Language services have become an essential tool in international trade for obvious reasons. Placing a product on a foreign market is a complex task that requires significant planning by companies: it not only involves designing and implementing a high-quality product that attracts public interest, but also discovering how to present it in an attractive, clear and customized format for the different target groups, which will sometimes belong to different cultures and involve different languages. In this regard, much of the success of an internationalization campaign will be determined by the (inter)language strategy adopted by the company, and that’s why we cannot help but emphasize the importance of hiring professional services in the field of translation, transcreation and interlinguistic mediation in general, which are provided by either freelancers or agencies.<\/p>\n
That being said, which sectors have shown the greatest increase in requests for this type of service? The current context is unquestionably marked by a clear growth in technology and in all industries pertaining to this practical branch of scientific knowledge, meaning that this field will be where we find further proliferation of interlinguistic needs and, therefore, more employment opportunities for professional translators. Specifically, of all the industries that form part of this framework, today we will focus on the automotive sector which, as we will see, utilises a very significant number of translations at the international level and in the most diverse fields.<\/p>\n
The vehicle manufacturing business, despite being affected by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic and its subsequent consequences, continues to hold an important position among activities that lead world production. Nowadays, car journeys are still a part of the lives of people around the world. Although public transport is gaining ground in major urban areas thanks to an interest in protecting the environment, there are several circumstances that continue to promote the need for having a private vehicle, for example, the increase in primary residences away from urban areas in upper middle-income countries, regions or countries that lack an efficient public transport system, or a weaker environmental movement. As such, this industry produces a great number of products every year and, of course, they result from the action of a series of gears constituting a complex mechanism of processes (before, during and after manufacturing), which, as will be seen, require the contribution offered by interlinguistic services. That’s why we are now going to discuss the areas of the automotive industry where translations are needed the most.<\/p>\n
Firstly, as is to be expected, at the most superficial level the language needs of marketing<\/em> processes are worth noting. Automotive brands are advertised in each and every one of the countries around the world. This clearly requires significant localization work, since it involves studying the target cultures, knowing how to reach potential customers, understanding local engagement strategies at the cultural level and, of course, translating all material related to said advertising: posters, radio and television ads, online advertising, references in magazines, catalogs and specialized pamphlets, etc. A company that pays attention to this aspect will aim to find specialists with comprehensive knowledge about the target cultures and the ability to produce creative, interesting translations. On the flip side, which is less obvious, we can highlight all the software<\/em> that is used in manufacturing processes: the design of the bodywork of new generation vehicles, the programming of navigationsoftware<\/em>, and factory assembly programs, for example. Ideally, localizing and translating these tools is advantageous. Moreover, it is a good idea to do so efficiently, since incorrect or inaccurately translated user interfaces can slow down manufacturing processes, as well as the final product and overall satisfaction of customers in terms of expertise and safety in the long term. This necessarily goes hand-in-hand with on-board digital systems, since most vehicles nowadays come with integrated computer systems that regulate the air climate, control the audio system, or manage the GPS or navigation tool, which function through user interfaces. Without a doubt, the ideal situation would be one where customers can use these systems in their native language, especially now that voice control systems exist. How can they function without being prepared to understand each customer’s language and answer in the same? The materials par excellence regarding the need for translation, however, are all written documents related to this market, and few they are not! From a business standpoint, contracts, purchase and sale receipts, corporate emails, etc. must be translated. From the manufacturer’s point of view, it is likely that technical data sheets, updates, internal communications, etc. have to be translated. And, from the customer’s point of view, we can highlight the mandatory instruction manuals and other informative documents that are provided to them once the sale has been completed. This flow of information is abundant and uninterrupted, meaning that automobile manufacturers should have a team of professional translators specializing in this type of subject matter who, more importantly, can enter data in translation memories that streamline the processes when similar texts are received. Finally, it is important to mention the customer service area. Although the most important companies with a greater international presence have branches in every country where they operate, it is worth highlighting the importance that customers give to being able to communicate in their own language (complaints, requests, questions). This also includes all documentation related to legal processes and the like which arise from disputes between parties.<\/p>\n As can be seen, the automotive industry is closely linked to the language services sector. It has many localization needs and to achieve greater success, it must partner with trusted professionals who guarantee translations of the highest quality.<\/p>\n