ISO:17100 Translation Services certified
TW Languages is ISO:17100 Translation Services certified.
There are over 1000 translation companies in the UK alone and it is likely that each company will work differently. The beauty of having the standard is that it quantifies all aspects of the translation process and is a badge that states “we actually do what we say we do“!
Scope (as mentioned on the ATC website – atc.org.uk)
This international standard provides requirements for the core processes, resources and other aspects necessary for the delivery of a quality translation service that meets applicable specifications.
Application of this international standard also provides the means by which a translation service provider (TSP) can demonstrate conformity of specified translation services to this international standard and the capability of its processes and resources to deliver a translation service that will meets the client’s and other applicable specifications.
Applicable specifications can include those of the client, of the TSP itself, and of any relevant industry codes, best-practice guides or legislation.
The use of raw output from machine translation plus post editing is outside the scope of this international standard.
This international standard does not apply to interpreting services
Recruiting for new Translation Project Manager
We are now recruiting for a new Translation Project Manager – any interest please send your CV with a covering letter to jp@twlanguages.com
Booker prize winner splits prize money with translator
It’s great to hear that the translator has been recognised in translating the 2016 Man Booker International Prize ‘The Vegetarian’ and that she will be sharing the prize money with the author Han Kang.
The Vegetarian, a novel about a woman who “wants to reject human brutality” and gives up eating meat, has won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize.
The book was translated by Deborah Smith, who only started teaching herself Korean in 2010.
Judging panel chairman Boyd Tonkin said South Korean author Han Kang’s work was “unforgettably powerful and original”.
The writer and her British translator will split the award’s £50,000 prize money.
The pair saw off competition from Turkish Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk, Italian writer Elena Ferrante, Angolan wordsmith Jose Eduardo Agualusa, Chinese author Yan Lianke and Austrian novelist Robert Seethaler to take the prize.
Smith, whose only language was English until she was 21, decided to become a translator on finishing her English Literature degree having noticed the lack of English-Korean translators.
Full details visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36303604
Preparation is the key to cracking the export market
Moving into foreign markets can benefit your business in many ways, from building your profile internationally to experiencing growth that might not be possible at home.
But before you make the leap into trading internationally, it’s important to think carefully and do your research.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Deciding on your target country, state or region is a big decision. Is there demand for your product or service in the location you’ve chosen? What impact will local trading laws and tax legislation have on your business? What are the logistical issues involved in getting products to your customers?
Carry out as much market research as you can and speak to those in the know. The relevant Chamber of Commerce, embassies and local trade teams will be able to put you in touch with companies already exporting to your chosen destination.
WHEN IN ROME
Local knowledge is vital: understanding how a country does business will significantly boost your chance of success there. Attitudes and laws regarding credit, copyright issues and intellectual property can cause headaches if you’re not aware of them. Make sure your advisers understand the global market. CASSONS accountants are members of BKR International, a global accounting association who are able to speak to advisers all over the world with whom they have relationships.
Access to these advisers is imperative – they’ll be the ones with the local knowledge and more importantly understand the interaction between taxes in their country and the UK.
FIRST STEPS
Consider how you will do business abroad. Distributing goods direct to consumers using an e-commerce site can seem straightforward, but for sales to EU countries you’ll need to take into account the distance selling threshold of the country your’re exporting to (the limit before you have to register for VAT in that country) as well as UK tax rules.
Wherever in the world you choose to expand your business, do your homework. Seeking advice from trusted, experience sources will prepare you for any problems that may arise, and help to make your venture into foreign fields a lucrative one. This article has been produced by Cassons Accountants @cassons_acc
TW Languages concurs with the above and would like to add that we also see one of the key factors for success is “excellent communication”. Translation services should be seen as part of the exporting process when working with countries where the language and culture are different and communication is a challenge. Translation is a cost effective way of getting close to your client to further develop business relations.
If you would like free advice and support on translation issues please contact us.
