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Cost Considerations for Language Services

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Like any service, language support comes at a cost. But how are the costs associated with it determined? Let's take a closer look below. 

Factors That Determine the Cost of Language Services 

1. Different Types of Language Services 

The costs of language services vary depending on the type of services you need. When you initially start working with a language services provider, you will discuss the different levels of service the provider offers and which types of services you will need for your operation or facility. 

Different types of language services can include: 

The prices of different language support solutions vary, and those variances can be significant. For example, the costs associated with in-person interpreting can range between $45 and $150 per hour, while VRI services may cost between $1.95 and $3.49 per minute. Generally speaking, any form of remote interpreting is more cost-effective than in-person interpreting due to time and location considerations.

The price of services can also vary significantly from one provider to the next. For instance, document translation prices can be much less expensive through a provider that relies primarily on machine translation instead of human translators. While machine translation is less expensive, having a qualified human translate a document offers the much-needed attention to localization and cultural sensitivities required for a truly impactful translation. One thing you can do to mitigate those costs is by working with your provider to build a library of translation memories (a database that stores sentences, paragraphs, or segments of text that have been translated before).

2.  Language Service Provider Quality and Experience  

Language services providers (LSP) with an extensive network of qualified linguists, quality services, and fast connect times equate to a better service delivery model and better outcomes for clients. Providers with experienced leaders and dedicated customer success managers make an effort to understand the needs of your organization and are better capable of building a language support plan that caters to your target audience. 

Additionally, quality LSPs ensure the delivery of secure and reliable services by adhering to industry best practices, maintaining ISO certifications, and following HIPAA compliance. 

3. The Full Scope of the Language Services the Operation Needs 

The bottom line: The full costs associated with language support rely heavily on how much support you actually need or use. For example, a hospital may need access to every type of language support and may use those solutions on a daily basis. In these cases, working with an LSP that can build a customized plan of support can be the more cost-effective choice. 

Whether you choose ad hoc language services or an ongoing contract for services can make a huge difference in the price. For most organizations, contracted LSP support makes more financial sense. For example, if a physician sees multiple patients per week that need language support, paying a per-minute rate for VRI may not be cost-effective. Through an LSP like GLOBO, enterprises can get robust solutions specifically designed for the needs of the operation. And pricing is reduced and based on the volume of services and the mix of languages.

A Worthy Cost: The Benefits of Language Services  

Even though language services do come along with a cost, the benefits of having the right solutions in place are immeasurable. Studies have found that providing an interpreter costs healthcare facilities roughly $279 per patient per year. However, the benefits far outweigh the costs. In the healthcare industry, the benefits of language services include: 

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