The term lost in translation has different meanings in the world of business. We can often feel as though we are struggling to understand people as they use business speak and jargon. The corporate world has its own interesting language – but at least it’s still in English.
It gets even harder to make sure everyone has the same information and works toward the same goals when there’s a literal language barrier. That’s where business translation services can help.
When you bring in these professionals, you can get accurate documentation that’s sensitive to the culture and needs of the recipient. This can help bridge gaps and improve prospects. So, who can benefit from these services, and what can they provide?
Who Can Use Business Translation Services?
Business translation services are a beneficial resource for any company that deals with contacts in foreign markets. This could be a department or division of a global company operating in a region where English is not their primary language.
For example, if your business has recently expanded into an Asian market with a large number of Mandarin or Japanese speakers, you want to be sure that everyone there is on the same page as you.
They have the right to the same information about important business affairs, and a professional business translator is the best way to make that happen. The same goes for any new employees you have coming to work with your organization at any level who could benefit from additional translation tools.
Companies that sell products and services in foreign markets can also look into making everything as multilingual as possible to bring in more sales. Going back to that Asian market, you may have begun an expansion into China or Korea to take advantage of growing global interest.
While you have native-speaking staff in your stores to interact with customers there, you’re also going to need a strong website they can use for further information, customer support, and online orders. They’ll love the convenience of a professional site in their native language rather than having to order from a US site and deal with bad translations and shipping.
Basically, if there’s anyone that you do business with regularly who would struggle with information purely in English, the courteous thing to do would be to get professional translations for them. It might not sound cost-effective if it’s one major partner or director, but that effort can strengthen relationships that last for years to come.
What Can Business Translation Services Translate?
Now that we’ve seen the importance of working with these skilled business translation specialists, we need to look at the different types of documents and files they can work on. Consider bringing a professional business translator on board if you need help with any of the following.
1) Contracts
There will be all kinds of contracts handed out to business partners, employees, suppliers, collaborators, and so many more people. The last thing you need is someone misinterpreting a clause and not understanding their rights or responsibilities. Professionally written translations should help you avoid these issues.
2) Official legal documentation
The same goes for any other form of legal documentation. Everything that gets passed around between companies and departments has to be above board to ensure the company is compliant in both markets. One small error in a translation or an omitted clause could be a disaster and place the company in danger of legal repercussions.
3) Datasheets
Even something as simple as data sheets and company reports has to be accurate and fully translated. If you have a crucial report with all the consumer or financial data for the last quarter and need to send it over to a foreign-speaking office, they have to be able to understand every detail of the report. Don’t send it in English and then expect them to figure it out for themselves. Make an effort to give them the original and the translated copy.
4) Training manuals
This one is something that foreign workers will appreciate. When you push forward with your expansion into other markets, you’ll need to ensure that the new stores or offices operate to your standards.
This means providing the best possible training manuals and literature to get everyone up to speed. If it’s in English, they could end up failing the training or simply not bothering with it. That market can suffer as a result. So, give them a high-quality manual in their own language.
5) Website content
Finally, there’s the website content for anyone looking up your company in their foreign markets. As mentioned before, it can make a big difference to foreign consumers to have a user-friendly site with a local domain name. If you take the time to set this up with complete and accurate translations of your English content, they’ll be more satisfied. They feel as though they’re getting the same experience as anyone else.
This is just the start. There are sure to be all kinds of files and pieces of official literature you can translate into other languages. Take the time to go through everything and speak with other departments about the issues they face.
They may spend too much wasted time trying to understand a common document or piece of online information that doesn’t translate very well. Those who struggle to do this alone may not fully understand the finer details of a contract or the cultural context of a phrase. This could have serious repercussions down the line. That’s why it’s so important to bring in professional translators.
Work With The Finest Translators For The Best Results
Trying to translate documents yourself or use basic software isn’t going to work. You need someone with the language skills and experience to understand subtleties in the language, cultural context, and other final nuances. They can make a massive difference in improving the lines of communication and keeping your global operations running smoothly. So, get in touch with a local team today and see how they can help.
