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Globalization of business markets has brought companies the potential to reach new customers and clients around the world. Because of this, the marketplace for any industry is more competitive than ever before.
Today, your company has to have an edge that puts you above the rest, or at least provides you with the means to communicate with the world. Specifically, if you are in the travel and hospitality industry, it would greatly benefit your business to accommodate your guests with signs, paperwork, menus, and webpages in the language they speak.
First, you have to determine that you want to translate your business materials into a foreign language languages that would be beneficial to your hotel’s client base. Then you have to go about doing it.
Skimping on these services can cause major harm to your business. You need to make sure a business professional in the translation industry is the one who handles the vital information for your hotel. They must have full knowledge of not only the two languages, but also of the culture, idioms, and industry of your business’ target language and culture.
You don’t want a translation to offend or confuse your guests. If the translation of your website is offensive, then you lose potential customers. Stay away from bad translations, and go with a trusted professional.
If you are still not convinced, here are 5 reasons why bad translations are bad for your business:
- Customer Confusion and Dissatisfaction
Your number one priority is customer satisfaction, and confusion for your guests can cause them to take their business elsewhere. When people travel, there are sure to be misinterpretations, but you don’t want any of those to come from your business. Leave that to your competition. - Drives Away Potential Profit
The accommodation your hotel makes in translation materials isn’t just for the customer’s personal reassurance; it is to secure a profit. If you have bad translations that offend or upset a customer, they will likely take their business elsewhere, and you don’t make money. That isn’t helpful to either side. - Reputations Will Be Hurt
To add to the above mentioned reasons, a bad experience will likely cause a guest to leave a bad review online or spread the word of your hotel’s less-than-satisfactory adaptation to his or her needs. Something like this can harm your establishment’s reputation. - Causes Conflicts
Some translations end up being funny, while others can cause friction between staff and customers, or between guests and customers. Either way you look at it, you do not want any physical or verbal arguments to get out of hand in your vicinity, especially if your company was the cause of it. - Helps the Competition
Poor translations do something you never want to do – they help your competition. An angry guest will surely take their business elsewhere.
