At a time when businesses are still recovering from the pandemic and many are facing tight budgets, increased costs and sluggish markets, it’s easy to feel that passing on translation work to a staff member who “knows a bit of Spanish” is a cheaper option that using a professional translator.
Well beware - it may be cheap in the short term but it can be very costly in the long run.
A single, incorrectly translated word can change the entire meaning or intent of your message.
Think of the effect a misunderstanding can have on your company’s reputation, brand, products or services. How much would that cost you?
Add the amount of money wasted on advertising materials that contain the error, like sales brochures and website copy, and the cost of correcting it.
What if the translation is so bad it leads to a legal challenge? A badly translated contract or service agreement can create very expensive problems for your company.
It’s not that funny now, is it?
So while we can all laugh at internet memes showing weird and wonderful translation fails, the real cost to a business - both financial and reputational - can be substantial.
But…
I’m not trying to scare you off from getting content translated.
Professional translation services, when carried out with your business goals in mind, can have the exact opposite effect. It can open doors to new markets, overcome linguistic and cultural barriers, make it easier for you to sell your products or services and increase your profits.
Just avoid thinking you can cut costs by cutting corners.
Google Translate or ChatGP aren't the solution when it comes to translating important documents and customer-facing content. Your bilingual staff might be able to function in everyday situations, but do they have the time or the expertise to translate essential business materials? Probably not!
And…
Quality translations can be achieved without costing a small fortune.
So the next time you want a document translated, think twice before trying to get it done by someone other than a professional translator.
Better to be pound wise than penny foolish.
If you're not sure how to organise a translation project, get in touch and we can have a no-obligation chat!