Comparison shopping is essential when you plan to hire any kind of service. The best way to compare professional translation services is to request quotes. Practically all companies provide them. Usually, you can obtain them directly over the internet. It is possible to get one over the phone as well. The important thing is to focus on the contents of the offer.
When you request a translation quote, you need to specify the type of content which will be translated as well as the language which you want the translation in. This is because you would want a specialist in the respective field or at least someone with sufficient experience to do the job. Pay close attention to the qualifications of the professional. When you consider using an online service, you have to confirm that the work will be done by a human writer and not by software. You should get a clear idea of how quickly the work can be completed given its volume and level of difficulty. The translation quote should give you a precise time frame. In general, the faster a service is the better. However, speed should not come at the expense of quality. You should be realistic when setting the deadline for submission even if you are in a hurry.
One of the most important things when you ask for a translation quote is to get a precise price estimate. Find out what the price includes and whether there will be any additional fees and charges. When you compare different quotes, it is best to use the rate per page to avoid confusion.