An AI agent for translation agencies
that quotes a job by word count, not a guess
A translation agency's inbox fills with files that each need a word count, a language pair check and a rough price before anyone can even say yes to the job, and that first pass eats a project manager's morning. We build an agent that reads the file, estimates the quote, and hands a ready-to-confirm job to a PM instead of a blank inquiry.
Why translation and localization agencies lose money today
A translation agency’s first response to a new inquiry usually requires someone to open the file, estimate a word count, check the language pair against available translators, and apply the rate card, before any quote can go back to the client. That manual first pass is the same mechanical process every time, and it is also the step most responsible for slow response times when the inbox gets busy.
The second problem is quote accuracy. A rough estimate given without actually opening the file, just to respond quickly, often turns out wrong once the real document is reviewed, and a client who was quoted one number and later told it is higher reasonably feels the first number was never serious.
The third is routing. A certified legal document and a marketing brochure need different translators and different review processes, and a job that lands with the wrong project manager or translator pool before anyone catches the mismatch wastes time reassigning it.
A fourth, specific to agencies serving several markets, is volume concentration around clients launching products or campaigns in multiple languages simultaneously, which compresses a batch of quote requests into the same narrow window a PM is already managing other active jobs in.
What we build
An agent that reads an incoming file, extracts a real word count across common formats, checks the requested language pair, and returns an instant estimate from your actual rate card, not a generic industry average. The estimate is clearly labeled as an estimate, with final confirmation coming from a project manager who reviews the file for formatting, terminology and certification requirements.
The agent answers FAQ on turnaround times, certified translation requirements and formatting from your own written material, so a prospect gets an accurate, consistent answer about how your agency works. Any request mentioning certification, legal or sworn translation is flagged for direct human routing, since those carry requirements the agent should never attempt to quote.
Typical integrations: your TMS like Smartcat or memoQ where the API supports a reliable connection, a CRM or Google Sheets pipeline for job tracking otherwise, and your site chat or Telegram as the first point of contact for new inquiries.
What stays with humans
Final pricing confirmation, translator assignment and quality review stay entirely with your project managers and linguists. The agent estimates and routes; it never confirms a final price or assigns a specific translator without a human reviewing the actual job first.
Price and timeline
| Package | Price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Agency runs it | from $1,800 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Full control, handover-ready | from $3,060 | 3 to 5 weeks |
Related
Pair this agent with a lighter Telegram bot for translation agencies if quote intake alone fits better right now, or job routing automation for translation agencies to see how a quoted job flows through to an assigned translator. See the full package breakdown on the AI agents service page, or the localization and translation agent for a narrower in-house build. Get a written plan with a fixed price for your agency.
FAQ
How much does an AI agent for a translation agency cost?
Our Assistant package starts at $1,800: file intake, instant quote estimate, turnaround FAQ, routing to a PM, live in 2 to 3 weeks. A lighter quote-estimate-only Telegram bot starts at $900.
Can it quote a final price without a human checking the file?
No, that is a hard rule in the playbook. It gives an estimate from word count and your rate card, useful for a client deciding whether to proceed, but the final price is confirmed by a project manager who actually reviews the file for formatting, specialized terminology or certification needs.
How does it count words across different file formats?
It parses the actual file, PDF, Word, PowerPoint or a common CAT tool export, and extracts a real word count rather than asking the client to estimate, which is where most quote disputes start.
Does it handle certified or sworn translation requests?
It flags any request mentioning certification, legal or sworn translation for direct routing to a PM, since those have requirements the agent should never try to quote or process on its own.
Which languages and file types does it support?
Any language pair your agency actually serves, since quoting runs off your rate card, not a generic assumption. File intake supports the common formats agencies handle: Word, PDF, PowerPoint, Excel and plain text.