Professional Translation Services

As businesses expand into new markets, it is essential that language is a top priority. Whether entrepreneurs want to create a targeted advertising campaign, or the human resource department is trying to recruit new employees, everything must be translated correctly.

Otherwise, customers – and even current team members – could become frustrated.

For example, Fairfax New Zealand News recently cited data from a DHL survey, showing that 9 out of 10 exporters do not speak the language of the markets they export to, besides English.

DHL Express New Zealand country manager Tim Baxter explained to the news source that businesses of all sizes can become confused with paperwork in foreign countries. Baxter said that with his organization, there is a key accounts desk that handles the more sensitive cases.

“They are constantly on the phone to our counterparts in different countries, just smoothing waters and making sure things are clear before they go through,” he said.

Additionally, DHL’s New Zealand staff is fluent in 11 languages, to try and offer customers a greater chance of working with an employee who understands them.

Not all small- to medium-sized businesses will be able to hire individuals who speak that many languages, which is where an international translation agency can be beneficial. These professionals can help companies create everything from translated websites to translation of all types of documents.

Professional document translation will also help business owners remain compliant with the governing body of a foreign country. Taxes and other financial requirements could differ, and one mistranslated word could give company leaders hefty fines. Language is essential for good business, and with the right translation firm, growing companies can stay profitable.

“There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.”

That quote from opera singer Beverly Sills is correct, especially in the business world. Entrepreneurs might want to get their company started as quickly as possible, but to ensure long-term success, the road must be smooth – not short.

For organization leaders who are preparing to open an office in a foreign country, business translation services should be something that they are already considering. However, opting for machine translation might seem a quicker path to take, but it will not be as detailed or accurate as an option that utilizes real people.

Differences in Foreign Languages

Many languages have subtle nuances or dialects that differ from one area to the next within one country. Prospective customers could either be dissuaded by a less-than-adequate translation or they might not even understand which product or service is being sold to them. Business translation services that specialize in document and website translation can give organizations the tools they need to flourish in a new area.

Trying to create a type of translation shortcut will do nothing to create and develop a strong relationship with consumers. To that same extent, if a company wanted to try to recruit employees, they will also be more reserved if they see that an advertisement is grammatically incorrect.

Legal Translation Services in New York

International translations can help companies expand their business abroad. Websites, financial documents, employee handbooks and regular advertisements are all things that entrepreneurs need when first opening an office. When starting in a foreign country, all of these must be translated correctly. Partnering with a translation agency in New York that employs expert translators in their field is not the “long way.” Rather, it is building a strong foundation for a road to success.

Homework is generally considered a chore for students, from teenagers up to those studying in grad school. But working in the business world often requires its fair share of research, especially for entrepreneurs who want to expand into a new country. A lack of knowledge—or the wrong information—could prove extremely detrimental to a company.

Forbes & Entrepreneurship

A Forbes contribution piece explored businesses that expanded into new countries, highlighting a few that experienced speed bumps along the road to success. For example, U.K. company Kwintessential printed the “OK” finger sign on each page of its catalog. The organization quickly discovered though that the symbol is an obscene gesture in many Latin American countries. All catalogues had to be reworked, which took six months of Kwintessential’s time and money.

Quinn Sutton, general manager of Latin and Caribbean regions for digital literacy and certification firm Certiport told the news source that it’s crucial for business owners to “do their homework.” It’s important to stay consistent, but entrepreneurs must be aware of how their company is perceived in other countries.

“If you simply announce ‘This is the way it is’ to your international partners, your success will be as limited as your vision,” he said.

The Importance of Document Translation

The news source also underlined the importance of partnering with a document translation company. This is crucial not only in documents that are sent out to customers and prospective employees, but any pages connected with the company need to be translated into the right language. That way, financial issues can be prevented, as the necessary authorities will understand a company’s history. Professional translators paired with strong research can help a growing business find success.

While it is better to be safe than sorry, it is not always necessary to save every receipt or piece of financial paperwork that has to do with your business. As a small to medium-sized business owner, facing scrutiny from either the IRS or another country’s equivalent institution, is not ideal. However, in order to avoid any issues, you aren’t required to file away every piece of paper.

Moving Overseas

It is essential to find the right balance. And, for companies that are looking to move overseas, or expand into another country, it is also crucial to have the right documents translated properly. Even if an organization’s leader has the right paperwork, it will not do him or her any good if the necessary authorities cannot read the file or understand what it says.

Regina Leeds is a professional organizer who explained to Entrepreneur Magazine that one of her clients had been audited by the IRS. From that experience, her client saved every piece of paper remotely related to her company’s finances.

