Swiss quality builds trust

Whatever your views on globalisation, good quality is never a matter of opinion. Switzerland enjoys an outstanding reputation when it comes to solid skills, reliable service and mutual trust.

In today’s globalised economy, it is increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd. Competition is stiff, and the pressure on prices is enormous. All companies and sectors are feeling the strain, even in Switzerland. On the other hand, customers and purchasers are finding it harder than ever to make decisions.

• Where should I look for a service provider?
• How can I separate the metaphorical wheat from the chaff?
• Which tradesperson, internet provider, language services company should I choose?
• Which criteria should I use to make my decision?

Perhaps it would help if we take a moment to consider what “quality” actually means. According to Wikipedia, the quality of a product or service refers to the perception of the degree to which the product or service meets the customer’s expectations. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines quality as the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfils requirements (chpt. 4.4). As you can see, the focus is on expectations and fulfilments that must be met.

Quality as the highest good

Despite competitive pressure, quality is still valued highly in Switzerland. Even in an era when everything should be delivered or produced even faster and cheaper than before, here in Switzerland we continue to place a top priority on professionalism, reliable services and long-term partnerships.

Why is quality so important? This question is easy to answer. Good quality ensures satisfaction, builds trust and increases customer loyalty. And dependable quality leads to sustainable business relationships. Customers remain loyal to a company only if it delivers consistent and reliable top-quality services.

ISO-certified companies have significantly better chances than competitors who are merely ISO compliant, i.e. using the ISO standards as a guide only. When it comes to language services in particular, providers must deliver top quality every time. Otherwise, they risk being overtaken by foreign low-cost competitors and online-only providers.

Solid value base – SwissGlobal’s example

Successful companies build stable, long-term partnerships with their clients. Particularly in the multilingual communication sector, being able to offer customers the right language solution to suit every scenario will help you gain an advantage.

Language services providers such as SwissGlobal rely on ISO-certified quality, maximum data security and a local presence. Expert linguists use the latest technology to deliver top-quality language services at fair prices. Simultaneously, the company commits to adhere to its code of ethics at all times.

However, quality also means fostering personal contact with clients, developing customised solutions, and carrying out all orders reliably and punctually. The service provider’s own working environment also has an influence on quality, with elements such as team spirit, trust and the delegation of responsibility playing key roles. The best strategy is to always maintain corporate integrity and promote ethics, cooperation and responsibility with the goal of providing absolutely top-quality services and improving processes on an ongoing basis.

Complaint management

Mistakes happen, even in the high-tech society of the 21st century, while at the same time, customer tolerance is shrinking. This means that service providers need to immediately undertake visible, effective and comprehensible corrective measures to show demanding customers that you take them and their requirements seriously.

Efficient complaint management then becomes a mark of quality as well. When you quickly analyse, document and explain errors to your customers, you will increase your trustworthiness. Enacting concrete measures in individual cases and then establishing them as part of your company’s best practice will contribute to solid customer relationships and the long-term success of your business.

Price sensitivity

Unfortunately, there is no avoiding discussions about prices. Language services providers, above all those located in Switzerland, have been feeling pressure on their margins for years. And the pressure is not exactly diminishing with the steady improvement of automated solutions (cue “machine translation”). Quite the opposite.Language services providers are facing the tremendous challenge of having to decide how to combine proven skills (human linguistic expertise) and technological innovation (artificial intelligence) profitably.

Human + machine = future

Who has the best future prospects in the language services sector? Many factors indicate it will be those companies that are combining the positive strengths of humans and machines efficiently and compatibly. Which brings us back to our original topic. Quality. Companies that have access to the latest technology and can also count on the support of competent language professionals with an affinity for technology are well equipped. Today, humans and machines together can deliver the best quality. And that is ultimately the definitive criterion to ensure that your customers’ requirements and expectations are met.

Checklist: How language services providers can achieve top quality

• Direct contact partner
• Personalised assistance
• Customised services
• Long-term business relationships/partnerships
• Solid values (ethics, cooperation, responsibility)
• ISO certification
• Expert, specialised language professionals
• Latest technology (incl. Neural Machine Translation [NMT])
• Local presence
• Attractive price-performance ratio