The following is one of many newsletters I wrote for Avantpage Translations, a translation company based in California.
August 2021
Welcome to the Avantpage Newsletter
Here’s what we’re reading in business and translation news this month:
From Our Blog
Connect to Voters in Their Language with Translated Voter Information Guides
A special recall election for California Gov. Gavin Newsom is scheduled for September 14, so we thought we’d take a moment to go over our translated voter information guides, including one we did for the 2003 recall election. Translating voter guides ensures all voters get access to accurate, up-to-date information about their voting options and that their voices are heard.
This especially benefits immigrants and LEP speakers, something we strive towards at Avantpage. As our chief executive officer, Luis Miguel, explained, “Our commitment to enabling immigrants to participate in our democratic process remains as strong now as it was in 2003. We’re honored to be able to continue to serve our immigrant population.” Read the full blog here.
Improve the Limited English Proficient Patient Journey through the Healthcare System
LEP speakers face plenty of challenges, and healthcare is no exception. From scheduling appointments to offering translated materials, there are many steps in the patient journey that need to be translated. A patient journey is a process of looking at the patient experience with a healthcare provider during each touchpoint in the process. Avantpage can walk you through an LEP speaker’s patient journey in order to identify lapses in language coverage. Learn more about the process, and how we can help, here.
Avantpage Updates
At Avantpage, “Empathy Beyond Words” is not just a phrase in our mission statement, we are actively practicing it as we empower innovation from within. Recently, a team of three started a new initiative called AvantThinkTank. This initiative uses the “Design Thinking Process” to encourage an environment of innovation amongst all Avantpage employees and devise solutions to challenges that are not only internal company concerns, but also external challenges faced by our end-users, clients, or providers. “Design Thinking Process” fits well with our Avantpage identity because the first step is to Empathize. The process starts with us putting ourselves in the shoes of the different personas that we encounter. From an Avantpage perspective, this could be anyone from the Project Manager to the Immigrant, to the Language Access Specialists who are our clients. We are currently, as a company, discussing these and other roles to attempt to truly understand what these personas go through in their daily activities. Our next steps, following the “Design Thinking Process”, are to Define the problems, Ideate solutions, create a Prototype and then test the prototype. The ultimate goal is to deliver, at the end of this process, several innovative, much-needed, real-life solutions to challenges faced by us, our providers, our clients, and our end-users. Stay tuned, as we look forward to sharing with you our progress and our solutions!
We are thrilled to announce our newly-minted partnership with the second-largest school district in the country, Los Angeles Unified (LAUSD)!
Serving more than 600,000 students on over 1,000 campuses, the District mirrors the population of Los Angeles in its diversity. More than a dozen languages other than English are spoken in homes across the City, and LAUSD’s need to communicate with those populations is wide-ranging.
In addition to day-to-day communications, one particular type of document, the Individual Education Plan (IEP), is key to the success of the District’s Special Needs students. Naturally, communicating those plans to Limited English-Speaking parents is vital. That’s where Avantpage comes in – providing clear, accurate translations of these plans while protecting the privacy of the families will help to ensure the students and the District’s success.
To read more about how LEP students and their families have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, check out last month’s blog here.
From the Internet
How Do Global Companies Benefit from Language Solutions?
For companies that want to expand globally, language services are crucial. From localizing products to offering website translations, language is key to making sure a company grows exponentially, and can even prevent embarrassing translation errors that may harm business.
Take this example, where a company had to shell out $10 million for a rebranding campaign after their English slogan roughly translated into “Do Nothing” in many other languages. Learn more about how language solutions affect business.
Why Do You Need Medical Translation Services?
Medical translation requires a human touch. Potentially life-saving information can be lost in translation when patients speak a different language than their doctor. On top of that, medical breakthroughs may not be reported in more than one language, leaving both healthcare providers and doctors at risk of missing out on crucial information.
This leaves medical translators in high demand. Legal documents, medical information, and doctor/patient communication all need translation services. Read the full article to learn more.
How Spanish Transcreation Drives Marketing Success in Global Markets
If you’re looking to reach Spanish-speaking audiences, then Spanish translation is a great place to start. Like any language, however, the Spanish language is home to multiple dialects, cultures, and tones. Transcreation, tailoring content to give a custom fit to a specific market, is one way to take a product or service make sense to other markets. Learn more about how transcreation drives success here.
