Language Lines - Newsletter

June 2007

I.  From the Editor

The importance of translation in retail and e-commerce has become a no-brainer: consumers won’t buy what they don’t understand. Foreign languages are also playing an increasingly crucial role in the service sector in the USA, especially in real estate, banking and tourism. That’s why this month’s “Language Lines” features the importance of translation in sales and services.

Yet translation is only worth the time and money if you get a quality result. At Language Translation Inc., we find that companies are bringing us more and more previously “translated” material that needs to be seriously fixed up, or even completely redone. So with any translation project, it’s important to turn to a qualified language service provider from the very start of a project.

If you’re still feeling “lost in translation,” we encourage you to download our free 28-page guide to purchasing translations: “Translation – getting it right.”

In the meantime, enjoy this issue’s business news section, which presents the Top Ten global Websites of 2007 -- complete with links so you don’t have to do your own Google searches to check them out! We also take a look at Russia’s consumer product boom and some new trends in multicultural workforce management.

With the summer Olympic Games on the horizon, our July issue will feature China and, especially, the Chinese language.

As always, we would be pleased to receive any comments, questions and story ideas at: editor@languagetranslation.com .

 

II.  This Month's Feature: Translation in Sales and Services - An Essential Business Tool

 

A.   Why Buy a Product You Don't Understand?

Many companies don’t invest enough in their international Web sites. A recent article from Common Sense Advisory explains why that is a big mistake. In “Going from Simple Translation to Successful Transactions on Global Websites,” Donald A. DePalma demonstrates the importance of Web site localization, backing up his ideas with the results of an 8-nation study conducted in July and August 2006.

The survey deals with language preferences among 2,400 consumers from China, Japan, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Russia and Turkey. The first conclusion drawn from the research is that the majority of consumers who buy on Internet will purchase only from Web sites which present information in their native language.

Secondly, and not surprisingly, language has more impact on major purchases. ”Among our respondents the vast majority (85.3%) feels that pre-purchase information in their own language is a critical factor in buying insurance and other financial services,” writes DePalma. “Conversely, just 45.8 percent of the sample told us that language is important when buying a shirt.”

The report contains a wealth of valuable information about international buying habits and the significant role that website localization plays in attracting customers worldwide.

But even smaller local retail outlets, especially in urban areas, often cater to customers with limited English skills. Providing translated paper documents such as brochures, catalogues and manuals automatically makes products accessible to a broader consumer base.

Related Links:

       

From the Web:

Common Sense Advisory Research (registration required for some reports)

From Language Translation Inc.:

Multilingual Content Essential for Today’s Websites

Translation Errors Cause Revenue Loss in Most Global Firms

 

B.  US Real Estate and Banking Sectors Reach Out to Hispanic Market

US real estate agents and bankers are finding that English is not enough to sell homes and offer loans to Spanish-speaking clients. In order to reach the growing number of potential Latino home buyers, American real estate establishments are seeking to hire agents who speak Spanish. Loan and title documents, which are a challenge even for native English speakers, are often being translated into Spanish.

According to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Hispanics will represent up to 40 percent of all new homeowners over the next 20 years, so forward-thinking real estate agencies need to plan now to reach out to this demographic.

Buying a house generally requires a loan, so it is not surprising that banks are also going bilingual, hiring more Hispanic staff in order to increase their clientele, and translating all types of documents into Spanish. For example, the Wells Fargo bank homepage prominently displays the link to the Spanish version of the site.

The banking and real estate sectors clearly represent areas where English to Spanish translation is now essential to drawing in new customers.

Related Links:

 

From the Web:

 

What Practitioners Should Know about the Hispanic Market (Realtor Magazine)

Hispanic Bank Marketing

 

From Language Translation Inc.:

 

Speaking the New Language of American Real Estate

New Orleans Banks Go Bilingual

 

C. US Travel Industry Offering More Multilingual Services

 

Conventional wisdom has it that “with English, you can travel anywhere.” Yet foreigners planning trips to the USA will definitely be more attracted to companies and tourist sites that offer them information in their native tongue. That’s why the nation’s biggest hotel chains and airlines are starting to translate their Web sites into foreign languages.

No one wants to make an expensive error when booking online, so foreign tourists are clearly more comfortable with reserving hotels, flights and other travel services if they understand the Internet site perfectly. Firms which have recently launched foreign-language websites include Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Hilton and Delta.

