A Guide to Using Languages in International Business

Introduction

This short guide is designed to help you make the most of the opportunities available in new overseas markets by increasing your company's ability to communicate in other languages, and win new business.

The Comtec Translations team has distilled years of experience to share valuable advice on improving your language capability through a variety of simple, easy steps.

If you would like to take this advice further, please contact us to book a free, one hour review of your language communication requirements. Keep a notebook by your side as you read this guide, note the various actions which come to mind and call or email us to discuss further.

Sophie Howe, Director is available on 01926 335681 or showe@comtectranslations.com

As an exporter, why invest in language capability?

In a nutshell, because it wins business.

The benefits to UK businesses of maximising opportunities overseas and expanding exporting activity are numerous. Greater productivity, broader client base, economies of scale not possible in the home market, greater return on investment and healthier financial performance, to name but a few(Source: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), the government international trade organisation).

Moreover those benefits are even greater for businesses that actively use foreign language skills. According to the European Commission funded ELAN survey of European businesses, those that are proactive in their use of foreign languages achieve an average 45% more export sales (Source: Hagen, S., J. Foreman-Peck, S. Davila-Philippon (2006) ELAN: Effects on the European Economy of Shortages of Foreign Language Skills in Enterprise).

This is further supported by research from the US, which showed that customers who buy online will pay more for a product if they can buy it in their own language(Source: Common Sense Advisory). This is real evidence that speaking to customers in their own language reaps rewards.

It is also worth bearing in mind that only 6% of the world's population actually speaks English, so being a native English speaker is not enough to maximise export opportunities.

Use this Guide to get started in building your company's language capability - a worthwhile investment for exporting success.

Getting started

Planning to ensure effective investment in language capability

We are not expecting you to enrol on a beginner's language course - we know that is totally impractical for most business owners and directors.

To get you started, what we do advise is a languages plan for your company which begins to address the need to communicate with overseas customers. If you are short of time, you could ask a member of your team with the interest and enthusiasm to start pulling together key elements of the plan.

Key inputs for your plan

Establish which markets to target and what languages are required

Having decided to grow your business through overseas trade, it is important to identify clearly which markets you will be targeting and how these will be prioritised. What language is spoken in that country? As the European Union further expands, you will come across languages you are not familiar with.

Consider how you will target the market

What are the key steps and channels you will be using to communicate with potential customers overseas?

What are the actions associated with this?

You may rely on your website and a combination of leaflets and mailers. Depending on your target market, trade events and exhibitions may get you to potential buyers. If you use press releases and articles, will these appear in foreign trade magazines and journals?

Find out which foreign languages are spoken by your team

Undertake an audit to find which language skills are available amongst your staff. Staff members with even modest language skills could facilitate initial contact with a market. See below for details on how to utilise the language skills existing in-house.

To bring all these inputs together, map the actions which you need to take against the language skills available from amongst your team.

Below you will find guidelines on how to capitalise on the language skills available within your team and how to address any potential language skills gaps.

Building in-house language competence

Maximise existing staff skills

Your audit may have shown that there are valuable language skills among your team that can be used for a variety of occasions. Even dormant language skills can be developed quickly and focused for business. A member of staff doesn't have to be fluent. A little goes a long way!

For example, you may need to follow up leads in overseas markets gained through your website or contacts made at exhibitions overseas. Your finance manager may even have to use their French to chase payment!

If you would like to assess in more depth where there may be a gap in your language capability, Comtec can assist in the review process and advise on key steps to address this.

Consider employing native speakers

You may have reached a certain point in your export sales strategy when you start to consider employing native speakers. Who better to understand the language and culture of these markets?

Or you may also look at recruiting native speakers on a short term placement to assist in researching a market or making initial contact with companies overseas. There are a number of schemes available including the Erasmus Programme (European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students), a European Union (EU) student exchange programme established in 1987.

