In a world that has turned to a global village, localization is no longer a choice but a necessity. In this age of cut-throat competition, you need a localization partner that you can fully rely on. Whether it is for software localization, android app localization, or simply a website localization - you need someone who can ensure you high-quality results.
Different Options for Localization
There are several options when it comes to localization. An option that may be good for another company may not suit you, and the choice you make may not be ideal for someone else. So it is important that you keep in mind what suits you best.
In-house: An option is that you have an in-house localization department. This will benefit you in a way that the department will closely know the specific details of the business and you will be the only client. However, it may cost way too much. And you might end up paying more than you needed to, by having a whole in-house team that may become obsolete later.
Freelance: the exact opposite of having an in-house team is hiring a freelancer. This option usually costs the least as you don’t have to pay any kind of overhead cost. You pay solely for the work that you take.
But, this option does have its own drawbacks. The freelancer that you hire may have more than one client, therefore you may not be the priority. Moreover, hiring different freelancers may show inconsistency and lack of quality. And finally, the level of professionalism may or may not to be the same as you require.
Professional Company: You can also hire a company to do your localization for you. A company that can provide an industry-specific translation. You are promised a consistent quality, turnaround, and professionalism. There is also no extra overhead costs associated since you are out-sourcing the whole process.
Why is a Professional Localization Company Important?
From all three options, hiring a professional company is the best way for localization. It ensures the professional quality that you are looking for. It can offer industry-specific professional translators dedicated to your company. You can do your own due diligence in order to make sure that the company can provide what you are looking for.
And it is not as costly as having a full-time team. There are no overhead charges or other costs associated with having an in-house translation team.
What to Look For in a Professional Localization Company?
Once you have made up your mind to hire a professional company for your Android App localization, you have to choose the company that suits you best. The number of companies out there can be overwhelming and may become difficult to choose the right one. Here are a few things that you need to be looking for in a localization company.
Certification: assuring the quality of translation without a standard is impossible. Therefore, you want to look for an ISO-certified company.
International Organization of Standardization, ISO, is an independent organization that develops quality standards by consensus of the people that need them. They also provide standards for translation. That's why you want the company that you hire to be certified by these standards.
Experience: it goes without saying that you do not want to trust your company with someone who has just entered the field. You want your app to be translated by professionals that are fluent. Moreover, you also want to see the track record of this experience that the company has.
Often a company has been in the field for some time but the quality is not great due to incompetence. You may require translation in more than one language or it may require more than one area of expertise, so you want to make sure that the company can provide you fluent professionals to help you reach your goals.
Expertise: Sometimes you have an app that is specific to the industry, it requires real technical skills to localize it. Thus, you want to trust your app with translators that understand the concepts of the industry that you are associated with.
Look for a company that offers industry-specific expertise, as it is hard if not impossible in some cases to translate without having the specific kind of knowledge. If the company under consideration doesn’t offer the industry that you are interested in, then it is recommended that you don’t go with it as it may not provide the most accurate results.
References: One other way to ensure whether the company is right for you is to check for references. Companies usually have testimonials on their websites, you can check them out to see if they are reputable or not.
The best case scenario is that you know someone who has used their services, that way you can get a first-hand review that you can trust. If you come across someone who was unhappy by the service, inquire about what was missing. This will help you make list f pros and cons about the company.
Availability: one of the most crucial steps to deciding what company you want to opt for is their availability. Take a look at your work and decide the time that you need for this and when are the results required. If you need your app localized on short notice, can the company provide you results within that timeline?
For this reason, you need to make sure that the company that you are working with is available 24/7 and has a short time for processing requests. You also want to make sure that they have a constantly available customer service so that all your queries can be answered as soon as possible.
Budget: After you have looked through all the other points, you now need to consider whether you can afford the prices that the company is asking for. The best case is that you find a company that provides you reasonable prices without compromising on the quality. Usually, they offer different packages, you can opt for what suits you best.
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