In-House or Outsource Translation Services—That Is the Question

Are you ready for global expansion? Before expanding internationally, your international content strategy should first focus on delivering quality content to your target markets. Effective business communication is the determining factor for the success of a decisive project. Moreover, communicating in English is not enough if a company seeks to achieve a stable and strong international reputation. Therefore, companies in all industries rely on specialised translators to communicate their messages clearly and professionally across the globe. Nowadays, it is possible to either set up an in-house translation team or outsource translation services to language service providers—LSPs.

When choosing which option best suits your business needs, there are certain factors to consider. The following is a closer look at each factor.

To In-House or Outsource Translation Services: Factors to Consider

1. Translation Costs

Many people believe that keeping an in-house translation team helps to reduce the budget. But this involves permanent expenses, such as recruitment, talent retention, management, and the overall costs of any employee. Additionally, we must consider the amount of content and the availability for translations. This can lead to two situations: The team can be unproductive during low seasons—so the company spends resources simply waiting on future projects. In contrast, there are periods of unpredictable increases in content. In most companies, the number of translations required varies. Thus, small in-house translation teams could struggle to organise their work.

If you resort to language service providers to outsource translation services, they manage these situations differently. Translation agencies can provide services for various clients and languages and handle simultaneous projects without constraints. They work with enough specialised translators to guarantee the quality of the final product and only charge for the work done.

#OptimationalTip: There are many benefits to working with a translation partner. For example, it reduces technology costs and allows you to enjoy one of the best features of using dedicated software: The Translation Memory. They can help you save up to 30%, as repeated elements do not need to be translated again.

2. Translation Workflow and Organisation

The second factor to consider is translation workflow management. Relying on in-house translators makes it easier to streamline and check translation workflows according to the business goals. For them, it is easier to adjust to urgent projects or react to last-minute changes—as they are more familiar with the company’s needs. On the other hand, in-house translators are unlikely to be prepared to manage budgets, project deadlines, or any other issues that may arise during localisation.

As for language service providers, they include project management in the service provided. A specialised team led by a project manager tracks the project timelines and deliverables for each translation workflow. The team also handles any shortcomings and fixes all glitches that may occur at any stage. Also, project managers have the technological and procedural expertise to optimise the translation process and meet the requirements of each assignment.

#OptimationalTip: It is important to consider that all complex projects need linguistic support and constant monitoring. Unless your business has a project manager involved in every detail, it is advisable to outsource translation services.

3. Translation Scalability during Business Growth

The third important aspect to consider is scalability. Having your in-house translation team manage your scaling content can be challenging as the business grows. If your goal is to expand into new international markets, securing extra translation resources or hiring specialised translators in more than one language pair can be difficult. Also, there may be a lack of technological tools required to support this business growth and meet the projects’ objectives.

If you outsource translation services, language service providers have an extensive network of qualified translation professionals capable of handling any amount of incoming content. They will also leverage all available resources to optimise timelines, improve accuracy and deliver high-quality translations. Moreover, choosing to work with a translation partner will make it easier to include new languages and features in your business.

#OptimationalTip: In your marketing strategy, you should specify your target markets and which languages are more appropriate. This will help you to choose the ideal translation partner for your business.

Final Thoughts: Choosing Between In-House or Outsource Translation Services

Whether you choose to work with in-house translators or outsource translation services will depend on many factors, including your company’s vision, goals, and resources. However, if your business goal is to expand overseas, you will need a multilingual marketing strategy. And working with an external translation partner who has the expertise to localise your content is a great option. This will be economically beneficial and guarantee that all stages of the translation process are duly completed, optimising the resources and tools available in the market.

If you are looking for a translation partner to help you expand your business, contact us!