Communication across cultures is at the heart of global business success. Utilizing professional translations services for website translations, software localization, etc. is imperative for anyone wishing to ensure their message to the world is heard and understood. Marketing messages, global patent filing, clinical trials, and even HR policies all require precise interpretations. In doing so, they can adhere to local regulations and compliance mandates. Additionally, translating for new markets lets a global audience understand your brand’s offering.
By restricting documents and content to English, businesses cut themselves off from international marketplaces and estrange employees, customers, and stakeholders. To truly connect with local audiences, improve global workforce engagement, and ensure you are complying with local laws, professional document translations are a must. By doing so, businesses enjoy the advantages of both accessing multiple markets and gaining the confidence that local rules and customs are being met.
#1 Selling to a Global audience
When looking to international audiences for business expansion, communicating your message with clarity and cultural sensitivity is crucial. Website content, advertising materials, contracts, and other resources must be translated succinctly to ensure you are not only reaching your audience, but also speaking a language that enables them to understand your brand.
By 2020, almost 1 billion consumers – nearly half of all online custom – will buy from businesses in other countries. This equates to approximately $1 trillion of all online spending. To be a part of the international online marketplace, though, you need to engage regional audiences effectively. Making translation and localization of your brand message a priority is paramount to success.
#2 Filing Patents
The correct filing of patent applications can make or break a new product. The process becomes even more complicated when applying for one in a language that is not your own, and that comes with different sets of regulations. Complying with these mandates while maintaining the technical accuracy of patent applications is imperative. A wrongly interpreted word can cause years of work to go down the drain.
Filing applications for patents and maintaining them in international markets varies in cost from country to country. Translation prices for international filing have increased in line with the cost of filing alone. The European Commission (EC) asserts, “The cost of a single translation of a patent can be more than €1,500.” Adding up the cost over multiple languages and countries filing fees can lead to about 40% of the overall cost of patenting in Europe alone. The price alone is reason enough to get it right first time.
Qualified and professional language service providers help to reduce the overall cost and ensure the precision of translations during the process of patenting. Thus, they make the process more accessible to businesses.
#3 Overseas Litigation
As with the patent process, international law can be complex enough without the further complication of language, varied legal processes, and cultural expectations. In many areas of law, regulations are vulnerable to frequent adjustments. Additionally, associated documents for a case can often include multilingual materials. Cross-cultural miscommunications are of a high risk without effective translation.
Three common instances of the need for professional legal interpretations and professional translation are:
- A law exists in one language and is needed for use in a case not of that origin.
- Legal cases that need to be heard in multiple courts and nations.
- An international case includes documents or interviews in a language that court staff are not fluent in.
The specificity of the legal process leaves little room for error in translations of audio or textual materials. Hiring ISO-certified translators to interpret this media accurately is crucial to the outcome of all legal matters.
#4 Clinical Trials, Research and Publications
From publishing research papers to organizing clinical trials, translation plays a key role in reaching participants and in the distribution of findings throughout the scientific world.
Bucking the trend of the mid-20th century when scientific papers and research findings were accepted and published in a variety of languages, today almost 80% of all peer-reviewed scientific papers are written in English. Simply put, to produce a globally recognized research paper, findings must be in English.
Running a clinical trial goes hand in hand with creating mountains of paperwork. If the trial is being run globally (or even across cultural groups), most or all of the documentation will need to be translated for each language – twice. All forms and documents will need to be translated from the original language into the native language(s) of parties and then back to the original language. Doing so ensures everyone involved can understand them.
Although this is a drawn out process, the legal obligations to do so are clear. Professional LSP’s will speed up the process, and should be available throughout to smooth any language-associated wrinkles as they arise.
Start with a Professional LSP
Inaccurate translations in all four of the above scenarios can lead to huge losses in revenue, reputation, and even be the cause of legal proceedings. Employing a professional LSP from the start will ensure accuracy and efficiency of interpreting all relevant documents. Additionally, they’ll localize your message and ensure your brand identity is understood by all.