World Trade Centre Hull & Humber lifts the language barrier

The chief executive of an East Yorkshire firm that provides translation and interpreting services is to be based at World Trade Centre Hull & Humber.

Carolyn Burgess, of Language is Everything, will mainly work from the World Trade Centre’s offices at One Humber Quays, Hull, while her independent business, which has an annual turnover of £1.6m, continues to operate from Howden.

 

The two organisations are working together to promote the importance of interpreting and translation, and help companies to develop a customer-led approach when dealing with international trade.

 

Andy Mowbray, manager of World Trade Centre Hull & Humber, said: “Partnering with Language is Everything further strengthens our offer to local businesses and supports our key objective of facilitating trade between this region and the world. It means that language does not have to be a barrier to business anymore.”

 

Mrs Burgess, who is also vice-president of Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, said that language barriers and cultural differences were the key challenges. It was important not to overestimate the role of English when competitors were already able to respond in several different languages.

 

“International trade should at every level be first and foremost about understanding the customer. Businesses should take an imaginative, bold and hands on approach just as they do with their customers at home.

 

“Many businesses associate international trade with red tape, and with difficulties in communication. This can result in a hands-off approach where products are sold through local distributors or agents.”

 

Mrs Burgess said that her partnership with the World Trade Centre would help to promote to the region’s companies the idea that much greater success can be achieved by taking steps to understand a country’s aims and culture.

 

“We want to help businesses develop new ideas for communicating with their international customers.”

 

Language is Everything has set up many thousands of telephone interpreting calls including work for GP’s surgeries and hospital’s accident and emergency departments. It provides instant access to any language from any location through its network of more than 2,000 linguists worldwide.

 

“We are seeing a steady increase of telephone interpreting from our commercial customers who have seen how it can help them become more competitive.

 

“If you try to make it easy for your customers in Beverley or Birmingham to simply pick up the phone and talk to someone, you should do the same for your customers in Budapest or Beijing.

 

“The current pattern of UK trade reflects linguistic competence rather than market opportunity. It means we are much more likely to be tapping into mature markets where English speakers can be found rather than into developing markets which have much greater potential for economic growth.”

 

A strong advocate of the idea that companies can make a positive contribution to the lives of local people, Mrs Burgess is the driving force behind Language is Everything’s varied community projects. She is also a founding member of the charity AfrOx, that is tackling the cancer epidemic in Africa.

 

Further information on the services provided by Language is Everything can be found at www.languageiseverything.com