Since 2005 Leinhäuser Language Services has been translating all marketing communications for Panasonic System Communications Europe (PSCEU) in each European language the unit requires. The partnership is a good example of the success that can arise from effective translation processes. For one thing, the quality and speed of the translations improve. And, even more important, costs can be sharply lowered at the same time.
In a telephone conversation with Heike Leinhäuser, the Managing Director of Leinhäuser Language Services, Stephen Yeo, the Marketing Director of Panasonic PSCEU, talked about his partnership with the translation company. During this chat, Yeo provided some deep insights into the translation processes developed by Leinhäuser and the benefits he has enjoyed as a result of them. One of these payoffs is certainly the €1 million his unit saves each year with the help of effective translation processes. Leinhäuser recorded this English-language conversation and turned it into four animated videos. Each video explores the factors that lead to successful, language-focused internationalization.
The partnership between Panasonic and Leinhäuser Language Services is a success story. To illustrate the challenges that Panasonic faces in its international marketing, Marketing Director Stephen Yeo offers a few facts and figures at the beginning of the first video. Yeo says: “Panasonic is one of the world’s largest companies. It employs around 270,000 people and has sales of about $70 billion a year.” The company based in Osaka, Japan, is known for its consumer electronic products. But Panasonic generates about 70 percent of its sales in the business-to-business area, for which Yeo is responsible.
1.6 million words translated each year
As a result, the area overseen by Yeo as Marketing Director for Europa is huge. “We have offices in every European country, from Russia and Turkey to the Nordic countries, the U.K. and Spain,” Yeo says. “Language is a critical factor for us.” Panasonic marketing managers are located in every European country. The team that receives translations from Leinhäuser Language Services consists of about 70 people. The annual volume of the area led by Yeo amounts to roughly 1.6 million words that are translated into a wide range of European languages.
Typical problems in the translation process
From the very beginning, the marketing director understood that good translations would play a critical role in the success of marketing. At other companies, he had gotten a first-hand look at the areas where problems with translations can arise. His experiences matched those that Leinhäuser has seen at other international companies. “Translations are frequently prepared decentrally,” Yeo says. “Each company has its own translators. Companies switch translation agencies often. The translation agencies have frequent turnover and work extensively with machine translations.”
The executive notes that imprecisions in translations frequently do not turn up until employees in regional offices virtually “explode” when they read them. One frequent complaint about the texts is that they are “word-for-word” translations that ignore the context. It is a typical problem of junior translators, Yeo says. He also says that “cut and paste” is frequently used in Word documents, a process in which the original layout of the text gets lost. It then costs just as much money as the translation itself to re-add the layout to translation. All in all, it adds up to an inefficient process.
Interdisciplinary global workflow
After assuming his position as the Marketing Director of Panasonic System Communications Europe (PSCEU), Yeo was determined to do things differently, that is, better. He got in touch with Leinhäuser Language Services. The translation company based just south of Munich has been in business for about 20 years and has been assisting companies with the internationalization process. The experts at Leinhäuser helped Yeo install a global and interdisciplinary workflow at Panasonic. The translation process that emerged from this collaboration has enabled Panasonic to manage the workflow of wide-ranging translations into up to 18 languages. In the process, Panasonic saves time and money every year.
You can now see all four English-language videos based on the conversation with Stephen Yeo.
The original conversation with Marketing Director Stephen Yeo, Panasonic System Communications Europe (PSCEU), in four videos:
Video 1: How do translation companies operate and where do the potential pitfalls lie?
In the first video, Stephen Yeo summarizes his past observations and experiences with translation companies. In the process, he talks about the typical pitfalls.
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Video 2: How can you spot a good translation company?
In the second video, Stephen Yeo explains how he learned about Leinhäuser Language Services and how Leinhäuser sets itself apart from other translation companies.
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Video 3: How can translation costs be lowered?
In the third installment of the conversation, Stephen Yeo provides some details about the tools and translation processes that Leinhäuser introduced as part of its partnership with Panasonic. As a result, Panasonic can save around €1 million a year.
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Video 4: How can 90 websites in 18 languages be operated?
In the fourth and final installment of the conversation, Stephen Yeo explains how Leinhäuser became known as a specific term, or “as a verb,” at Panasonic. He also explains how efficient translation processes make it possible for Panasonic to operate around 90 websites in 18 languages with just two employees.
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The Leinhäuser team would like to thank Stephen Yeo, Marketing Director of Panasonic PSCEU, for the great feedback and Atrium Studio Medienproduktion GmbH for the production of the videos!
Do you have a question about the videos or would you like to talk to us about your company’s own translations processes? Please get in touch with us if you do. Our Panasonic team will be happy to assist you:
Isabel Schneider
Paola Schmidt
Hugo Alloy
