clients eventually need a special consideration (e.g., rush schedule, order modification, et.al.). Leading vendors will try to accommodate special requests.

Not every translation company is right for every translation client. Your goal? Find the one that’s right for you and then get to work.

 

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