Quality translation services and the real cost of poor translation

The translation services sector is booming. It’s worth more than £17 billion to the global economy every year. And it’s only set to grow. 

But poor-quality translation can hit your business in the pocket. Many businesses don’t realise how much subpar translation services can cost them.

Looking to learn more about the pitfalls of poor-quality language services and how to avoid them? Read on for more information about these hidden risks, as well as some helpful hints on finding quality online translation services. 

A potential double cost

Poor quality translation services might draw you in by offering a lower price. But taking advantage of this initial low cost could you much more in the long The initial fee you pay could even be wasted entirely.

You’ll no doubt have spent a fair sum on having your documents translated initially. You might have trouble getting that money back, even if the service was subpar. 

You’ll then need to pay again for translation, meaning you might be out double the money. It’s best to pay for quality, certified translation services upfront and avoid potential errors down the line. 

Production hold ups

Production hold-ups are one of the main ways your business can suffer from poor-quality translation.

Let’s imagine your company employs staff to man a production line. They’re working on newly imported equipment, but you cut costs by hiring cheap document translation services. Perhaps they make a mistake, and the entire production floor is shut down.

You might then be left with staff with nothing to do, materials going to waste, and orders going unfilled. And it might take a long time to get things back on track, especially if you then need your documents retranslating. Faced with a problem like this, you might wish you could go back in time and get quality language translation services the first time round!

Potential legal action

If something goes wrong due to poor translation, it’s possible that a company could face legal action. Imagine if a business caused a loss of revenue, production error, or even a safety hazard or injury through their poorly translated documents!

This is a big potential danger for companies who try to translate their own materials in-house. Not only will you be left more vulnerable to making mistakes, but you’ll also be at greater risk of litigation should you make a mistake. 

Remember, even if you have a member of staff who’s fluent in multiple languages, if they aren’t a trained translator, it’s possible they’ll make mistakes that could cost you dearly. Hiring certified translation services to work on medical or technical documents can help to keep you safe.

Lost sales

Poor-quality translation can cause you to lose sales or contracts. You simply can’t afford to let the lifeblood of your business slip through your fingers. 

Those production delays we talked about earlier could come back with a vengeance. If you’re failing to meet established deadlines, you might lose contracts. The costs will then be much greater than a few days of work lost. A scenario like this could put you out of business altogether. 

Consumers won’t trust a company using poor quality promotional materials. If you’re supplying material full of basic errors, it will undermine confidence and give your products an aura of low quality. 

A hit to your reputation

Mistranslated material has the potential to cause irreparable harm to your business. Because poorly translated documents often result in major errors from employees, you could end up taking a hit on your reputation. 

When your company becomes known for making mistakes and failing to fulfil contracts, it can have a knock-on effect. You’ll struggle to keep hold of existing contracts and attract new business. 

Making a silly translation error might be great fuel for a funny article. But when your business is the subject of one of these jokes, it could hit your brand’s reputation and cause you to lose customer and investor confidence. 

The invisible costs of subpar translation

You may not even realise your poor translations are costing you money. If clients receive poor service from you, they might not speak up about their bad experience, but decide to take their money elsewhere. 

If you bought a product and the manual was filled with mistakes, it’s likely you wouldn’t trust the manufacturer, especially if the poor translation meant you missed out on vital information.

It’s another reason why it’s so important to get translation right the first time. Quality translation mostly goes unnoticed once it’s completed, but it’s an invaluable asset to your business. 

Finding good translation services

When searching through the various translation companies available to work with, take your time making a decision. You’ll want to work with a company with a great track record, the right certification and expertise in medical and technical translation.

Your business needs quality translation services

You need to avoid the potential damages of subpar translation. The best way to do that is by engaging the services of a reputable company offering top-quality translation services. You can’t afford to choose anything less than the best!

Global Lingo can help. We offer a range of language services to help your business. When you work with us, you’ll enjoy peace of mind, knowing all your translation needs are well taken care of by the best in the business.

Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you. We’ve got the experience and expertise to get the job done right.