Janet Perkins T: 0161 826 8777 E: jp@twlanguages.com
Great feedback makes for a happy working environment!
Getting great feedback from the Client gives the team a real buzz, not only the Translation Project Management team, the translators as well.
Reference from the Client – Luke Gooding, Creative Director,
“Impeccably translated in the sense that not only is the verbiage grammatically correct, but it is also capturing the message accordingly without it being “lost in translation””.
Comment from one of the translators who worked on the project:
That’s brilliant, I am very happy I was part of that. I’d just like to add to that the outstanding Project Management work. It’s not easy to find people with such care for the final text, and also, I had all the support I needed to deliver the translation. No wonder the result is top-notch.
How TW Languages helped Auto365 increase international business
A brief case study which highlights how a very low cost investment in using translation services can produce high returns:
TW Languages helps Auto365 to grow international business for their UK exhibition by providing translation services, advice and support.
Auto365 Live is an exhibition for PDR, SMART Repair & Detailing professionals, attracting a large number of technicians from these three industries. Having organised the exhibition over the past 2 years, the team at Auto365 were constantly amazed by how international this sector has become. They knew that there would be a business growth opportunity if the show was more accessible to foreign markets.
Business Objective
The aim of Auto365 is to grow their event by attracting new overseas, highly skilled professionals as well as continually raising the standard in producing a prestigious exhibition. With this in mind, they saw the opportunity of using translation services to promote the event to an international audience. Since this was the first time Auto365 had used this type of service, they recognised that they would need advice and support.
The Process
The team at Auto365 planned to exhibit at an event in Germany in order to promote their exhibition to be held in the UK later in the year. They decided to get their material translated and engaged TW Languages to work with them to produce high quality translated material, which could be used as handouts to prospective clients.
The Result
By altering the marketing to appeal to a wider audience, the exhibition in Germany was extremely successful. Auto365 received not only a number of enquiries from potential exhibitors for the UK event but also actual bookings. By handing out the translated marketing material directly to individuals, Auto365 highlighted their professional approach and commitment to welcoming overseas visitors to the UK. The added benefit of working with TW Languages, a professional translation company, is the confidence gained from knowing that the translation is of high quality and localised to the foreign market.
TW Languages was delighted to receive positive feedback which opened up discussion for future projects (www.twlanguages.com).
Richard Tallis, Sales & Marketing Executive, Auto365, comments:
Without the translation of the marketing brochure, it is unlikely that we would have been able to fully achieve our aims and objectives.
This has been a very low cost investment and having the marketing brochure translated into other languages removed any language barrier, and we were able to open up conversation and develop business relations.
The results speak for themselves in that we are now working on getting the Auto365 website translated.
TW Languages is pleased to be working in collaboration with ‘New Destinations Network’
TW Languages is pleased to be working in collaboration with ‘New Destinations Network’ for their translation requirements.
New Destination Network (NDN) introduces cities, venues and regions to travellers who enjoy a cultural experience. In some cases, these destinations have not been considered as a location to visit before as so little was known about them. For example, Gabrovo, a region as well as a beautiful and peaceful town in Bulgarian; Karlovy Vary, on the west coast of the Czech Republic renowned for its spas and natural waters. For further detail visit: www.newdestinationsnetwork.com
Vacancy for Translation Project Manager
Just graduated with an MA in Translation and looking to work in the Translation Industry as a Translation Project Manager?
We are looking to recruit a Graduate who is dynamic, creative and a logical thinker. Who has ambitions to use their newly acquired skills and knowledge to manage multi-lingual, complex, large translation projects.
Happy to work as a team player within the in-house Project Management team and support each other when the ‘going get tough’. Strong communication, organisation and management skills are essential when working with the international team of translators based around the globe. TW Languages works in 200+ language combinations so we have a varied and large team of professional translators and proof-readers.
