The Changing Landscape of Translation Services
The language services industry has been undergoing rapid and massive changes over the last few years, but the consequences are just beginning to be felt.
One of the most profound of these changes has been:
The move from the physical to the virtual world
Once upon a time, translation agencies were located in real offices in real buildings and even in real cities. They generally cultivated their clientele locally, using such traditional marketing techniques as phone book ads, cold calling and word of mouth. These agencies were often geared to specific, high volume specialties such as financial, technical and legal translation. Once a client was secured, there were often long-term arrangements, and the agencies gradually, and comfortably, built up their portfolio.
Translators were in-house, working 9 to 5 and generally paid a fair, but not extravagant, wage.
But the shift to a virtual, global playing field, turned everything upside down, almost overnight. Suddenly translators were offering their services on a freelance basis, undercutting agency rates and attempting to snare those direct clients, some of whom they had even worked with previously at an agency.
Further, there was increasing competition among translators from new language specialists based in far-flung locales who were offering even lower rates. Many of these new players were not even translating into their native tongue, but their rates were extraordinarily appealing to end clients.
As for traditional “bricks and mortar” translation agencies, they were suddenly finding the landscape shifting under their feet. In addition to the freelance virtual translators, similarly based “agencies” were appearing everywhere, attempting to offer agency services, again at greatly reduced rates.
In many cases, these agencies have been nothing but a small collection of freelance translators, former Project Managers from non-virtual agencies and/or entrepreneurial newcomers seeking to insert themselves into an industry about which they knew nothing.
Nonetheless, some of these virtual agencies have brought exceptional professional skills to bear, providing excellent quality service at more than competitive prices. Similarly, many freelance translators, now often working with those virtual and non-virtual translation agencies, are providing very high quality work.
While it is impossible to predict future shifts in the industry, especially given the current state of the economy, we can summarize what the playing field looks like right now. A snapshot, as it were.
Traditional, non-virtual language service agencies are facing increasing pressure from their virtual competitors. They are responding by establishing websites and blogs, attempting to extend their reach.
Translators are being forced to become more and more flexible, in terms of their rates, their services and their availability.
Virtual agencies are having to increase the quality of their work and product, seeking more experienced and professional collaborators and increasing their quality assurance. After all, they are now competing with long established agencies with solid reputations, long-standing clients and years of documented experience.
Despite all these changes in the industry, as long as end clients understand that quality is as important as their bottom line, the consequences shall hopefully be positive for all concerned.