1. What are the fastest growing areas for LLE’s language services?
The fastest growing areas are health care, government contact centers, telecommunications and corporate consumer affairs / call centers. Our On-Demand Language Services Set is the fastest growing area of our business being marketed into those areas: LLE-LINK 24 x 7 telephone interpretation, LLE-ODET e-mail translation and LLE-TEST language assessment. On-demand services will be driving our revenue growth for the foreseeable future.
2. Since there are several companies who provide similar services, how do you differentiate yourselves from your competitors?
Quality, service and value.
LLE prides itself on quality. Our quality control processes and procedures are extensive and embedded in all that we do. Quality is all about accuracy. It truly is an obsession.
We are customer driven. Our customers tell us their needs, and we direct our resources to satisfy those needs. We survey our customers, provide online feedback forums and supply consulting and training programs to assist our customers with the integration of our language services into their enterprise.
Our distributed business model gives us the flexibility to incorporate a wide variety of linguistic resources. Thus, we can give our clients high quality with exceptional service at a price point that is fair and equitable.
All our services are performed by humans. We employ technology to assist in the submission and delivery process of our services. However, all our services have the human component. Only a human can convey the cultural nuances, proper lexicon and spirit of the message.
3. Your website claims that LLE supports over 150 languages. How do you meet staffing requirements since a significant part of your business is on demand?
You have touched on a very tricky aspect of our business. It is a matter of balancing the demand with linguist availability. To answer your question, we are in a constant recruiting mode. For example, on the telephone interpretation side, we are able to attract high quality interpreters due to the fact that they can work from home and set their own scheduled work hours. In addition, with a competitive pay scale we are able to retain a great majority of our interpreters.
4. If a company is evaluating language service companies, what selection criteria would you suggest a company use?
How do I engage a language services provider? The following ten questions will assist you in finding a language services provider that will meet your needs. Many of these questions are self-explanatory, however, they are crucial when selecting a language service provider that will translate or interpret your organizations message.
How long have you been in business?
Are you a full service language provider?
What services do you provide?
What are your quality control / quality assurance practices?
What are your linguist’s qualifications?
How do you ensure confidentiality?
What standards and certifications do you possess?
How do you respond to client concerns?
What are your services turnaround times?
Do you utilize machine language for translations?
5. What procedure/s would you suggest a company use to evaluate the quality of your linguist’s capabilities?
First, and foremost, focus on the language proficiency test. Then, education and experience. Ask for samples of translated work. Ask for the resume of the translator or translators working on your project. If it is telephone interpretation, request a demo of the system. Ask for the interpreter procedures and protocol. If possible, have a fluent native speaker listen into a few calls and determine that the message being conveyed in the source and target language is accurate. Also, review the translation or interpretation quality control procedures.
6. How does a company build an ROI for your interpretation services?
The results are inherently tangible. Ask yourself - Are the use of translators or interpreters contributing in a direct or indirect manner to the revenue stream of the company? Are telephone interpreters assisting your contact center personnel to close sales or service valuable customers? Are translated marketing materials assisting non-English prospects to purchase your products or services? The intangibles are great as well: loyalty, goodwill, service, referrals, etc…
7. LLE provides a service called Lingo Suite that appears to encompass all points of contact within the enterprise, i.e. telephone, voice mail, email, fax. What has been the acceptance of this service?
We are very excited by this particular marketing initiative. Organizations find it very useful to have all communication channels within the enterprise language capable, or “fluent”. They don’t have to search to find an interpreter or translator anymore; or even worst, have to hang-up on the prospect or client. They simply access one or more of our on-demand language services. The quality, ease of use and speed of the services gives our clients peace of mind and keeps their limited English proficient prospects and clients happy. They also tell us that one of the major benefits they particularly enjoy is obtaining a wide breadth of language services from one supplier.
8. What are LLE’s biggest challenges for the remainder of 2006 and early 2007?
The continued recruitment of qualified linguists, bringing additional services online, and building the technology and corporate infrastructure to accommodate our explosive growth.
On Friday, July 14, 2006, we celebrated the grand opening of our new 6,000 square foot, state-of-the-art language technology center in Winchester, Virginia. Thus, moving all our current personnel, adding personnel and upgrading computer systems will keep us pretty busy through 2006.