This is an interview with John Snow,
Business Development Director of
AppliedLanguage.com
English-test.net:
John, you are the Business Development Director of an internationally
operating
company. Could you please tell us what exactly you are responsible for?
John:
My responsibility covers everything to do with business generation both
for new clients, and the expansion of existing accounts. This ranges
from Telesales through to online and offline marketing.
English-test.net:
Why did you choose the translation service industry as your profession?
John:
I originally worked in the technology market selling eProcurement and
CMS systems. I was approached to work in translation as these types of
systems were starting to have a big impact on the industry.
English-test.net:
It seems that the internet is the ideal medium to market and promote the
kind of services your company is offering. Would you agree?
John:
Our main medium for new business generation is the website and nearly
all of our marketing spend is focused on driving traffic to the site. We
are also currently developing a customer portal to allow people to deal
with everything via a web interface.
English-test.net:
Your website has reached a very solid Google Pagerank. Which role is
Google
playing in your promotion activities?
John:
Google plays a major role in our marketing activity, and counts for
around 60% of all our website traffic. Everything we do with the website
is done with consideration of potential effects on our ranking.
English-test.net:
On your website you list Symantect as one of your clients. I have read
some
of Symantec''s software documentation in German and must admit it''s
flawless.
What languages does Appliedlanguage.com translate into for Symantec?
John:
The work we''ve done for Symantec has been for the main European
languages although of course we would love to do much more.
English-test.net:
Appliedlanguage is offering a unique reward program to their clients.
How
exactly does it work?
John:
It is based on the level of spend a customer has with us, and that is
converted into points. These can be redeemed for something as small as a
picnic hamper through to family holidays in Florida.
English-test.net:
Your headquarters are in the UK and you have an office in New York. Are
you
planning to set up offices in other countries too?
John:
There are two more offices planned in the coming year, one in LA and
another in Amsterdam. The aim is to consolidate with the customers we
have on the West Coast of the USA and start to expand our European
customer base.
English-test.net:
Which impact does the latest EU enlargement have on the translation
industry?
John:
The impact of the EU enlargement is a very exciting time for the
translation market, and will create massive opportunities. Right from
the EU itself and all other European Public Bodies down to any business
that wants to capitalize on the opportunity these new markets present.
English-test.net:
You are also running a comprehensive ESL/EFL webdirectory that is
constantly
updated. Where do you see the link between your services
and English as second language?
John:
Due to the volume of visitors we have on the site what we are trying to
do is create a useful resource of everything language related.
If you have any English grammar or vocabulary questions,
please post them on this English Grammar Forum.
