There
can be many variables involved in the translation vendor
process
I speak
Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men and
German to my horse. - Charles I, King of Spain (Charles
V, Holy Roman Emperor) (1500–1558).

Domestic Vendors
Foreign Vendors
In Summary
“All over the world, translation rates vary
according to the difficulty in finding qualified
translators who are fluent in both the target and source
languages, and who are knowledgeable in the subject
matter”.
Domestic Vendors
Domestic Translators: If you are a newcomer to
the international information age process, there are
often local vendors available depending upon the size of
the market in which you are working. There are certainly
a large number of translation vendors doing business in
the U.S.A.
Accessibility: The closer you are physically to a
vendor, the easier it can be to identify a potential
vendor, and to conduct business with that vendor.
Higher Price: Depending upon your local market,
you may pay a higher price for translation work.
Domestic translation services often contract resources
in your target market, coordinate the project, and then
pass the costs on to you.
Speed: Most domestic vendors claim to be able to
turnaround a medium-sized translation job in two to four
weeks.
Foreign Vendors
Foreign Translators: If you are more experienced
in the international information age process, there are
certainly vendors available in most overseas markets. If
you work for a larger company, your company’s foreign
field offices may be able to facilitate locating a
qualified vendor in that field office’s market.
Not as Accessible: Besides the physical space
between you and your vendor, there may be legal and
customs barriers. Be sure to know about any laws
governing the import and export of technology
information of your target market.
Lower Price: Companies often use foreign labor
markets to produce goods to save on labor costs. You can
save on overhead if you are willing to take on more of
the project management duties.
Sometimes Speed: Your experiences with timely
delivery of the finished translation may vary from
country to country, depending upon that country’s
customary work ethic.
In summary
Dollars versus Quality: Your vendor selection may
be based upon a business decision. Here are some points
to consider.
Shelf Life: If your translated product is
supporting an ever-changing product or technology, it
might be better to follow a translation strategy that
involves less cost.
Profit Margin: Your information product may be
supporting a high-volume, high-profit product that
requires only the best translation available.
Audience Expectations: Audience analysis is
important internationally as well as locally. A less
than top quality translation may insult some readers in
some markets. Then again, some product users in some
markets may never refer to the documentation.