Building cultural awareness

Successful communication is not limited to verbal expression. Body language, which varies from culture to culture, is an important element of the way we communicate with others. Knowledge of other cultures can be acquired through reading about specific markets, through Internet research and through briefings available from UKTI. Cultural briefing sessions can vary from between half a day to two days depending on your requirements and will contain general information about the culture in question, specific aspects of business etiquette and do's and don'ts. Remember first impressions count!

Government help

Subsidies to support export activity, including language training are available to exporters at all stages of activity as part of a variety of schemes run by the UKTI. Contact your your local UKTI International Trade Team for more information.

www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

Using translations and interpreting services

So far, this Guide has helped you to prepare a languages plan for your company which begins to address the need to communicate with overseas customers. As part of the plan, you may have identified translation of marketing material or setting up a website in the relevant language as important. You may also be considering hiring an interpreter to assist at a meeting with potential new clients. We have included below some tips to help with handling your translation and interpreting requirements.

Addressing translation requirements

A first word of advice; resist the temptation to do it yourself or to use in-house staff who may have knowledge of the language but are not professional translators. You need to be sure that you have the best resources to effectively target your market. Making the right impression is key. Invest in a professional language services company. Their skills and experience in translating important communication materials will reap dividends - and save you any potential embarrassment!

Professional translators, who work only into their mother tongue, possess specialist knowledge of the business context involved e.g. engineering, marketing, electronics, finance. The more specialised your sector, the more important it is that the translators have the necessary specialist knowledge.

Setting up a foreign language landing page or micro site

A fast and effective way to target an international audience

Research has shown that businesses are up to three times more likely to buy from you if they can access view your website in their own language.

With this in mind, you may like to consider setting up a landing page or micro site for your company in one or more languages. This is a highly cost-effective option to test your new markets and increase your web presence.

By working with your existing web developers or one of our trusted partners, we can help to set up a shorter version of your site based on your existing website design, but translated into other languages. This can include key facts about your products or services with a form to request more information.

Based on the performance of the site, you can then make an informed decision about whether to translate your complete website into the language of your target market.

Choosing a translation company

There are a number of options open to you to ensure that you select the best company. You could ask someone you trust to recommend a company they have worked with, or about whom they have heard good reports. This is by far the best way to start your search. You can contact the Association of Translation companies, the ATC, who provides a list of registered companies in the UK. Language bodies such as CILT, The National Centre for Languages, also provide information on sourcing providers.

Check out the qualifications and expertise of the translators employed by the company, including their technical and business understanding.

It is also worth asking whether the company uses a translation memory facility. This software allows translated copy to be stored and then retrieved later to assist with subsequent work. Use of the translation memory facility not only ensures consistency in style and terminology across all material, but also provides a more cost-effective solution for the client in the long term as it avoids unnecessary re-translation.

Does the translation company need to be located nearby, or are you happy to communicate by phone, email and intranet with the occasional meeting?

Tips on working with your chosen supplier for translation services

Allow plenty of time to find your provider - don't leave things to the last minute.
Provide a clear brief for the translation company. This will include your objectives, target markets, the nature of the translation text and deadlines. Do you need purely technical copy or more creative text? Is it to inform or to sell? It is important that your supplier understands the purpose of the translation.
Provide reference material where available, i.e. product information, brochures
Make use of your agents or distributor if appropriate to complete a final review of the translation. They may provide valuable input on market specific terminology. Your supplier may also be able to liaise directly with them to receive and process feedback as quickly as possible.
Remember to finalise your source text before starting the translation. The more versions you have, the more likely it is that errors will creep into the final version! Be sure to date each version and mark changes clearly from one version to the next.

Addressing Interpreting requirements

Interpreters should be seen as a cost-effective element of your communications plan. These professionals are used to working with the spoken word and can be used in a number of different scenarios.

Comtec offers three main types of interpreting services:

Consecutive interpreting: commonly used in one-to-one meetings and small groups. The interpreter listens to a section of speech and then, during a pause, translates it into the relevant language, either word for word or in summary.

Simultaneous interpreting: the interpreter works in real time, translating information as it is spoken. Simultaneous interpreting is often used in tele/video links or at major conferences and events, where interpreters usually work in sound proofed booths, communicating with the delegates via a microphone and headsets.

