The human touch for market research translation

Translation is a key part of international market research projects. Getting it right first time can save time and money, improve responses and ensure the smooth running of the project from start to finish.

More than three decades of working with the industry’s leaders has shown us that the human touch is essential to best-in-class market research translation. The best results are achieved when expert mother-tongue linguists harness their extensive experience of translating for the sector to provide high-quality, accurate and culturally-sensitive translations. 

In this blog we explain why humans are at the heart of gold-standard market research translation.

 

Accuracy & quality

At each stage of the market research process, from the initial survey, to collating responses and presenting the final report, specialist translators are crucial. They ensure accuracy and clear communication to your international audience and help you to achieve the best possible results.

In terms of quality, translation agencies which use human translators are held to higher standards than those which utilise machines, including ISO certification for their translation and revision services across a range of sectors. This is an  internationally recognised standard which covers all aspects of the translation process that directly affect the quality and delivery of services, including processes, translator qualifications and proofreading by a second, equally-qualified linguist.

 

Talk to respondents

What may be understood by research respondents in one country or region won’t necessarily mean the same to those in another. To get the best results your respondents need to know what you’re asking in a language they can understand.

So how does this work in the market research process?

• Survey translation: Expert human translators can identify points of confusion in the source language to help increase relevant responses and provide guidance to minimise time-consuming re-translation and improve the quality of your surveys.
• Localisation: The understanding of regional and cultural nuances brought by mother-tongue translators can increase trust and credibility in your project and help you to make better informed decisions.
  
• Verbatim translation: Translating open-end questions needs a strong degree of interpreting the meaning behind the words and filtering out any irrelevant data. Using human translators is the safest way to ensure your respondents’ intentions are translated correctly.
• Report translation: Using specialist translators is crucial to ensure the quality, tone and content of your final research report isn’t lost on an international audience.

 

Quality human translation from a leading agency

At TLF we provide an ISO 17100-certified, high-quality, specialist market research translation and revision service delivered by a global network of mother-tongue translators and expert Project Managers. We ensure you receive flawless translations and a seamless end-to-end service for each and every market research project, big or small.

Talk to the TLF team to find out how we can get the best out of your market research projects.