Currently there is a significant focus in the UK on developing the capacity of businesses to export. Exports can provide an excellent opportunity for increased turnover and profitability to a business with well-developed products and a stable UK client base. Business support agencies such as UKTI, Chambers of Commerce, Chamber International, Enterprise Europe Network, etc., are all involved in offering focused support services to help business identify and enter overseas markets.
Asking companies if they want to translate their marketing materials or websites into foreign languages often gets the response that it would be too expensive and, anyway, if a foreign client contacted them they would be unable to respond effectively in their language.
As most businesses focus on their products, processes and their UK marketing strategy it is not surprising that many feel uncomfortable with or unprepared for the linguistic or cultural issues that are bound to arise when dealing with overseas clients or suppliers. It is therefore particularly encouraging that the government’s principal provider of support to business, the UKTI, has recently appointed a series of Language and Culture Coordinators in recognition of the need to help businesses with the “soft skills” they need to export successfully.
The role of these Language and Culture Coordinators will be crucial in helping companies develop a controlled and positive approach to international business. They can provide guidance, advice and even specific training in key areas, suggesting to them a few easy steps to devise an export strategy. This would start with undertaking some basic internet based research into potential overseas markets. This research should focus on identifying where their product could be used, who their main competitors would be, how they could differentiate their product or service, what unique selling proposition (usp) they could offer, just as they would for the home market. For most businesses this research will highlight new opportunities. This initial research need not be costly and many universities will help companies locate short term interns with the appropriate skills to do this type of “desk” research. The market information they obtain from the research project will be vital to the company but to give themselves the greatest chance of international success.They would then need to investigate the logistics challenges: international packaging, transport, export licences, tariffs, pricing, invoicing, export documentation, etc. and be aware of the language and cultural issues they might encounter.
As part of the export strategy, they should develop a communication or language strategy. This would entail identifying the type and volume of communication they might need to have with any non-English speaking customers. Then they should decide how they would deal with this communication. Contrary to what many businesses think, to export successfully does not require having every single document, webpage or leaflet translated into hundreds of languages. Nor does it mean recruiting dozens of expert linguists to work alongside their existing staff. Once they identify what communication may take place they can decide whether it needs to be translated or not.
It may be that some more basic correspondence could be handled by existing staff who already have some knowledge of a foreign language. Businesses should undertake a simple language audit among their staff. It often surprises employers how many of their staff know different languages. Even if someone only has GCSE German from 10 years previously this may be enough to let them understand the gist of an e-mail, a letter or phone call in German. If it then seems really important then they should have it fully translated. If not, then perhaps a response in English might be acceptable.
Some parts of a company website might be translated for the markets they target. Microsites linked to their main website but containing key information to prospective foreign clients are not expensive to produce. The information may be limited to key selling points, product specifications and pre-sales service. If order forms are available in dual languages (English and the “target” language) they will be easy for the client to complete but also easy for the company to respond to.
A more sophisticated export strategy may involve attending international trade fairs, appointing agents or distributors to expand sales in key areas, hiring staff with specific language abilities, training key existing staff in appropriate languages, producing a fully translated and localised microsite, generating multilingual company style guides, glossaries and translation memories. A translation manager will help to provide consistency across the corporate communications.
However, many small businesses, and even some very big ones, are reluctant to target international customers. In many cases this is due to their lack of knowledge of overseas markets and the perception that linguistic and cultural barriers will either be too difficult or too costly to overcome.
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When going on Trade Missions or travelling to meet some pre-identified potential clients, to strengthen their profile and develop new relationships, they may find it beneficial to hire a professional interpreter.
The message to foreign clients from a well-conceived export strategy is that you value their business, you recognise their difference and respond to it, you adapt to their needs and you make it easy for them to buy from you. With so much competition in every sector and product area it is increasingly difficult to deliver a product or service with significant competitive advantage and therefore many clients, look to additional factors when deciding where to buy.
A lot of anecdotal evidence and, increasingly, empirical evidence, suggests that both corporate and individual clients buy from who they feel comfortable with. So it is with international clients. All other factors being equal (specifications, quality, price, delivery times, etc.) it will be “ease of use” which leads a client to choose a particular supplier. Any investment made in developing a comprehensive and responsive communication strategy involving translation, interpreting or language learning can be turned into a very real competitive advantage that will bring very real returns.
April 2014
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