Welcome to the last installment of our three-part series on different types of translators. We've broken them down according to how they work. In Part I we looked at freelance translators, the hardworking pillars that hold up our profession. And in Part II we tackled the dynamic and organized translation agencies. To finish it off, we’re going to discuss the pros and cons of a Language Service Provider (hey, that’s us!). At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we want to reiterate that all three options are good. Choosing one over the other all depends on your circumstances.

A Language service provider (LSP) like Exero Soluciones combines the best of both worlds. On one hand, we’re translators, so we can handle the majority of the projects internally. On the other hand, we have a vast network of independent professional collaborators that allows us to provide practically any service that you might need.

To give you the best service at the best price and in the shortest amount of time possible, we try to take care of all the projects we possibly can internally. However, our collaborator network gives us an extra set of hands when ours are full. They can also lend us a hand when a project is beyond the specialty field or language pair of our in-house team.

Let’s say that the translation you need isn’t from English to Spanish, but to Czech. At this point in time, we don’t have an in-house Czech translator, but that’s not a problem! We’ll contact one of our specialized translators with the right skill set from our collaborator database and thus ensure you get the highest-quality translation possible. Regardless of how long or urgent the document is, whether the text is highly technical or if the language pair is uncommon, we take on and manage all types of projects. That’s our guarantee as a Language Service Provider.

But that’s not all. Without a doubt, the biggest advantage of working with a Language Service Provider is the fact that your translation will always be handled by multiple experienced, professional linguists during the translation process. As an in-house team, we analyze, problem solve, edit, proofread, and prepare your document for final delivery. We go through all these steps because it’s our way of guaranteeing that your translation will be top-notch quality. Moreover, by working as a team we ensure that the final product is both terminologically and stylistically coherent.

And just like translation agencies, LSPs offer an array of additional services not mentioned above. That’s why the rates of a Language Service Provider are comparable to those of an agency, but higher than freelance rates. After all, the project goes through the hands of multiple team members. We do much more than just manage projects, we take them on as linguists too.

Conclusion:

Deciding between these three options depends on your situation and the document you need translated. Whether it’s a document for your son’s study abroad program or your business meeting in Tokyo this Friday, freelance translators, translation agencies, and LSPs are all here to help. That’s why we’re the professionals!

Choosing a translation service can be difficult: Each option has its pros and cons and there are a lot of factors that go into the decision, such as your individual circumstances, budget, timeline, and level of quality. But one thing is for sure, whatever you decide on, always trust a professional! If not, you know what you’re in for:

That’s a wrap! We’ve reached the end of our series. Remember that you can follow us on Twitter and Facebook to find out about future articles and other translation and language-related news. And don’t hesitate to drop by our website if you need translation services.

Hasta pronto!