Telephone interpreting: this option can be set up at very short notice and may be suitable for short discussions with suppliers or customers overseas. Essentially, interpreters join a conference call, liaising between the two parties taking part in the telephone call. Travel time and expenses are reduced, making this a particularly cost-effective form of interpreting.

Although it may initially appear the more expensive option, employing an interpreter who is familiar with your product and services to accompany you on customer visits will pay dividends in the long run.

Tips on working effectively with an interpreter

You can help an interpreter do an excellent job by providing detailed company information in advance and as much information as possible about the content of the meeting. Give them details of your website so that they can research your company's terminology and products.
When working with an interpreter speak slowly, clearly and concisely at all times. If negotiations get heated, don't forget to pause for them - the longer you keep going, the more likely it is that the interpreter will have to ask you to repeat yourself.
When using abbreviations or acronyms for the first time, explain them to the interpreter. If you can, provide a reference sheet. Try to avoid jargon, plays on words or puns. These are often untranslatable. Jokes are notoriously difficult to interpret!

Case study

Comtec and London Taxis International (LTI)

LTI Vehicles is Britain's premier manufacturer of purpose-built taxis. The Coventry-based firm produces the world-famous Black Cab and employs 300 people at its Holyhead Road manufacturing plant and dealerships. Since the first cab rolled off the production line in 1948, the company has manufactured and sold over 100,000 vehicles worldwide.

The Translation Task

LTI aimed to market their products effectively to potential new markets abroad. In order to communicate their messages properly to future as well as current clients and customers, the firm needed comprehensive localisation of a large volume of written material.

Comtec was asked to translate and localise marketing material, press releases and other documentation including warranty guidelines, sales contracts and distribution agreements. The chosen languages were Polish, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, Hebrew, German and Russian.

Our Approach

Comtec selected expert translators with the relevant experience in marketing localisation and the automotive sector. Tight turnaround times meant that robust project management was required to ensure the smooth running of the translation process. Comtec provided regular status updates in order to maintain the quality of translation work delivered, and a successful outcome.

www.lti.co.uk

Need further help?

If you would like to take this advice further, please contact us to book a free, one-hour review of your language requirements.

This will provide the opportunity to talk through your export plans in more detail and identify where the use of languages can improve your sales performance overseas.

The session should highlight some simple steps to get you started, so you can quickly see the benefits of investing in your company's language capability.

About Comtec Translations Limited

Comtec is one of the UK's leading suppliers of language services to business. Our services cover technical, medical, financial and legal translation, marketing and website localisation, interpreting, multi-lingual Desktop publishing and software localisation.

With over 25 years' experience handling projects in multiple languages and formats, we understand the demands of international business.

Sophie Howe, Director is available on +44 (0) 1926 335681 or showe@comtectranslations.com

Glossary of terms

Interpreting or Interpretation
The oral translation of spoken language, occurring in real time, in the presence (physical, televised, or telephonic) of the parties for whom the interpreter renders an interpretation. Interpretation can be simultaneous (at the same time and same rate of speech as the speaker) or consecutive (the speaker speaks, and then pauses while the interpreter interprets, then speaks again).

Translation
The process of transferring the meaning of written text from one language to another to produce a faithful, true, and accurate document. The text to be translated is called the source text, and the language that it is to be translated into is called the target language; the final product is sometimes called the target text. A qualified translator will only translate into their mother tongue.

Marketing Localisation
The language a person speaks is part of the culture in which they were raised. Therefore, the language used in all marketing communications, including advertising, public relations, and general communications, should reflect the unique cultural expressions and values of the target locale. To ensure total quality and effectiveness of marketing communications, it is critical that translations are completed not only by translation experts in each language but also experts who understand how to write marketing copy.

Micro site
A micro site refers to an individual web page or cluster of pages which are meant to function as an auxiliary supplement to a primary website. They are typically used to add a specialized group of information either editorial or commercial. Such sites may be linked in to a main site or not.

Download a copy of our Guide to Using Languages in International Business here.