Listen to this articleTeneo Linguistics Company (TLC) is a full-service provider of foreign language translation solutions. They translate for businesses in over 130 different languages. TLC’s primary advantage is in its approach to partnering with customers. Below is our interview with Hana Laurenzo about the company and plans for the future:
Q: Hana, tell us something more about Teneo Linguistics Company and your services?
A: Let’s say you manufacture a product that, at some point, will be sold abroad or at least to domestic audience whose primary language is not English. There are all kinds of documentation accompanying your product you need to think about making accessible to your audience: marketing documents and website content, product literature, labels, user manuals, and maybe even user interface. Depending on the type of product, you might conclude translation is the way to go to simply attract more potential buyers to your product. Or, you have to translate due to compliance issues. Medical devices, for instance, would fall into this category.
This is where you have a choice to make:
- Use the bilingual employee down the hall to translate for you (or worse, run the text through Google Free Translation)
- Get a company like ours to provide a professional solution
Of course, we hope you would choose 2). Not only because we would get a shot at winning another customer, but also because choosing us eliminates all sorts of risks and costs that you might (and probably would) incur if you went with option 1).
As you gathered from the above, Teneo Linguistics Company (TLC) is a full-service provider of foreign language translation solutions. We translate for businesses in over 130 different languages, and we do it extremely well.
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Q: What advantage does TLC have over its competitors?
A: TLC’s primary advantage is in its approach to partnering with our customers, which is completely customized to their needs. We do not engage in the cookie-cutter process of receiving a document for translation, translating it, and sending it back. Most of the time, we actually feel as much like consultants as we do translators.
We like to learn what our customer’s goals are and what they are hoping to achieve through asking us to translate for them. Is it expanding their customer base? Is it cutting down on translation costs or improving quality? Is it establishing clear lines of communication with their employees and building an inclusive culture?
We are definitely in this business because of our passion for languages. But, more importantly, we are passionate in making language and translation work for our customers. If we evaluate someone’s situation and find out it would not make sense for them to translate, we tell them. If we find a better way of using translation in their organization that results in less work for us, so be it. We will not put our short term gain above the long term partnerships we are building.
What you frequently hear from our competitors is that they can do translation faster, cheaper, and in more languages than the other guy. What we want you to hear from TLC is that we do translation that works for you, solves your problems and helps you reach your goals.
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Q: What are your plans for 2016?
A: We have experienced phenomenal growth in the last few years and look for that to continue this year. Traditionally, our major areas of focus have been manufacturing and life sciences but, recently, we have also seen uptick in education and eLearning customers and hope to add more in this category as well.
We are looking forward to rolling out a training platform for our translators. Developing the talents and skills of linguists located literally in every corner of the world is no easy task, but is something that has, historically, made a huge difference for our customers.
We are also working on a formal consulting program. Companies using translation find themselves in different stages of their development as a translation user and, because they are busy with their core business, rather than translation, are not always aware of what their options are for adding languages or cost-saving technology to their process or for streamlining their process. Translation is our business and we can certainly offer insight and ideas on how to move forward.
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Q: What are the main challenges for companies who need translation?
A: First, lack of planning and the resulting time crunch. Translation is an afterthought for most. When companies plan the launch of a product abroad, there may be so many details to worry about that translation does fall through the cracks. Then, companies frequently end up with no money left in the budget and no time to accomplish what they need. This is where they usually end up using a bilingual employee or distributor – not a good tactic for the long run, and one that often ends up devaluing the product or service they are selling.
Second, for someone who has not used translation before, a good translation resource and partner is hard to find. It takes time to be able to distinguish between empty promises and true quality and professionalism. It also takes asking the right questions. At the same time, there is a lot at stake if you do not get things right: a negative or embarrassing first impression, financial losses, and legal risks among others.
Which would lead us to number three. Lack of knowledge about what we can do and what to expect can sometimes put breaks on the wheels of progress. We really can work with all file formats and we really do need almost as much time to translate something as it took someone to write the document in the first place. And, fixing a document translated via free online translation will cost more and take more time than translating the document from scratch. We promise to get it right the first time.
Q: How would you convince the reader to start using your services?
A: I could spend all day telling you to pick TLC because of how well we translate, our resources, our technology, our certifications or awards. Instead, I would simply invite you to have a conversation with us about what you do, what your concerns are and where you are going in the future. We would love to become a long term, loyal part of your business strategy and success. But if TLC or professional translation itself cannot offer the right answers for you or it is not the right time, we will be the first to tell you – before you ever have to spend a dime.
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