Thanks to advances in communications technology, it has become easier than ever for businesses to reach customers on a global scale. For a business to thrive internationally – regardless of the industry – it must ensure that key materials undergo professional translation.
Proper translations don’t merely help to spread brand awareness. In some instances, regional mandates require them.
Effective translations must not only be accurate, but must also reflect the cultural nuances of a target audience. This is why it is important to hire experienced language service providers when translating documents, especially in the following industries:
International Litigation
International litigation would be immensely complicated even without language barriers. Regulatory and procedural differences already make the process overwhelming.
Although translations are necessary in many aspects of international litigation, they’re particularly useful in three key situations:
- When cases are heard in multiple courts and different nations
- In the case when staff members lack fluency in the relevant language
- When an applicable law was drafted in another language
Laws are written to be as specific as possible. Therefore, translators working in international litigation should all be ISO-certified.
E-Commerce & Marketing
The ubiquity of mobile devices has prompted numerous businesses to work towards establishing themselves internationally. They strive to attract customers throughout the world via their digital presence. In order to do successfully, companies must tailor their virtual marketing materials: websites, financial reports, and a plethora of other documents. Each of these must then be translated and localized into the appropriate languages.
Although this truth applies to many businesses, e-commerce is an industry in which it is especially crucial to accurately translate and localize content. In early 2016, statistics indicated that 57% of study participants spanning six continents had purchased goods from websites based in countries other than their own. With English spoken by only 26% of all internet users in the world, reaching these consumers is best achieved by communicating with them in their own language.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials involve an extensive amount of paperwork that several different parties must fill out. Patients must complete informed consent forms, staff members must complete case report forms, and physicians must complete assessments of the clinical trial.
According to legal mandates, if trials are being held in multiple countries, all of these documents must be translated twice. First, they need to be translated from the original language to the language of the international participants. After they have been completed, they must be translated back to the original language.
Any inaccuracies could essentially invalidate the outcome of the trial. The consequences of this can include legal proceedings if a mistranslation allowed a drug to be approved when it should not have been.
Patent Filing
Filing a patent internationally means navigating complex laws and documents in a language other than your own. The precise technical language of a patent must be entirely accurate, thereby complicating matters even further.
It’s also expensive to file for an international patent. According to the European Commission, the cost of a single translation can be nearly $2000. A mistranslation could force you to file once again, resulting in even more money spent.
Working with a language service provider is essential in these situations. They’ll verify the accuracy of all documents before any filing occurs, reducing long-term expenses by a substantial margin. They’ll also ensure that regulations, both local and foreign, are met during the international filing process, saving resources that go beyond finances.
Created by Morningside Translations
Written by Adriana Vrablova, CAWEB Master’s