8 Key Factors When Choosing a Translation Service Provider

Translation Service Provider: 8 Key Moves When You Choose One

Business is a high-stakes chess match with your company’s growth in the balance. The board is set. Every move counts. And choosing the right translation service provider is your greatest strategic challenge. 

The wrong partner? That’s a checkmate for your international ambitions. The right one? Victory on a global stage. Growth. Profits. Content that resonates across borders. How prepared are you to make the right choice?

Choosing a translation service provider is like mastering chess—it’s all about strategy. Driven by demand for precision, speed, and greater tech in localization efforts, the global translation services market is now valued at $40.5 billion. By 2023, it’s expected to double. 

Yet, navigating translation service providers can feel overwhelming. In this blog, we’ll guide you through the most critical 8 moves to ensure your translation partner is a winning choice. 

Ready to learn and become a “chessmaster” of translation services?

Move 1: Accuracy & Quality Assurance

Precision matters in chess. The same applies to working with a translation service provider. Accuracy is non-negotiable, especially when expanding into new markets where a single mistranslation can tarnish your reputation. Top-tier providers like OneSky use AI-driven systems to achieve 93.1% human-like translation accuracy. Human post-editing then elevates this to 100%.

Moreover, keeping your content up to date is crucial. Recent studies of blogs show that 34% of bloggers report stronger results from updated content—a principle that applies directly to maintaining translation accuracy for evolving industries.

See It in the Data:

According to a new study, 39% of marketers embrace machine translation as part of their localization strategies. Over 83% of these users remain satisfied with the translation quality. 

Move 2: Turnaround Time

Speed is essential to stay ahead of competitors, but it should never compromise quality. CoFluent AI, for example, balances efficiency and accuracy by leveraging LLM agents (e.g., Translator, Voter, Editor, QA etc.) and automating workflows to deliver faster results. Whether localizing mobile apps or preparing legal documents, the ability to meet tight deadlines without sacrificing precision is a game-winning strategy.

Move 3: Cost Effectiveness

In chess, efficient use of resources determines the outcome. Every move must maximize your chances of winning. Likewise, selecting a cost-effective translation service provider can maximize your ROI. Traditional translation workflows are expensive, but AI-powered systems reduce costs by 75%, enabling businesses to allocate resources toward growth. 

A recent article about Klarna, for instance, demonstrated the company saves $10 million annually on marketing costs by using generative AI—a testament to the financial benefits of being a first mover and embracing this advanced technology. 

How did they do it? Klarna implemented generative AI tools for tasks such as running marketing campaigns and generating images. This demonstrated the real gains and scale achievable by embracing new AI technologies.

Practical Tip for Your Business:

Evaluate the cost-per-word structure of your translation provider and compare it to the projected ROI from entering a new market.

Move 4: Range of Services Provided

A versatile translation service provider is like a queen on a chessboard—capable of delivering big wins across multiple dimensions. From AI-powered translations to post-editing by expert linguists, the best services also offer integrated dashboards to streamline localization workflows. Whether you need marketing collateral, gaming interfaces, or technical documents translated, a comprehensive range of services by a provider ensures no task is out of scope.

Move 5: Industry Expertise

In chess, knowing the opponent is as important as knowing the board. Your provider should understand the nuances of your industry, whether it’s gaming, legal, medical, or mobile apps. The translation needs of a gaming company differ vastly from those of a law firm. Choose a partner with proven experience in your field to ensure cultural and contextual accuracy.

Practical Tip:
Request case studies or references from your provider for projects in your industry. Ensure they have a proven track record in handling similar content.

See It in the Data:
With North America leading the translation services market due to its diversity, selecting a provider with expertise in your target region ensures cultural precision and relevance.

Move 6: Advanced Technology

The rook’s strength lies in its ability to cover great distances quickly. Similarly, the best translation services leverage cutting-edge technology to scale globally. CoFluent AI achieves this by employing specialized LLM agents. 

Each LLM agent is tailored to a specific role to provide context-specific accuracy, including:

• Translator: Handles initial translations.
• Voter: Resolves conflicting outputs from multiple models.
• Editor: Refines language for readability and tone.
• Quality Evaluator: Maintains overall consistency and correctness.
• Localization (L10n) Manager: Oversees the entire process for seamless delivery.

By mimicking the organizational structure of a real-world linguistic team, CoFluent AI ensures high-quality output with precision and scalability.

Move 7: Seamless Integrations

Integration is the knight’s ability to pivot and adapt to any scenario. A strong translation service provider offers seamless API integrations, webhooks, and CLI tools to fit directly into your tech stack. Platforms like OneSky’s Developer Hub provide for easier collaboration, reducing friction and enabling faster localization cycles.

Move 8: Customer Service & Support

The king may move slowly, but it is the linchpin of the game. Similarly, greatest customer support anchors the success of any translation project. Translation service providers offering FAQs, 24/7 chat support, and quick issue resolution ensure your team always feels supported. OneSky, for example, boasts rapid ticket resolution times and an intuitive support interface, providing peace of mind for your critical deadlines.

Practical Tip for Your Business:
Test the provider’s customer service before committing. Submit a support request and evaluate their response time, clarity, and effectiveness.

See It in the Data:
Customer service matters both for translation service providers and consumers. 72% of consumers are more likely to buy when customer service information is presented in their own language.

Let’s Hear from the Other Side of the Chess Board

You might wonder: What about job displacement concerns with AI translation? It’s true that over a third of translators report lost work due to generative AI, and 76% worry about the long-term impacts. 

However, hybrid systems like OneSky address this by blending AI efficiency with human oversight, ensuring both cost savings and unparalleled accuracy.

And if you’re worried about investing in quality, rest assured: the average translation budget for large-scale companies ranges from 0.25% to 2.5% of annual turnover, proving that spending on a reliable partner is standard practice for industry leaders.

Winning the chess game of globalization requires a translation partner that combines accuracy, speed, affordability, and expertise. By following these 8 key moves, you’ll be well-equipped to checkmate your competition and secure your brand’s place on the world stage.

Ready to make your winning move?

Partner with OneSky to unlock unparalleled translation accuracy, speed, and cost savings. Whether you’re localizing an app, expanding your website, or entering new markets, OneSky’s AI-human hybrid system ensures every move is the right one.