When purchasing translations services you would normally begin by visiting the translation company's website, making an online order, uploading your document, and waiting for the stated turn around time for the output. And oh, you might have to pay at this point too.

But aside from serving individual needs, registered translation companies also play a vital role in helping small and medium-sized businesses achieve their business goals, especially those goals that concern the expansion of their horizons or the entering into previously untapped markets.

Specifically, translation companies help such businesses in the translation of all their business-related documents-from financial records, legal contracts, even marketing or advertising collaterals.

Small companies particularly benefit from these services - because of their size, they are usually unable to establish or form their own language translation division. Also, hiring an outside language translation agency or outsourcing translation allows them to first try out the viability of this setup without having to make a considerable investment.

The globalization trend opens doors for all businesses because for the first time in history, technology has given everyone equal opportunities for global exposure. Through the internet, Company A can offer its services alongside seasoned multinational giants. Of course, for the small company, the concept to compete against large corporations can be an uphill struggle. This, however, can work to the small company's advantage - their size allows them to be flexible and versatile, thereby enabling them to target niche markets where it is most viable or profitable for targeting.

A small company trying to enter a new market that speaks a different language is faced with certain challenges that are by no means insurmountable. There are, firstly, the cultural considerations: the company's culture may clash head-on against the culture of the target market in terms of what is considered right, proper, tasteful, or emotionally effective.

Without the able aid of local translation companies - staffed with highly educated and skillful native translators - the efforts of small businesses to tap a target market might go over consumers' heads and turn such efforts into an exercise in futility.

Native language translators know the nuances and subtle quirks of the language they work with, and it is this ability that even the most advanced translation software (to date) cannot mimic. As language translation is not actually about word-for-word or verbatim conversion of one language into another, a successful adaptation is therefore one that is culture-driven.

Translation companies, at the very least, can help a small business in its first effort in targeting a foreign niche market: website localisation. Translating a company's website content into the language of your target market is usually the one that is performed first because it is inexpensive, easy to perform, and does not involve a big investment.

Charlene Lacandazo is a marketing executive for Rosetta Translation, one of highest level certified translation companies in London, UK.

Rosetta Translation specialises in website translations, as well as transcription services worldwide.

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