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Are you up to date on what your global clients expect from you? This is an important question, and may seem to be a generalized version of the questions we’re always asking, about localization, language variants, et cetera. But for once, we’re not talking about linguistic expectations. Do you know what they expect when it comes to translation quality standards?
These can vary by market as widely as language, with the difference that insufficient knowledge of quality standards will do more than alienate your audience – it could leave you open to legal action, or bar you outright from that market. Never assume that an acceptable quality standard for one market will be sufficient for another.
Case in point for our industry: certification. We receive frequent requests for “certified translations”, and with each one, we have to respond with more questions, about where the translation will be used, in terms of market and context, and how it will be used. Why? Because a “certified translation” can’t be said to exist, not at the global level, and neither can a “certified translator”. Different types of certification exist, for countries, markets, and areas of specialization. A system of worldwide certification for translation would be a marvelous thing to have. And for the foreseeable future, the future is where it will remain. En attendant, translation buyers and providers have to be aware of what each market calls for, and ensure that all projects satisfy all necessary regulatory and QA criteria.
Does your business have ISO 9001 certification? If so, congratulations – we appreciate all of the work and effort that goes into acquiring and maintaining that. Will that be enough for guaranteeing your product to foreign buyers? Probably not. ISO 9001 certification stands as an emblem that your business does what it says it does, and has a quality management system in place to keep doing so. Foreign entities want further assurances that, in addition to doing what you say you do, you do it in the way they need it done. Moving your business into Europe entails compliance with European regulatory agences, and a new set of seals of approval you’ve got to bear, such as the CE mark.
All of this should constitute a part of your market research – and since meeting these standards will require translation of your documentation, we’re ready when you are!