We have an excellent reputation for customer service, quality and meeting deadlines, this is due to the Project Managers having meticulous attention to detail and understanding the business needs of the client. Before a person joins the company, we organise a Belbin profile assessment to identify ‘completer finisher’ skills.
TW Languages works with Memsource as a CAT tool and trains the Project Managers to be TM experts, as well as, how to provide support to translators who are new in using this software.
If you like a challenge and fit the profile highlighted above, as well as, have excellent written and spoken English language skills together with a European language, either German, French, Italian or Dutch please contact us. We would be happy to hear from you.
Send your CV and covering letter explaining ‘what your ambition is’ to Janet Perkins jp@twlanguages.com
For further details as to ‘who we are and what we do’ please visit www.twlanguages.com.
RS Clare & Co Ltd – highly satisfied customer
One example of TW Languages’ highly satisfied customers is RS Clare & Co Ltd, for whom we have completed the translation of a number of technical specification documents.
The longest established lubricant manufacturer in the UK and winner of the Chemicals Northwest Sustainability Award 2015, RS Clare strives for the highest standards in markets throughout the world.
If you would like to discuss a translation project, please contact us at TW Languages:
Website: www.twlanguages.com
Email: info@twlanguages.com
Phone: +44 (0)161 826 8777
10 Top Tips for effective communication with overseas customers
10 Top Tips for effective communication with overseas customers:
- Always provide bi-lingual contracts using a template where both languages are laid out side-by-side. This is essential if you will be discussing the contract with your client (with or without an interpreter).
- Look for a preferred glossary of terms before translating technical manuals. This will avoid any confusion over the meaning of specialised phrases.
- Keep the text that is to be translated simple and direct. Don’t ‘play on words’ or use colloquialisms – the meaning can be lost in translation.
- Don’t use machine or online translation to communicate with your client. Important points may be missed or misinterpreted.
- Ensure that job titles are translated correctly. There are cultural norms relating to job titles and if they are not correct, offence can be caused!
- Ensure that your Translation Provider creates a translation memory (sentences or paragraphs that have previously been translated), and uses this as well as the glossary of terms for all future translations to ensure precision and consistency.
- When you receive correspondence which requires a reply in a foreign language, make sure that you are aware of any deadlines before starting the translation. This will enable your Translation Provider to plan the project accordingly.
- When tendering for overseas contracts, discuss with your Translation Provider how and by whom the documents will be certified within the required time schedule. Public Sector bodies, for example, have specific instructions for translation processes which have to be adhered to, as well as a minimum timeframe for legalising translated documents.
- Wherever possible, ensure that your Translation Provider can deliver certified translations so that you can show your client a commitment to doing business. This will also prevent any legal mistakes.
- If your overseas client makes any amendments to a translated technical document, ask your Translation Provider to identify what the changes are. Are they preferential or has the source text been changed? Don’t forget to arrange for the translation memory software to be updated for future use.
The above are based on actual scenarios and further information can be provided.
Contact: Janet Perkins, TW Languages (www.twlanguages.com) T: 0161 826 8777
Multi-lingual websites and which are the best languages to start with?
A multi-lingual website can pay real dividends in making your products more “searchable” on the internet, and in helping to drive more enquiries to you. The question of which languages to cover really depends on the current needs and aspirations of your business. English is by far the most widely used language in digital media. According to the website www.internetworldstats.com the most commonly used languages after English are (in order) Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Japanese, Russian, German, French, Malaysian.
Think about the markets you want to reach. Prioritise your needs and plan to develop your website gradually. Take particular care over the quality of your translations: only every using professional translators with good first-hand knowledge of the key markets and your industry.
Article from the Trade International Digest, Q & A – Visit www.croner.co.uk/trade for more information
Comment from TW Languages:
We have a considerable amount of experience in translating websites and some advice is to keep the text simple, don’t play on words as this doesn’t always work in other languages. Use a translation company who can localise the translated text to the target country, please note, machine translation doesn’t do this!
If you need any further advice, send an email – we’d be happy to help.