“Every billing statement, every letter, every receipt—I couldn’t get her to part with a single piece of paper,” Leeds, said. “She had boxes of receipts going back decades.”

For example, ATM receipts and deposit slips can be shredded once you’ve cross examined them with your bank statements. However, previous years’ tax returns should be kept for three years.

Getting the Requirements in Place for a Proper Translation

Once a business owner understands what is actually necessary to keep their firm running smoothly, then they can ensure that all items are properly translated.

This is where partnering with a company that specializes in document translations can be beneficial. Everything from employee payroll information to more basic items will need to be translated to establish a business. With legal translation, an organization can rest assured that no data is forgotten about or overlooked.

Starting a business is hardly easy, but starting a company in a different country, where the entrepreneur does not speak the language, can be even more challenging. To ensure that an organization is able to properly file taxes, wherever it is located, it can be beneficial to partner with experts in various fields to assist in the transitionary period.

The Houston Business Chronicle highlighted some simple tips for entrepreneurs to keep in mind as they start a business. Included in their suggestions is to consult with a lawyer, as these professionals can assist them in filing and reviewing all required paperwork. In certain business situations, such as whether individuals want to form a partnership, consultations can be helpful.

Company Formation Abroad

“Your attorney, in such a case, can review your partnership agreement and help you avoid common pitfalls,” the article explained. “In addition, the paperwork required for forming a corporation can sometimes seem confusing or complicated. An attorney can help you better understand the process, complete the forms and even submit them for you.”

In much the same way, professional document translation services can assist entrepreneurs who are looking to expand into a new country. Just because an individual is not fluent in the main language of another nation, does not mean that he or she cannot successfully run a company there.

Tax and Legal Requirements

Tax requirements and other paperwork are often crucial for an organization to start off smoothly. Working with professionals who specialize in legal document translation will assist entrepreneurs as they begin operations in a new country. From there, businesses within numerous industries have a chance to flourish.

When businesses prepare to expand overseas, it is important for them to not lose sight of what they want to sell to customers. Using international translation services, an organization can rest assured that consumers will always understand what is being sold to them, regardless of the language and a business’ origin.

Marvel and DC Comics

For example, with the recent push of Marvel and DC comic series being made into box office hits, it is even easier to recognize certain characters. That is precisely the idea behind the Iron Man 3 branding campaign, which can now boast that it sits atop the Forbes Fictional 15 – a list generated by Forbes magazine that lists the 15 richest fictional people. Tony Stark, the Iron Man hero, is listed at $9.3 billion.

“What’s made Iron Man so successful is that it’s the same basic story three times. It’s an example of how not to muck up the basic formula, and yet add something new to it each time,” branding expert Allen Adamson told Fox News.

He added that it’s important to understand your customer, and that different countries might require a slightly different advertising campaign. However, keeping the overall story – and brand – the same is exceedingly crucial.

Iron Man: Simple is Better

Simple ideas are better, Adamson explained, and with Iron Man, he is just a man who gets his power from an iron suit. As long as that message is properly explained to customers – in no matter which language – all should understand its meaning.

A translation services company can help any organization properly fine-tune its product and message to a variety of customers, ensuring that the brand name remains intact and easy to understand. When securing translation services, make sure you choose a translation agency with translators specializing in specific fields such as business French or German translations.

This blog continuously underlines the importance of document translation, as growing companies must have a strong grasp of foreign nations and how companies located there conduct daily operations. Otherwise, it can be more difficult to reach out to prospective customers and ensure that the organization will find success.

Ohio Mayor’s Tour in Europe

One Ohio mayor took note of that concept, and toured parts of Europe this week to see how his city can create local jobs while drawing in interest from other countries and their businesses.

Toledo Mayor Mike Bell traveled through Switzerland and Germany, hoping to establish stronger foreign relations and build up Toledo’s relationship with its German “sister city,” Delmenhorst. Bell explained to The Blade, a local Toledo paper, that he also wants to find foreign investors for his Ohio city, along with more jobs for his people.

“This is about exposing people to something they may not know exists, a landing point in North America,” Bell said. “It all starts with trying to get leads and being able to make personal contact with people so you have a relationship to work off of.”

While Bell has several critics of his European tour, including Councilman Joe McNamara, who is running for mayor against Bell, the Toledo mayor is standing strong in his belief that he can make things better for the city by working with other countries.

Promoting Jobs & Investments in Toledo

City Finance Director Patrick McLean told The Toledo Free Press that the focus of the trip is to promote jobs and investment in Toledo, and that other cities have been courting international companies for decades. Toledo might be late to the party, he said, but it is important that their officials are making the effort.

