Expert Advice

The business benefits of translating

What can SMEs do to fully optimise their overseas trade?

By Isabella Moore CBE, Comtec Translations

It is reported that every UK SME loses an average of 325,000 Euros in business because they don’t possess the language skills necessary to trade effectively overseas. Isabella Moore CBE, founder of COMTEC Translations Limited, former CEO of CILT, the National Centre for Languages, and Past President of the British Chambers of Commerce, highlights the pitfalls SMEs face and the mistakes they make when relying too heavily on the English language to win sales. She describes four practical steps that smaller firms can take to build a languages strategy and capitalise on the benefits of overseas commerce.

English is often regarded as the universal business language but whilst it may be acceptable to use English if you are buying from another country, it won’t be appreciated when trying to sell to international customers. In fact, customers are three times more likely to buy when addressed in their native language, and once on board, using their native tongue will build deeper relationships and advocacy. It’s a myth that everyone speaks English – three quarters of the world’s population speak no English at all and 94 per cent of English speakers only speak it as a second language. Eleven percent of exporting European SMEs – which is 945,000 companies – may be losing business because of language barriers. In today’s climate, talking to customers and suppliers in their own language provides you with a commercial edge – paying real dividends for UK exporters.

Experienced sales staff know from knowledge of the domestic market that their most loyal customers are those that they have got to know personally. These are the ones whose business they know and understand and the ones with whom they share mutual respect, liking and trust. Overseas customers are no different.

Customers want to develop and supply partnerships with people they know they can work well with, people that value their custom and people that will go the extra mile to sort out problems when they arise. How are you going to get to know their business if all contact is handled through an agent? How are you going to demonstrate that you value your customers if you haven’t even bothered to try to learn their language and culture? In short, to develop those relationships, some knowledge of the customer’s language is essential.

Sales negotiations are not the end but the start. There are design details to be hammered out, prototypes to be prepared and submitted for testing, supply schedules to be agreed, shipping arrangements sorted, delivery or quality problems resolved and payments to be solicited.

We tend to think that it is the customer’s obligation to ensure they have English speakers in all those functions just so that they can enjoy the privilege of being supplied by us!

Create a language strategy
So where do you start? The first thing to do is to actually create a language strategy. Recent research has shown that only 48 per cent of companies have a language strategy in place. Having a language strategy affects your whole company; it can lead to higher levels of productivity, and make your company more open to innovation because it can change its whole ethos. Research indicates that exporting SMEs are more productive than those which do not export and that there is often a hidden bonus through exposure to increased technical know how, market-awareness and cost or efficiency savings.

Given that SMEs account for more than 50 percent of employment within the European Union, it would thus appear that, if a greater number of SMEs were to become successful exporters, and if those currently exporting were to expand their markets, there would be a significant impact on the European economy, and also that there could be considerable additional benefits in terms of greater innovation and market awareness, which in turn could impact on productivity within national economies.

Take an audit of the language skills you already have in your company, it might surprise you as to how many languages are used by your staff unbeknown to you. Ensure staff are not over egging their skills or underplaying them, and find out what they would be comfortable doing. There are many language skills lying dormant within companies which could assist you in making that crucial first contact with a client. Once you have made contact, it would then be essential to recruit expert help with marketing and sales materials, website translations, technical specifications and contract negotiations.

Appoint native speakers
Appointing native speakers (those whose first language isn’t English) or near native speakers (those who are bi-lingual) can make a huge difference in building relations with your customers. Not only will they be able to converse with ease, they will have shared traditions and an understanding of a country’s culture and ethos and thus make it easier to develop relationships and build trust with your customers. Graduates from your target markets are good to employ; they often have several languages including English, good technical skills and are attracted to the UK job market.

It is important to understand that the culture of each country you target with your products or services will need an individual approach, e.g. a direct culture such as found in Germany or the Netherlands can cope with direct blunt, to-the-point emails with a minimum of courtesy, introduction and small-talk and are accepted conventions in day-to-day business. In China, Russia or nearer home, in Italy this approach does not work and, in the absence of a strong relationship, could spell disaster. Appointing a native speaker will help to understand these cultural niceties.

Recruit staff with language skills
Only 40 percent of companies actually recruit staff with language skills, so it is essential that this is built into your recruitment policy. But to ensure that our education system delivers home grown graduates with the necessary language skills businesses need to start demanding that language skills are part of both vocational and higher education courses in the UK and that the language teaching reflects business needs – both in the short and long term.

Define the language skills you need and ensure they are specified in the job description and in all advertising. French, German and Spanish are still the most common languages required by UK exporters but you may be looking further a field and require other languages such as Chinese and Russian.

To further develop your language strategy, you may also like to consider providing work experience to foreign students or employees, or becoming involved in international business to business exchanges.

Use interpreters and translators
For professional sales and marketing materials it is essential that a professional translator is employed. To fully integrate
and communicate with customers it is essential that all ‘touch points’ are dealt with in their language. All literature should be translated – don’t just consider the sales and marketing process, consider the documents your clients use once they are onboard – such as operating, technical and training manuals.

Being sure you have reached an agreement can also be a major challenge across international cultures. To increase your chances of getting the job done when working with customers overseas develop a relationship with a language service provider you can trust, that uses native speakers and harnesses the latest technology to deliver fast and cost effective translations for
your company.

In may seem to be a less costly option to hire a local interpreter for contract negotiations. A much more effective option however is to take an interpreter with you, who has an in-depth knowledge of your product or service, understands how your company operates and who can be a very useful source of support.

Your marketing material may be the first opportunity for you to promote your company. Cogent Elliott, a leading global creative agency based in the Midlands, with clients such as Land Rover, Jaguar, Arriva and AGA, appointed my company Comtec for the translation of a range of new material into key languages for distribution in local markets for their client Triumph Motorcycles. Specialist translation was required for the localisation of high-level marketing material, including the use of the most current specialist terminology used in Triumph’s target markets. The remit was to provide fully localised translations to look and feel right in each of the eleven languages whilst maintaining the spirit and style of the original text.

Comtec worked closely with Cogent Elliott to ensure translated content met new brand standards. Comtec understood clearly the detailed briefing and adapted the translation process to fit their client’s requirements. We provided expert translators with the appropriate knowledge and experience in developing high-level marketing materials. Advanced desk top publishing capabilities with the latest translation memory software were crucial to ensuring consistency across multiple projects. A quick turnaround time while maintaining high quality standards was required, as were communication skills to liaise with target markets Rigorous project management to co-ordinate the translation and the DTP processes meant that all parties involved were satisfied with the outcome.

Whatever path you take, with an effectual language strategy your company is equipped to fully exploit the benefits of exporting.

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