The IPI Language Service: customer-oriented without neglecting itself
by Marguerite Meyer
The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) is the central point of contact for all questions regarding patents, trademarks, and designs. The IPI's Language Service ensures that the translation assignments placed with it and other language services are provided – thus ensuring the organization's required multilingualism for all stakeholders. These assignments include, for example, websites, trademark guidelines, legislative revisions and consultations.
The IPI Language Service commissioned Language Box to take a closer look at the current organizational structure as well as the language services to be provided. The business analysis focused on questions regarding the efficient organization in terms of personnel and expertise, the exploitation of existing potential and the actual service package required by the IPI’s Language Service.
A convincing approach
The business analysis is one of Language Box's key working tools, as it not only takes into account the past two to three years, but also reflects a realistic snapshot of the situation. In order to do this, Language Box first has to get a good overview. Organizational structure, the offered (language) services as well as the problem areas were thoroughly examined on the basis of extensive interviews and documentary analyses. In addition, self-perception and external perception of the IPI Language Service were determined with the help of a targeted survey of the team as well as its internal clients. The exciting survey results enabled Language Box to make swift optimization recommendations.
The most important findings were then summarized in a report, and the most urgent optimization measures were implemented in cooperation with the IPI Language Service in a two-day workshop.
With the results, recommendations and implemented optimizations documented in the business analysis, the IPI Language Service now has the necessary tools to start into the future at full speed.
"The analysis made everything more binding".
Language Box's consulting services fully convinced Natascha Muther Devaud, Head of the IPI Language Service. She was happy to answer some questions:
Natascha Muther Devaud, what did you particularly appreciate about working with Language Box?
I was very impressed by the professionalism with which Language Box GmbH operated. The company has in-depth knowledge of the language services industry and also applied experience from other in-house language services and relevant stakeholders to our assignment. Seeing our data, figures and structures in a comparison was on the one hand very exciting and on the other hand enormously helpful.
I really appreciated the personal exchange, when we met for coffee and talked about a possible collaboration. This was very motivating and Language Box's approach totally convinced me.
What did Language Box's analysis reveal?
The analysis made everything more structured and binding. We realized that while our core task is translation, other issues also need to be addressed professionally. These include a clearer distribution of roles and competencies, additional resources for our target languages, and the creation of a pure language technology and terminology desk.
Language Box's recommendations showed us that we are on the right track by being strongly customer-oriented. However, the needs and desires of team members and the language service itself are also a key factor and must be included in the strategic direction.
Natascha Muther Devaud, thank you for this brief interview!
Would you also like to take care of more streamlining and transparency – and optimize your language processes? Get in touch with us for a first free and non-binding consultancy chat. We look forward to hearing from you!