In situations like this, once companies make the decision to create an establishment abroad, international translation services can be very beneficial. That way, a business can blend into the new city without compromising its bottom line and overall goals.

While this blog has previously highlighted American businesses finding success overseas, there is as much potential success when looked at from the opposite perspective – immigrants who moved to the United States are founding thriving companies.

Immigrants and Small Businesses in the US

According to a report by the Fiscal Policy Institute, immigrants own 900,000 small businesses in the U.S. Specifically, that is 18 percent of the 4.9 million businesses with fewer than 100 people working for them.

Drawing data from the Survey of Business Owners and the American Community Survey, which looked at those who own an incorporated business, the report showed that the percentage of immigrant-owned small businesses is higher than the immigrant share of the population – 13 percent (The Translation Company provides immigration translation services). The labor force stands at 16 percent.

Business translation does not always need to be limited to English being translated into other languages. Companies that are looking to expand into new markets, regardless of where those markets are located, can benefit from partnering with document translation services.

For example, the study further showed that between 1990 and 2010, small business owners grew by 1.8 million to 4.9 million, with immigrants making up up 30 percent of that growth.

How Small Companies Start

Greg Fairchild, associate professor of business administration at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, explained to CNBC that individuals might start a company on their own out of necessity.

“Even if they have college degree from a home country, people don’t know those schools in the U.S.,” Fairchild said. “They have credentials and knowledge and drive but they’re not recognized by typical employers. They begin by hiring themselves.”

Partnering with a translation agency with certified Spanish translators can help growing companies keep pace with their competition. Furthermore, those translation experts can work with expanding organizations, easing the transition into a new country.

When the leaders of a business decide to move the company overseas or to create a new branch in foreign markets, it is important to try and make the transition as smooth as possible. Channeling resources can be very helpful, whether it is using personal connections or creating new ones.

For example, an Investor’s Business Daily article highlighted using the advice of an embassy. Not only will these officials understand the subtle nuances of a country, they can help a business find the best ways to advertise and reach out to customers.

Expanding Abroad

Danny Roderick, president and chief executive of a Pennsylvania-based nuclear energy firm, told the news source that it’s important for business owners to explain their company to the U.S. ambassador of the country they are expanding into. That way, there will be a better chance of them supporting your organization.

“You need to define your ground game and think in terms of the ambassador’s needs, such as creating value in that country, improving trade relations and creating U.S. jobs,” he said.

Westinghouse Electric Company, Roderick’s firm, conducts 50 percent of its business internationally, according to Investor’s Business Daily. Additionally, sales have increased more than 50 percent over the last five years, largely driven by exports.

Czech Republic and Russian Markets

Roderick explained that his company’s latest project involves construction at the Temelin nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic, and he is bidding against state-controlled Russian companies. The U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic has assisted Westinghouse create an accurate message for government officials and the media.

In similar fashion, a professional translation service can help businesses reach out to customers in a foreign country. With a firm that uses real people for Russian or Czech translation services, a company can rest assured that their bottom line will not be compromised when trying to expand in new markets.

Reality television might be thought of as a very American form of entertainment, but other nations enjoy watching those shows as well, which is causing some U.S.-based TV networks to expand their broadcasting areas.

Discovery, which owns 14 domestic cable channels, has seen reality shows such as “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” become increasingly popular in countries like Brazil, Mexico and Russia. The cable network is ensuring that a glossary of common terms are available in other languages, so that the American milieu and language are properly translated.

Discovery International Strategy

Mark Hollinger, president and chief executive of Discovery Networks International, told The Times that Discovery’s well-traveled shows have become only part of the company’s international strategy. However, relying strictly on fact-based channels will be limiting, he said.

For example, Discovery has bought several free-to-air channels, which will allow it to expand beyond the core lineup of Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet and other cable options.

“We almost view Western Europe as the new emerging markets,” Hollinger said. “If you get in and can have some patience with it, there will be improvement.”

However, Discovery has made necessary localization changes, to ensure that different countries would enjoy the American shows. TLC’s “What Not to Wear” is edited to included less snide remarks and more positive feedback, in order to appeal to Indian women.

Document Translation Company

Taking an example from the way that Discovery is making adjustments on several levels for new markets, companies that want to expand should be willing to make similar changes. Working with a firm that specializes in document translation can ensure that organizations have properly switched from one language to another.

Different cultures could have subtle variances in speech and the written word that are not always accounted for in machine translation. Whether you need a Chinese document translation or a certified legal translation for any other language, make sure you get your local legal requirements covered.