“Nobody reads operating instructions anyway.”
(Statement by a manufacturer of consumer goods)
Who hasn’t experienced them – the completely confusing translations of mainly Asian operating instructions. It is often completely impossible to operate the device safely with them. Here is a current example of the operating instructions for a high-quality camera – we have made the manufacturer unrecognizable:
This is not an isolated case and there are many examples of translations by German companies in Anglo-Saxon countries that are perceived as similarly amusing. The translators are often not native speakers, lack a feel for the language and the necessary specialist knowledge to translate the relevant texts and are unable to convey the messages they are trying to convey.
Translations are your company’s calling card
Translations are the visible figurehead of your company and influence the company’s image with customers and the public. A poor or inadequate translation affects the perception of quality and devalues the product, the service and the company.
Conversely, a high-quality and technically correct translation increases the attractiveness of your company in the eyes of customers and users.
Example
What do you think of your new car if the translation of the operating instructions is poor and incorrect – is the vehicle still just as attractive in your perception as a vehicle with a technically correct, user-oriented and easy-to-read translation?
