Companies with any intention of going global understand that they must be able to communicate with their target audience in a language that they can understand. This is easier said than done though; learning how to speak a language is one thing, but knowing how to write it is another.
Unfortunately, most managers and business owners are not multilingual but that doesn't mean that their businesses should suffer for their lack of multilingual dexterity. If you are a business owner or decision-maker in your organisation, the only way to overcome this challenge is to hire an in-house translator or a translation agency.
This is an HR decision you will have to make at some point but making the right decision is key to your business growth. Below we review the difference between the two and their respective benefits.
In-house translator
An in-house translator is a professional translator hired by a business to translate their materials into one or more languages. The translator may be bilingual or multilingual depending on the needs of the business, but they are hired to translate new materials. These materials may be promotional, marketing, social media, public relations or technical documents.
When you hire an in-house translator, you will always have a ready professional on standby to handle your translation tasks. You can also communicate with them much faster to get a job done. An efficient feedback loop is one of the benefits of working with an in-house translator. If there are errors that need to be corrected or changes to be made to a document, this can be done in a jiffy.
Furthermore, the translator will have an in-depth knowledge of your business and products so will understand what you need for every task in hand. The experience they bring to bear on your business and its translation requirements cannot be overemphasised.
However, working with an in-house translator has its own limitations such as:
- Language limitations: The in-house translator is unlikely to be able to translate your documents into multiple languages. This can be a problem if you market your products and services to several markets that speak different languages. If this sounds like your business, the only option might be to hire a translator for every language you need to communicate in - and this is easier said than done. For example, you may not find another translator as talented as the one you already have and vetting their work will be a challenge.
- Increases your wage bill: Employing an in-house translator will increase your wage bill. If you market your services or products in different languages, you may need to hire a translator for every language and pay them whether you have work for them or not. This will raise your overhead cost significantly.
Hiring a translation agency
The other option is to hire a translation agency to handle all translation responsibilities. This is the route businesses with a large market take. They know that hiring an in-house translator will limit their scope as well as increasing their ongoing overheads.
A translation agency is a language service provider that caters to the needs of businesses and entrepreneurs in the international market. They recruit professional translators in diverse languages and with deep knowledge in different niches.
With a list of trained translators under their employ, they market their skills to businesses that need them. As a business owner, collaborating with a professional translation agency might be your best bet because of the many benefits your business stands to enjoy. We review some of these benefits below.
- They localise your brand - A professional translation agency can help localise your brand so potential customers in your target market can relate to your brand. The localisation service they provide will factor in the local culture, sentiments, expectations and nuances. They will also ensure that your content conforms to the local laws and rules of the target country. As a business manager, this is one area where care is required to avoid breaking any local laws or offending the sensibilities of the local population with your materials. An agency can help you with this.
- Work with highly-trained professional - It is almost impossible to vet translators for quality if you don't speak the language you are hiring them for. However, when you hire a translator though an agency you don't have to worry about that. Any translator assigned to handle your tasks has already been vetted by the translation agency. Translation agencies hire native speakers who are professional linguists and they vet them to ensure that they meet the highest standards at all times.
- Great for marketing - A translation agency will be great for your marketing effort because of the wealth of experience they bring to bear on their work. Besides translating your manuscript they can also provide you with impactful marketing ideas and techniques that will do your business a world of good. Having worked with other businesses in your industry they can share their experience with you on how to make headway in competitive international markets.
- Cost-effective - Lastly, hiring a professional translation agency is cost-effective. You don't have to pay an ongoing salary. Instead, you only pay the translation agency for the services you need. This can be great for your balance. Agencies not only take the burden of hiring talent off you, but they also help you save time and money in the process.
Copyright 2023. Featured post made possible by Derrick Meeks.