Translation and Recruitment Key to Company's Export Strategy
Jaguar Educational, a publisher and distributor of high-quality educational materials, mainly posters, for use in schools, social service agencies, job search and career centres, business, health care organisations, libraries, and other educational and training institutions is a company that understands the value of good translation more than most.
When Bill Broderick, Managing Director of Jaguar Educational UK decided to enter two key European markets, France and Spain, he was well aware of the importance of precise translation. With the financial help of his UKTI Passport to Export matched funding he employed two companies to translate the whole range of posters and product catalogues as well as check the images used to ensure they were culturally suitable.
Bill chose one local company, and one firm recommended by his RLN adviser. Different tasks were assigned to each, with agreed timescales and prices.In this way, the company was not “putting all its eggs in one basket”.
Bill emphasised that proofreading during the process, even if you don’t speak the language, is crucial: “it allows inconsistencies to be spotted, such as untranslated slogans or contact details”.
Once Jaguar’s export strategy had been drawn up with the help of its International Trade Adviser, Bill advertised the post of sales administrator in the local paper.A recent graduate, fluent in spoken and written Spanish and French, was hired for two days a week for an eight-week period.Bill emphasises that it was “the whole package of IT skills, sales experience as well as perfect English language skills” which was so beneficial to Jaguar.
The successful candidate’s tasks included “internet research, compiling mailing lists, finding companies that offered virtual offices in France and Spain, as well as locating agents”. Bill stresses that she was “inexpensive and absolutely invaluable to our export strategy” as she completed tasks which were not possible for staff without language skills