Best Case “Arbeitgeber Banken”: A proactive language services provider!

Switzerland is known worldwide for its banking and financial sector. The “Arbeitgeber Banken” association is committed to ensuring that Switzerland remains an attractive and competitive financial centre, and it represents the employer interests of banks and financial services providers in Switzerland.

Having an expert translation partner on board is crucial to fulfilling this mandate. But what requirements does a Swiss language services provider have to meet in order to maintain its position in this demanding sector? This is precisely what we asked David Frey, Head of Communication and Politics for the “Arbeitgeber Banken” association. 

1. Mr Frey, data security and confidentiality are a must within Switzerland’s financial sector – there’s no doubt about that. Was this a crucial factor in your decision to choose a language services provider like SwissGlobal, which is capable of guaranteeing these vital aspects?

Absolutely. Data security and confidentiality were top priorities when we chose SwissGlobal as our new language services provider almost four years ago. Looking back, we can also wholeheartedly confirm that they have fulfilled this promise. Our data are always handled with the utmost care and discretion by SwissGlobal.

2. What other qualities do you believe a Swiss language services provider must possess?

Our association members expect professionalism and a high standard of quality from us. Consequently, our language services provider must also be capable of fulfilling these expectations. In our case, we regularly publish political texts. The translation process requires the relevant specialist knowledge and familiarity with the respective terminology, not to mention the unique linguistic particularities of Switzerland. Our members in the French-speaking part of Switzerland wouldn’t be very happy if our texts weren’t translated into Swiss French, for example. Core translators who are familiar with the text types and designated contact partners at SwissGlobal are an enormous help in this area, meaning that we can count on consistent translations being delivered every time. And the cherry on the cake for us is that in the end, it’s not just services being performed but rather an enjoyable partnership with a personal touch. 

3. As Head of Communication and Politics, you regularly order translations for a wide variety of text types. These mainly include external communications such as press releases, news bulletins and surveys. Why is quality important to you when it comes to these texts?

We have to be able to trust the translations completely and make sure that the content is conveyed correctly. Not all French is the same. We know that, of course, but what we didn’t know was that certain language providers do not make a distinction between different target countries when translating. A native speaker from French-speaking Switzerland will immediately notice when something is translated incorrectly or awkwardly. With SwissGlobal, you can rely on truly Swiss language services.

4. Translations can influence a company’s reputation and image. Once a good reputation has been damaged, it is difficult to restore. Do you have any insights that you can share with other companies regarding reputation and multilingual corporate communication? 

To be successful, communication has to be clear, understandable and tailored to the target group. If you are using translated texts to communicate with your target group, you need to pay particularly close attention to ensure that the content is conveyed correctly. After all, you are putting your multilingual communication – and partial control of your own reputation – into someone else’s hands. That requires trust. You receive added value when you have a language partner who can translate specialised content for specific industries and language regions – and who is proactive and thinks outside the box. All of which applies to SwissGlobal.

5. Sometimes time is of the essence and an express translation is needed. Can you also rely on SwissGlobal to deliver with a short deadline if necessary?

So far, we have been able to rely completely on SwissGlobal without exception – even when deadlines were tight. This became particularly apparent once the pandemic began. We often needed to inform our members about new Covid-19 measures as quickly as possible. As soon as the federal government’s press conferences finished, we would send updated texts off for translation. SwissGlobal would always complete these orders very quickly and competently, enabling us to remain up to date with our communication at all times.

6. In a partnership, both professional and human expertise are what count. How would you rate your personal exchanges and communication with the SwissGlobal team?

Our partnership with SwissGlobal is very pleasant, open and friendly. Over time, you get to know each other better and better, even if your only contact is by phone or e-mail. The SwissGlobal team is proactive and takes the initiative to ask questions when necessary. For example, if we have texts with graphics or photo captions, they ask us whether these also need to be translated. We might not necessarily have thought of that ourselves, so it’s nice to be able to rely on such expert service. We are very satisfied with the collaboration.

Are you still looking for the right language partner? SwissGlobal could be the perfect match for you and your needs as well. SwissGlobal is more than just a translation company. It has mastered the interplay between content, technology and resources to create holistic language solutions that put you and your unique requirements first. Read our blog post: What does “More than a translation company” actually mean?