• Check what kind of translations the company specialise in, most companies offer document translation in different areas of specialisation: legal, medical, financial for example. Do these fields of expertise correspond to your documents? It is important to match the document to the company’s know-how so you can be confident that the translators will be familiar and confident in using specific terminology.

• Turnaround/delivery time for translations- most companies will have a standard turnaround time for their services, these can vary greatly from business to business so if you’re in a rush check whether an expedite service is offered!

• Cost (evidently!), is likely to be the deciding factor: is the translation company competitively priced for the language pair/type of document/word count? Is the pricing structure transparent and, if so, what do the fees include? Will your translation be proofread and formatted as well as translated or are there any hidden costs?

• Take a look at client testimonials or reviews, either on the company's own website or on sites such as Proz.com (an online forum/repository for translators and language service providers alike). Do these testimonials come from people within the same industry sector as you, or have they had similar documents translated? The references may not be completely objective but they will give you an idea of whether the company has experience of working within the same field as you.

• Certification e.g. ISO 9001 conformity. This confirms that the translation company has a quality management system in place, which ensures that the translation product is consistent with the clients' expectations. It also means that they have follow up procedures in place to investigate any non-conformity should this arise.

• Does they have membership to official bodies in the translation industry e.g. ATC, ITI, IOL etc. – this can be a further reassurance as a client that the company adheres to an agreed code of conduct.

• Does the company offer 'recognised' translations? Inquire as to whether a certificate can be provided to attest to the accuracy and authenticity of the document translation. If this service is offered what are the costs involved? And what level of certification is required? This will depend on where (if indeed anywhere) the document is to be submitted. Some companies may be able to provide notarial certificates and/or the FCO apostille.

• If you have sensitive or legal documents which need to be treated confidentially. Investigate what confidentiality agreements are in place with translators and whether they have a standard NDA for clients, or if they would be willing to sign yours.

And finally…

• Communication, communication, communication! A personal approach to client relations is important, and you need to be assured that your queries, and of course your translation will be dealt with in a professional and efficient manner. Are you assigned a dedicated project manager from the first point of contact? Are responses tailored and personalised to your questions and the translation concerned? Having a named contact who has handled your project from A to Z will result in informed and helpful communication.

As translation is by no means an inexpensive commodity, take time (if you can!) to consider the options available. If you take the above points into consideration whilst choosing a language partner, you will be well on the way to finding the perfect match!