A good product and a competitive price might not just suffice in today’s international trade.
Every negotiation, contract, or meeting with overseas partners depends, to a large extent, on the ability to communicate clearly and accurately in the other party’s language. For import and export companies, certified translation and simultaneous interpretation services have been proven to be key competitive advantages.
At AngloServicios, we have been supporting Colombian and Latin American companies in their expansion and internationalization efforts for over fifteen years, ensuring that language barriers do not get in the way at the most critical moments.
The Risk of Underestimating Communication in Foreign Trade
Many companies taking their first steps in import or export operations delegate international communication to someone who “gets by in English” or rely on machine translation tools, without realizing that, in foreign trade, a poorly translated document may invalidate a transaction before Colombian’s tax agency DIAN or compromise the validity of a contract with a foreign counterpart.
A certified translation is an essential requirement for documents issued in another language to have legal validity in Colombia before government agencies, chambers of commerce, banks, notaries, and customs authorities.
This condition does not only apply to documents. In meetings with international buyers or during visits from overseas partners, poor communication can cost a business a deal without anyone saying so outright.
What is a certified translation, and when do foreign trade companies need one?
Not all translations are equal under the law. A certified translation (also called an official or sworn translation) is the only one that has legal validity in Colombia, because it is performed by a certified (“official”) translator whose signature attests that the content in the target language faithfully corresponds to the original document (Law 962 of 2005, Article 33)*.
Import and export companies need a certified translator when, for example, INVIMA requests technical documentation in Spanish, when the DIAN requests supporting documentation for a transaction recorded in another language, or when a correspondent bank abroad requires certified financial statements.
To this end, AngloServicios employs certified translators with experience in the language pairs that connect Colombia with its main markets:
- Spanish↔English
- Spanish↔French
- Spanish↔Portuguese
- Spanish↔German
- Spanish↔Russian, among others
The Role of Simultaneous Interpretation in International Business
When a foreign buyer visits a factory or evaluates a potential supplier at an international trade show, the presence of a professional simultaneous interpreter changes the tone of the conversation. It simply eliminates awkward pauses and gestures like “wait, let me find the right word.” With the assistance of a professional simultaneous interpreter, the businessperson may speak fluently, and in negotiation contexts, that builds credibility.
This is probably a good time to clarify that simultaneous interpretation is not the same as consecutive interpretation. In consecutive interpretation, the interpreter must wait for the speaker to finish a sentence or an idea before repeating it in the other language. As a result, the event takes twice as long, and the conversation loses its pace and rhythm.
Simultaneous interpretation eliminates that wait time since both the speaker and the interpreter are speaking at the same time.
The listener listens to the simultaneous interpretation through earphones connected to a wireless receiver. This convenient, reliable system, by the way, is all portable, wireless and light weight.
AngloServicios’ interpreters work with specialized audio equipment or portable systems, depending on the context, to provide accurate interpretation whether in a video call with a foreign buyer or in a plant tour with a foreign delegation, etc.
Why is it worth hiring a specialized team?
Regulatory compliance: Documents translated by a certified translator are fully valid before Colombian and international authorities.
More effective negotiations: When a professional interpreter is present, the foreign counterpart takes notice. It builds trust in the way machine translation is still uncapable to replicate.
Strong corporate image: A company that communicates accurately and professionally in the language of its counterparts projects reliability and makes a positive impression from the very first contact.
Specialized knowledge: Interpreters and translators at AngloServicios not only master the languages they work with but they also understand the context; whether it is a negotiation, a hearing, a business proposal, etc.
It saves time and resources: Managing translation or interpretation in-house and without the right staff may lead to costly errors and delays in critical processes. By delegating this responsibility to a specialized team like AngloServicios, companies can focus on their core business with the peace of mind that communication is in good hands.
At AngloServicios, we understand that no two foreign trade operations are alike and that communication needs vary depending on whether the company is exporting for the first time or is a multinational with established operations in several countries. We offer a service tailored to this reality, with the capacity to handle everything from a one-time procedure to an ongoing support contract.
Our team is available to work in person or remotely in English, French, Portuguese, German, Russian, and other languages. Contact us and tell us the language needs of your international operation.
* ARTICLE 33. THE EXAMINATION FOR THE PRACTICE OF THE PROFESSION OF OFFICIAL TRANSLATOR AND INTERPRETER, Article 4 of Decree 382 of 1951 is hereby amended to read as follows:
“Article 4. Examination for the Practice of the Profession of Official Translator and Interpreter.
Any person seeking to practice as an Official Translator and Interpreter must pass the relevant examinations administered by public and private universities that have language departments duly accredited and recognized by ICFES or the entity responsible for such recognition.
The document issued by the university certifying the applicant has passed the corresponding examination – that is, the qualification to practice the profession – constitutes a license to work as an official translator and interpreter.
PARAGRAPH. Licenses issued prior to the effective date of this law shall remain valid.
“Those applicants who, as of the effective date of this law, have passed the examination to qualify as an Official Translator or Interpreter but have not applied for the corresponding license before the Ministry of the Interior and Justice shall be subject to the provisions of this law.”