By Hilary Picken | June 18, 2020 | Translation Tips
The Coronavirus outbreak has created a perfect communications storm – an unprecedented need for accurate information and a simultaneous epidemic of misinformation, which the WHO has termed the “infodemic”.
Public health organisations are not alone in this challenge. In order to survive and thrive during the pandemic, businesses must convey their internal and external messages with accuracy, efficiency and authenticity. Translation is playing a greater role than ever in this effort, helping companies to communicate clearly in every market.
1. Is it le or la Coronavirus?
Now more than ever, your team’s success is underpinned by communication. It’s critical that employees have the information and resources they need to work productively, safely and happily in the “new normal”. Additionally, businesses are finding themselves with much more information to share, often using Covid-19 terminology. Most of this vocabulary was unknown to many until recently. How often did you “socially distance” yourself from “furloughed” colleagues pre-Covid?
Many forward-thinking international businesses are choosing to translate most, if not all, of their internal communications and policies. They are doing everything possible as employers to help their teams understand what is expected of them, and to ensure they feel connected and supported in these uncertain times.
2. From bricks to clicks
Exponential growth in e-commerce is being driven by the combined impact of social distancing, whilst high street lockdowns are slowly lifting consumer concern around public spaces and health remains. Your customers are turning away from brick-and-mortar shops in favour of online shopping. To succeed you must meet them where they are – often on their sofas – offering your products and services via the channel and in the language of their choice.
By translating and localising your website and marketing collateral, you are making things simple for new and existing customers. You’re also creating strong first impressions and deepening relationships by meeting the needs of customers, old and new. Additionally, you are increasing the likelihood they will both return to and advocate for your brand. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to better engage your international audience.
3. Growth in the time of Corona
Growth is possible even in a crisis. For some, like our clients in industries such as market research and online retail, high international demand driven by changes in consumer behaviour must be met. For others, the focus is on customer acquisition due to stagnation or saturation in existing markets.
In either scenario, translation can help meet your strategic objectives. Due to the restrictions imposed by Covid-19, consumers will not expect companies launching in new markets to have a physical presence. This enables you to reach thousands of new customers through digital channels, whilst keeping opportunity costs low. Invest in the translation of your website and marketing and sales toolkit to ensure your brand and value proposition are communicated clearly to your new customer base.
4. Set up for success
Agile
Pre-Covid-19, the translation industry was one of the most responsive and flexible out there, and The Language Factory’s response to the pandemic is a perfect example of this. We work with a team of long-standing freelance linguists, and all of our dedicated Project Managers have been working from home since the UK lockdown began. This has enabled us to continue to work with the same speed, agility and accuracy our clients have come to expect, as evidenced by our 98% customer satisfaction rating.
Human
You can be confident that the messages, nuances and tone of your content will be captured, and any Covid-19 terminology will be translated authentically. To achieve this, we exclusively use human mother-tongue translators, over the automated alternatives. Machines trail far behind humans in understanding context or culture and are unable to keep pace with rapidly changing colloquialisms and Coronavirus terminology.
Secure
Online translation tools may not manage or store your data in a secure way. Whether we are in the office or working from home, our team operate under data confidentiality agreements, work with secure connections and are mandated to conduct regular virus scans. Not to mention we can send and receive files by FTP to transfer your content securely.
Work with us
Throughout 2020 we have supported our international client base with the translation of Covid-19 related materials. In fact, it’s pretty rare for it not to be mentioned in our projects! We work directly with a huge range of clients, including the NHS and market research industry leaders tracking the impact of the virus all over the world.
For assistance with your next translation project simply contact the TLF team.
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