Three reasons why some clients hire freelance translators

With globalization comes the challenge of communicating in local languages. Some customers are bypassing agencies and going directly to translators. Here are the reasons why:

1. Cost Reduction

A typical agency takes half of sales proceeds and gives the rest to translators. This can be justified if the agency adds value in large projects, requiring a project manager, multiple translators, and someone who ensures consistency in terminology. However, when the job needs only a single translator and if the client already knew a translator, the extra layer of fees is not necessary.

2. Alignment of Interests

Many agencies claim better quality, lower prices, and faster turnout. But, without any up-to-date, in-depth knowledge about the industry, agencies are not in a position to assess quality. Neither are their translators incentivized to improve quality, who are paid at a pre-set rate. Large agencies want to go for volume rather than pursuing quality to maintain their size - not ideal for customers seeking quality.

3. More Transparency and Control

Even if your order is handled by skilled translators, the agency's proofreaders may botch the job due to a lack of knowledge about the industry. Directly hiring individual translators ensures that customers have more control.