The Comtec Blog

China, Russia, Brazil - the opportunities are certainly out there, but is language a barrier to the UK’s success in these markets? The research suggests so. As Roland Rudd, Chairman of Business new Europe states in a recent paper published by the Education and Employers taskforce, ‘our national language deficit effectively acts as a tax on trade’. As he quite rightly points out, this is a tax businesses can’t afford to pay.

Tags: EC, business, international trade, employment, employers, graduates, Europe, language learning, language skills, exporting, tax

We’re all talking about the lack of skills in our young people. Work placements are a good idea in theory, but how can we ensure it’s a win-win for both the pupil and the business? We’d like to share some advice from our own experience of offering placements.

Tags: work placement, work experience, business, language, translation, students

The review process is usually the final stage in the overall translation process and can be the hardest bit. From our experience of working with a variety of clients with international operations, we have put together some tips on how the process can be managed to avoid the bottlenecks and get the content ready for market as quickly as possible. Tags: InDesign, style, terinology, reviewer, translation, feedback, localisation, review

Translating marketing content can be a tricky business. But there are a number of things companies can do to reap the rewards. Sticking to short, simple sentences, establishing a glossary of terms and putting in place a thorough review process are just a few ways to make the process easier and more effective. That, and establishing a good working relationship with your translations partner. We’ve outlined a few pointers here...

Tags: localisation, marketing, terminology, technology, translations partner, glossary, translation

A company’s online presence is a vital part of its marketing mix. It’s no wonder therefore that a great deal of time, effort and resources are dedicated to the presentation of websites, their technical operation and their interactivity with both existing and potential customers.

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Here is the potential trap. If you don’t approach prospects in their own language, your chances of success are much lower than if you do. However, if your translation is shoddy, your reputation both as a business and as an expert in your area of specialism could well be compromised. Tags: international business, translation, exporting

But there is a challenge ahead to get young people learning languages. It is so important for our future.

It is in fact the 10th Anniversary of this very important day which celebrates the importance of language learning in schools, colleges, the broader society and business.

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Setting up a foreign language landing page or micro site can be a fast and effective way to target an international audience cost-effectively. Research has shown that businesses are up to three times more likely to buy from you if they can access your website in their own language.

Tags: multi-lingual microsites, website localisation

Sophie Howe, director of Comtec Translations Limited says it's time to help each other

In just a few months, government-funded Business Link advisory support will morph into an online and web-based information service. No longer will we meet face-to-face with an expert who can navigate us through the complex matters that come with running our own businesses.

Tags: Chamber of Commerce, Business Link, business

UKTI recently published its new strategy to drive international trade with a number of measures to help businesses get to, and grow in, overseas markets. This new strategy, under the banner ‘Britain Open for Business', is focused on driving economic growth through trade and investment.

Tags: international trade, business