To truly reach out to potential travelers, sites should not only be translated, but also localized to take into account the needs and desires of tourists from different nations. Some may be more interested in shopping and dining; others in visiting historical sites and museums. It is also important to offer language services once tourists have arrived: tours, brochures and signs in foreign languages will help foreign visitors feel more welcome during their US travel experience.

In conclusion, multilingual services are essential if the US travel industry wants to satisfy foreign tourists and develop customer loyalty.

 

Related links:

From the Web:

 

Translation for the Travel Industry: Attention to Detail Pays (Dave’s Travel Corner)

Travel firms aim to speak customers’ language (USA Today)

 

From Language Translation Inc.:

 

The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia

Travel Industry Rushes to Offer Multilingual Services

 

III.  In the News:

A.  Around the Web: Best Global Websites of 2007

 

What are the best global websites? Since 2003, Byte Level Research has published “The Web Globalization Report Card” which rates how well 200 companies have adapted their Web sites for international markets. The 203-page report, available for sale on bytelevel.com, is one of the most authoritative and complete guides to the current state of Web site globalization.

The 2007 version of the study has selected the following “Top Ten,” and we have added the links so Web-watchers can take a look at these top-flight sites:

1. Google
2. Wikipedia
3. Cisco Systems
4. Philips
5. HP
6. Caterpillar
7. Volvo Cars
8. Seagate
9. Microsoft
10. American Express
    

"Google has become a regular in the number-one spot," said John Yunker, author of the report, in a company press release. "But it's not just because of Google's 100-plus language search interface. It is the rapid localization of the many Web-based applications -- from Blogger to Adwords -- that has kept Google on top."

These are the major conclusions of this year’s research:

 

• French is the most popular language (besides English) used by the 200 sites studied. 90% of the sites provide French and German versions, and 75% now support Chinese.

 

• The average number of languages supported by the sites studied increased from 15 in 2006 to 18 in 2007.

 

• “Splash global gateways,” which automatically lead users to a page where they can select the appropriate locale, are on the increase. See the Philips site for an example.
  

As you can see, the findings all demonstrate the value of localization in the development of company Web sites.

Read the entire press release

 

B.  International Business: Russia Shops up a Storm

After decades of penury, Russians are finally enjoying a higher standard of living – and the purchasing power that comes with it. The nation has experienced unprecedented economic growth over the last decade and the market for consumer goods such as cell phones, furniture and clothing is booming.

According to the article “Cell Phones, Cosmetics, Coffee: Russians Go on a Shopping Spree,” published on April 24, 2007 in Knowledge@Wharton, salaries among the Russian upper and middle classes have been growing by about 10% a year, and consumer spending is now boosting an economy already fueled by rising oil prices.

“Many Russians still reside in the same Spartan apartments that they had during the Soviet era…But thanks to privatization, many of them also own their homes outright,” explains the article. “That, combined with continued government subsidies for utilities and a flat 13% income tax, means that the average Russian has a larger discretionary income, as a percentage of pay, than his counterparts in the West, “says Natalia Zagvozdina, deputy head of equity research at Moscow’s Renaissance Capital bank.

The article also emphasizes the significant growth in the Russian credit card, banking, and telecommunications sectors as well as the increasing demand for brand-name products. Western retailers such as IKEA are thus making significant inroads in the nation’s economy.

Read the entire article from Knowledge@Wharton

C. Intercultural Communication: Motivating  Multicultural Teams

The CEO of Advanced Global Connections, Ms. Jinsoo Terry, believes American companies need innovative techniques to better take advantage of employee diversity. In her article “New Techniques for Training and Motivating Your Company’s Multicultural Management Team,” just published in the Spring 2007 issue of “Employment Relations Today,” Ms. Terry emphasizes the crucial importance of multicultural values and language skills in the American workplace.

Ms. Terry identifies seven steps to developing a successful multicultural workforce. First is “raising awareness of cultural differences.” Indeed, rather than pretending that people of all cultures are “basically the same,” companies need to recognize and accept cultural diversity. The second key step to a more efficient multicultural workplace is “changing attitudes,” followed by “fostering and promoting open communication.”

She is actively promoting her trademarked “F.U.N.”  -- Fun, Unique and Nurturing -- management system worldwide. If your company is interested in better multicultural management – or in a little more fun – check out our links on this subject.

Related Links:

Advanced Global Connections Launches Training Programs

Jinsoo Terry’s Official Website

San Francisco Executive Giving “Serious” Korea a Fun Makeover

 

For more news about languages, translation and localization, and international business, visit our news blog, updated three times a week.

For previous newsletters, visit our archive.

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