6 Things to Know Before Choosing Russian Translation Partner

Learn basic tips on how to pick a trusted translation provider, who adds value to your business and helps you grow in Russia.

How to select your Russian translation partner and where to start?

When your company enters the Russian market, it inevitably needs translating its marketing materials and other documents to be able to speak with the target audience and employees.

To make the process of choosing the right Russian translation partner easier for you, we have prepared a list of things to consider when ordering Russian translation services.

1. An agency or a freelancer?

This is the first question you have to ask yourself: would you like to work with an agency or with a freelancer?

Russian translation agencies offer a wider range of services and can work with larger volumes, while freelancers will probably offer more affordable rates.

However, there are many agencies in Russia without any kind of specialization. As a rule, they agree to take almost every project and offer low prices. As a result, you may end up with a bad and frustrating translation.

If the translation volume is small or you need a more personalized approach, then there is a point to look for a freelancer or a team of freelancers, who will take care of your projects.

If you generate a lot of content, then it is probably a good decision to go with translation agency.

Make your own wise judgement, as in any scenario you need to be extremely picky and test different service providers for quality.

2. Expertise

It is good to know, what fields your translation partner specializes in. Sometimes even large agencies are not able to provide good quality within your specific area.

Always inform agencies or freelance translators about the subject matter of your text before you discuss other things. If they are not familiar with it — just continue your search without wasting time. You can also check their case studies and request references to make sure you are on the right track.

It will be helpful, if you first send a small piece as a test translation and then have it checked by a native-speaking specialist. A text of around 200-300 words will be enough to understand what a translator or an agency have in store for you.

3. Translation by native speakers

It is not always necessary to search for a translator in Russia. Great Russian translators live almost in every country, so there’s a good chance you might find one in yours.

The only condition is that the translator must be native in Russian.

Only native-speaking or bilingual translators can provide high quality work, especially, when it comes to translation of marketing texts and fiction books.

Sure, being just a native speaker doesn’t guarantee the perfect quality. So, don’t forget about checking the background and accomplished projects of a potential provider.

4. Pricing and workflow

Translation rates may vary and sometimes the difference can be really significant. Anyway this should be discussed in advance to avoid misunderstanding on the payday.

After receiving your docs, a translator or agency will make a price estimation based on language pair, quantity of words and text complexity.

Be ready that some translators may ask you to make a prepayment, especially, if they work with you for the first time and if the project’s volume is large.

It is also common to split a large job into several small pieces, each one to be paid separately upon completion.

5. Turnaround time

Always be precise, when you inform a translator about deadlines for translation. Too short term for a large material can both double the price, and become a reason for a translator to withdraw a job.

Keep in mind that translators need time not only for translation itself, but also for proofreading and quality check.

Remember, whenever there’s a rush quality will suffer the most. Give your service provider enough time to produce good work.

6. Support

Don’t think that your role is over after you send a letter with materials for translation. Be prepared to consult your translation partner during the whole process.

Your business is unique, and there will always be something new for a translator, no matter how experienced they are.

When translators ask you to explain a term or provide additional information about your product, it doesn’t mean they have absolutely no idea of what they are doing. They just want to have better understanding of your business to achieve the best results.

However, if your service provider doesn’t ask any questions about your content and business at the start of your cooperation, we advise to pay more attention to the delivered work as it may contain terminology issues. 

Conclusion

Having a loyal translation partner is like having a family doctor. They know everything about your business, they know what you want to say and understand you at a glance, giving a feeling of confidence and support.

Remember that choice of the right Russian translation partner is one of the conditions for success on the Russian market. Please do it with due care and don't let yourself be tempted with the idea of using cheap translation services. 

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