“The new Audi is here”: When new car models are being launched, the international car manufacturer familiarizes all Audi dealers from more than 30 countries with the new products. After all, if it is your job to sell the new car generation professionally, you need to know all the details and be able to explain them clearly to others.
Audi therefore chose the interpreting services of KERN Global Language Services for the international market launch training. In summer 2012, in the lead-up to its dealer training, Audi thus placed an invitation to bid, via an agency. KERN Global Language Services, an experienced provider of translation and interpreting services, was once again able to win the bid. With over 100 appointments, thirty simultaneous interpreters for 27 languages and language combinations were employed for the international car event, which took place in fall/winter 2012/13 in the Audi training center at Munich Airport.
“We are delighted that Audi once again chose KERN Global Language Services for the extensive interpreting project. With our network of over 4,500 translators and interpreters, we are excellently positioned to take on large projects with the widest range of language combinations and specialist areas,” said Veit Uwe Markus, the account manager for Audi at KERN Global Language Services.
High demands placed on interpreters
“Our interpreters mastered many challenges during this assignment, which lasted several months,” said Markus. The specialist interpreters selected had to be capable of quickly and competently communicating the contents of lectures and specialist presentations in the desired language during the product launches. As what was said at the event had to be immediately available to dealers from all over the world, simultaneous interpreters were assigned, who worked in interpreting booths provided with the necessary technical equipment.
In the Audi training center, there is an interpreting booth with the necessary technical equipment for every language pair. Whereas conference interpreters usually have to change booth partners after half an hour at the latest, only one interpreter per booth worked during the market launch training. This particular problem could be easily solved thanks to the long breaks between interpreting assignments, the restriction to short presentations and the provision of comprehensive material for preparation. This planning required the KERN project managers to make a well-considered selection of specialist interpreters.
Project management for smooth execution
At first, KERN Global Language Services appointed one project manager who coordinated all interpreter assignments. From the KERN network, he selected language experts with specialist knowledge of cars, scheduled them for the individual appointments and made detailed arrangements regarding accommodation and the deployment of the experts during the market launch training, which lasted four-and-a-half months in total. Moreover, the project manager provided the interpreters with orientation material from the client and also acted as main contact person for all questions during the event. In this regard, it was very important to the language services provider that information was conveyed immediately between the client and the interpreters.
In order to be able to act in a quick and unbureaucratic manner, more KERN project managers were assigned to the project in the course of the event. “In this way, we were also able to provide the client with a fitting solution when it came to short-term queries or changes concerning language requirements,” summarized Veit Uwe Markus.
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