Someone told me recently, "What if a company just wants to comply with the law but doesn't care that much about their Spanish-speaking audience?"
That's something that has often crossed my mind in all my years in the United States. While many agencies and companies offer information in Spanish for their employees and customers in the US, mistranslations seem to happen quite often.
At times, it feels like the translations have either been done by a machine or by someone who's not a native Spanish speaker. They sound unnatural and don't flow.
On one occasion, I spotted a translation mistake at a local business and let the manager know. The manager's answer was, "Oh, that's just for the cleaning team. I used Google Translate because I don't speak Spanish."
That answer appalled me. If we're looking to meet the needs of Hispanic individuals with limited English proficiency in the US, let's do it right and not treat them as second-class residents/citizens!
If you want your Spanish-speaking employees and customers to be happy, you have to invest in them accordingly. That includes hiring professional translation services:
– Although I don't use it, machine translation is an option. If you choose it, you must hire a professional to review and edit the translation – ideally a native Spanish speaker with credentials who specializes in the subject matter, not just someone who claims to be "bilingual."
– If you want your message to be accurate and sound natural, hire a qualified human translator. That will cost you money, but it'll be well spent as good translations will help you maintain/improve your reputation and obtain returns that will exceed your initial investment.
A happy employee/customer will advocate for your brand and has the potential of bringing more business to you.
Your Spanish-speaking audience deserves better, and I can help you accomplish that!
When you use my translation services, you're hiring a reliable translator with excellent credentials, such as:
Almost two decades of professional experience
Licentiate/Master's degree in Translation
ATA-Certified (English-Spanish)
Continuing medical education
If you're a healthcare provider looking to serve your LEP Hispanic patients better, get in touch with me!