In today’s era of globalization, all aspects of life are increasingly transcending national borders, including the economy. 

Brands from different companies are currently competing to expand internationally. They are pursuing new opportunities, expanding their customer base, strengthening cooperation with clients and partners, and taking advantage of global market conditions.

As studied by Cuervo-Cazurra et al. (2017), international expansion enables companies and brands to achieve economies of scale and gain access to resources, markets, or conditions that are more favourable to them than in the domestic market.

Many brands that aspire to enter the international market often focus too much on marketing and technology strategies while overlooking one crucial aspect: official documents and multilingual communication. 

In fact, language consistency is the foundation of clarity and credibility in the global market. Even small translation errors—such as ambiguous phrases, incorrect legal terms, or misleading product messages—can trigger miscommunication with significant consequences. 

In the context of international business, such errors not only hinder understanding but can also reduce the level of trust among consumers and partners. 

In many cases, the market views language quality as a reflection of a brand’s professionalism. 

Therefore, ensuring accuracy through certified translation services is the right step to maintain reputation and trust in the global environment.

When “Good Enough” Translation Stops Being Good Enough

Ordinary and legal accuracy differ in the level of precision required, the consequences of errors, and the standards that must be met.

Ordinary accuracy only requires general meaning consistency, while legal accuracy requires terminological precision, structural consistency, and alignment with regulatory frameworks. 

In a legal context, minor errors can lead to legal liability, contract disputes, or non-compliance, resulting in fines and reputational damage. 

Therefore, high-risk businesses require certified translations as standard. Certified translation assures that the translator meets official qualifications, understands the legal consequences, and is accountable for their work.

Certification also provides an additional layer of security for companies, ensuring that documents are legally compliant, accurate, and defensible in the event of an audit or dispute. 

This step helps reduce the risk of strategic errors and ensures that business decisions are based on valid, officially recognised documents. 

We can learn from the significant contract translation error in the case of Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy) and Ecuador.

In this international arbitration case, the panel ordered Ecuador to pay Oxy billions of dollars in damages and interest. This was triggered by allegations that local court documents distorted the arbitration’s understanding of applicable Ecuadorian law. 

The Ecuadorian side stated that the amount paid would have been much lower if the translation of the Ecuadorian Supreme Court’s ruling and documents had been better.

The Silent Damage: Compliance Issues, Customer Confusion, and Broken Partnerships

Source: freepik.com. 

Translation errors often seem trivial, but their impact can severely damage the foundation of trust in business partnerships. 

Mistranslations in compliance documents, contracts, or operational instructions can trigger legal issues, regulatory rejections, and unexpected audits that disrupt operations.. 

A subtler but equally serious impact arises when errors confuse customers and partners, making them question the company’s professionalism. If technical specs are mistranslated, partners may view the company as unreliable and end the partnership.

These errors can damage the company’s reputation, which then spreads rapidly across the industry. In many situations, the harmed party takes the issue to court, arguing that the company mishandled essential information.

Ultimately, preventable linguistic errors—avoided through professional translation, verification, and cultural-technical insight—erode the business value that should have grown.

The millions of dollars in losses HSBC has experienced are an example of the consequences of incorrect translation. 

Several international markets mistranslated their slogan ‘Assume Nothing’ as ‘Do Nothing’. Instead of giving a proactive, alert impression, the translation of the slogan conveyed a passive, unresponsive image. 

This damaged the bank’s customers’ and partners’ perceptions. Therefore, a certified translation is a preventive measure against potential losses from translation errors.

Digital Localization Gaps That Undermine Global Credibility

In digital localization, recurring errors may appear simple but can significantly damage a brand’s reputation. In fact, you could face legal issues. Here are some common problems that often occur:

Broken UI 

When translators render text into another language, the length or structure of the sentences can change significantly. Suppose the UI design is inflexible (e.g., buttons or dialogue boxes have fixed sizes). 

In that case, text may overflow, be cut off, or extend beyond boundaries, making the interface look messy or unprofessional.

Inconsistent terminology 

Without terminology management (e.g., a glossary or standardised writing style), different language versions may use different terms for the same thing.

This confuses users and weakens brand identity and message clarity.

Culturally inappropriate tone/style

Literal translations that do not consider the cultural context can result in a tone that seems stiff, irrelevant, or even offensive. 

Humour, metaphors, icons, colours, or grammar that are common in one culture can have different meanings in another culture. 

For example, the use of white in Japan symbolises mourning. Another example is the KFC slogan, ‘Finger-lickin’ good’, which was translated when entering the Chinese market. 

The slogan was translated as ‘Eat your finger off’. This translation error created a bad perception among customers.

Where Certified Translation Becomes a Non-Negotiable Element

In many professional contexts, certified translations are a mandatory element because they guarantee accuracy, legality, and equivalence of meaning between the original document and the translation. 

When companies enter global markets, documents such as business agreements, contracts, or MoUs must be translated by certified translators to maintain legal force across jurisdictions.

Examples of situations that require certified translators include the certification of official documents such as company deeds of incorporation, immigration documents, compliance reports, and internationally applied Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). 

For example, when a Malaysian technology brand applies for an operating licence in Thailand, all regulatory documentation and safety standards must be certified and translated to be accepted by local authorities. 

Without certification, documents may be deemed invalid, and the administrative process could potentially be delayed.

The urgency of this standard becomes even clearer when looking at the practices of global companies that require certified translations as a mandatory compliance requirement. 

Major brands cannot risk misinterpretation, as a single terminology error can result in fines, product launch delays, or regulatory violations. 

Certified translators ensure that every technical, legal, and operational term is translated with precision and is legally accountable.

Professional Support: Combining Certified Translation & Localization for Trust-Ready Global Expansion

Source: freepik.com. 

To enter the global market with confidence, brands need professional support that can guarantee accuracy and reliability. 

One component of this is certified translation, which ensures that all legal documents, business contracts, partnership agreements, and compliance requirements are translated in accordance with official standards. 

With certified translation, companies can reduce the risk of misinterpretation while meeting regulatory requirements in various countries.

On the other hand, digital localisation is key to ensuring that applications, websites, and content feel natural to local audiences. 

This process includes adapting language, visuals, cultural elements, and even users’ technical preferences in each region. 

By combining certified translation and digital localisation, brands can build trust, enhance the user experience, and strengthen global competitiveness through consistent, relevant, and easy-to-understand messages across markets, enabling sustainable, measurable international growth.

Therefore, SpeeQual is here to assist with the digital localisation and document translation process through certified translation services. 

We have an experienced team that helps ensure your content is accurate, culturally aligned, and globally ready. With certified translation, your business is one step ahead in building your partners’ trust.Partner with our certified linguists to strengthen your global presence.