Translations are an integral part of any global business. Most companies are not large enough to support an internal translation and localization department. Whether it be for technical documents or in-house memos, the best bet for most businesses is to partner with a language services company (LSC) like TrueLanguage that has extensive experience in business translation services. They will use their expertise to appropriately translate your documents for whatever local language you need. Now let’s say you have outsourced your translations to an LSC, what happens now? A good LSC will give you the option to conduct an in-country review in the final stages of the translation process.
What Is an In-Country Review?
An in-country review is a process wherein you take your translated materials to a reviewer within your organization. This internal reviewer would be someone who is bilingual, who speaks the translated language as a first language, but also speaks your language. This is usually an employee that is an expert in the subject matter that should have a better sense of the company’s brand, voice and terminology. This person will review the content that has been translated and provide input on company-specific terminology and the technical specifications of the products in the target market.
The reviewer can also suggest adjustments to terminology to be more appealing to the target audience. In addition they can ensure that the document and accompanying translation is in compliance with local regulations. Once the reviewer has done these things, the documents will be returned to the translator and any necessary changes will be implemented. All in all, the processwill result in much better communications within your organization and with your target market. If this process sounds daunting, rest assured. Our project managers at TrueLanguage can help to provide training and management for your in-country reviewers.
Why Should I Use an In-Country Reviewer?
The most obvious answer to this is that using an in-country reviewer will ensure that any translation will align with the messaging and standards of your organization. This means your target market is more likely to respond positively to your brand, product or service, and that your message to your customers remains consistent Having your translation localized before it is released will save time and money since there will be a much lower chance of needing to retranslate.
What Should I Look For in an In-Country Reviewer?
Clearly your candidate should be at least bilingual in the languages you require. This candidate should also have experience in the industry, as well as experience with your specific product or service. They need to have a practical knowledge of the product, specifically from a technical perspective. The familiarity with the product and the experience in its marketing is what will bring it all together into a cohesive and localized translation. Ideally, you will be able to find a candidate that meets all of your qualifications. However, there may be times when you’ll need to assign multiple resources to meet your needs. If this occurs, you’ll need to compartmentalize the reviewer’s duties so as not to get contradictory feedback. In addition, they will need to follow a linguistic style guide to keep everyone on the same page.
TrueLanguage is a global leader in business and technical translation services with multiple resources to help you choose guidelines for your in-country reviewers. We can even help you decide on what you need to communicate to get your expectations to the reviewer, thereby improving your product’s time to market. Request a FREE quote today or call us now at 1-888-926-9245
