You’d benefit from International Translation Services If…
You’re taking your business into a new or emerging global market, with an entirely new audience speaking an entirely new set of languages.
Perhaps you’re wondering if it’s time to partner with a full-service international translation services provider. It seems like a huge step, with a corresponding commitment in time and resources. And of course, you want to make the correct choice at the right time.
But how do you know if the time is right? What are some prime indicators that your company is ready for such a partnership?
Consider just a few reasons below for how and why your business would benefit from international translation services.
You’re Moving Into International Trade
A survey by Wells Fargo discovered that 87 per cent of U.S. companies believe international expansion is necessary for long-term growth. If your business is considering a move into a new international market, a full-service international translation services provider can be one of your greatest assets.
Introducing your company’s goods or services to a new international market is appealing, but it requires more than just shipping your goods overseas. There’s a whole list of to-dos that comes along with moving into the international trade—and translation of your company’s documentation is an important one that shouldn’t be overlooked.
You must ensure that your legal, internal, and external documentation satisfies not only international trade regulation standards, but also embraces the communities and cultures you intend to target.
Communicating effectively to your target market is essential if your business is to succeed. That means that every consumer-facing communication from product labels to packaging to user instructions must communicate simply and clearly in the target language.
If You’re Translating Medical Documents
Medical document translation continuously faces word-level problems. Words evolve through use in every language; this is called the “lexical” meaning of a word.
Those you entrust to translate your medical documents must know the lexical word usage of the source language as well as the target language.
Moreover, words are used differently throughout the medical community. Words can have varied connotations, or meanings when used in particular ways.
And all too often, evoked word meanings do not translate well between languages. Multiple word registers present perhaps the most difficult factor affecting international translation services in the medical field.
Therefore, when translating medical terms from the source language into your target language, context and register must be considered in order to choose the most precise option.
Any shortcomings in translation can result in the inability to comply with recommendations or instructions—and can produce life-threatening results.
If Your Company Has Global Locations
If your company already enjoys doing business in multiple locations around the globe, your key internal corporate communications should be translated into the languages most commonly used by your employees at each overseas location.
This is not only a good practice for sound business, but it is vital to ensure that your company treats its partners, investors, and employees equitably, regardless of their language differences.
As with any aspect of your move into international markets, the prospect of translating your internal corporate communications can seem overwhelming. Here are just a few of the internal documents you should consider for international translation services:
- Employee handbook
- Financial documents
- Company Intranet
- Safety documentation
- Training materials
For global businesses to successfully function, they must consider all the potential cultural implications of each piece of internal corporate communication for every international location. Corporate communication aimed at your internal employee population is always most effective in their native language.
Clearly communicating your company’s HR documentation and other guidelines for employees is a key step in building a collaborative and effective workplace. Ensuring those documents can be easily understood in a native language is vital.
If You’re Serious About Quality Document Translation
Just as you wouldn’t trust the repairs on a multimillion-dollar computer system to an uncertified but tech-savvy employee, you shouldn’t trust the translation of your important business documents and communications to a distributor, low-cost linguist, or online translator.
A full-service international translation services provider will employ specialists who are skilled in native translation and have hands-on experience in many highly specialized industries. These professionals are subject matter experts who can combine a knowledge of local markets with industry expertise in their language niche.
The translators, editors, and project managers on your project should guarantee the highest level of quality and the most realistic turnaround times, all at a reasonable cost. This guarantee should be backed up by up-to-date, industry-specific credentials and certifications.
To ensure the highest quality in your company’s document translation, it’s always in your best interest to partner with a full-service international translation services partner with an experienced, dedicated, and professional team.
You want to choose an international translation services vendor that maintains established quality assurance processes—look for ISO certification for document translation as one way of ensuring your translation provider is committed to high quality.
