Why is it Important to Translate User Manuals?

Recently I stumbled upon a fabulously designed ad on an e-commerce site and instantly fell in love with it. In fact, I was so impressed with the ad that I decided to buy to the product. But little was I aware that a rude shock was in store for me. The user manual, which is supposed to help me get acquainted with the product, was in a language that is roman to me. And this made me question the credibility of the product and soon I decided to dissociate with the brand.

This is in fact not an isolated incident. Everyday thousands of customers decide not to engage with a particular brand due to this unpardonable oversight. As companies stand to lose millions of dollars for this omission, it is time they wake up to reality and give importance to translating user manuals.

The importance of Focusing on Translating User Manuals – The Apple Example

User manual acquaint users with the product and so ought to be friendly. Needless to say, the success or failure of the product hinges a lot on the manual. Consider Apple for instance. The conglomerate’s products is known to deliver the ultimate user experience. To add to this experience, Apple offers perfectly translated user guides. The guides are as sleek in design and are as wonderfully written as their ads and brochures for each of their product line. The company believes that it is just not the product, but the entire package which matters and so take great care to translate user manuals in as many languages as possible. This is the reason why we see flocks of people from all corners of the globe thronging the Apple stores during the launch of every new type of iPhone or iPad.

The Bottom-line

Most businesses are reluctant to invest their resources in the translation of user manuals simply because they believe it does not attract new customers and thus bring no profit, which is not true. This is in fact a short-sighted and irrational assessment, more in keeping with the thought of many starter businesses’, than with businesses which are ceaselessly looking to expand their frontiers.

In today’s competitive world, the success of a product depends as much on a correctly translated user guide as on the product. So, it makes perfect business sense to allocate adequate time and energy in translating user guides rather than focusing solely on marketing collaterals. In case you don’t have the resources to do it in-house, you can opt to outsource the task and reap the benefits of increased efficiency, lower turnaround time, reduced costs and enhanced profits.