Improving Management Communication

The Management Institute of Finland (MIF) helps people understand and develop the skills their organisations need in the future, especially with regards to leadership, communication, and change management. Their subsidiary Infor focuses on the communication side.

The situation

Some of Infor’s customers required training in English, because their companies had expanded outside of Finland, and they needed to improve communications both internally with colleagues in other countries, and externally with international customers. Excellent presentation skills would help them to get their points across verbally, and better writing skills would streamline email, instructions, and other texts.

The challenge

Infor contacted me to run a short course in writing skills for IT specialists. Since then, I have been regularly running programmes for their customers in both presenting and writing.

Customer presenters have learned to inspire their colleagues with explanations of their new ideas, and some have later made presentations at international conferences and forums. Customer writers have been able to express themselves in reports and email more clearly, and some have gone on to work in their company communications units.

The outcome

“We have been very pleased with James’s training skills.” – Johanna Ansamaa, Project Manager, Infor

You can visit Infor here.

The centre of home technology

Cozify is a wireless smart home hub that connects smart devices from different manufacturers into one seamless control centre. You can control all of your devices from one mobile app.

The app allows you to do things like automate lighting, heating, and kitchen appliances. It also facilitates security, turning lights on and off when you’re out, sending remote alerts for smoke, water leaks, and motion detectors, and includes a function for video camera monitoring.

The situation

Tony Risikko, in charge of Cozify marketing, understood that, even when it’s simple, technology can be intimidating for some new users. So he got a short film made to show how easy Cozify is to set up. But to sell outside of Finland, he needed somebody to check the English in the script and a native English voice to narrate the video.

The challenge

Tony contacted me through a mutual friend. He asked me to proofread and amend the script as necessary. I came to the Cozify office to see the device and its supporting app for myself, and then lend my voice to the short video that demonstrates how to set it up.

The outcome

“Working with James was easy and fast. His approach was very professional, and his suggestions regarding the script were very useful. I fully recommend his services!” – Tony Risikko

You can visit Cozify here.

Terrific translations

Laura Syrjälä runs Topiikki, a communications agency based in Nummela, a small town in southern Finland.

Her company provides a range of services to Finnish businesses, including digital marketing, content production, social media and PR, visual communications, branding, and promotions.

The situation

Topiikki also offers translation as part of its writing services. Laura’s small team provides a number of Finnish companies that do international marketing with English translations of their sales messages. The translations are good, but Laura understood that they needed a professional, native-level polish to really sell products in a foreign marketplace.

The challenge

Laura got in touch with me because she had a growing customer demand for English marketing text. Rather than use several proofreaders, she wanted to create a solid business relationship with one person. Since then, I have been her English language consultant, mostly proofreading and editing English text, but even doing the occasional translation from Finnish.

The outcome

“Cooperation with Koala Consulting and James Perkins is absolutely great. The translations and copy edits are not just excellent, but they come with precise explanations and comments. For my business, Koala Consulting is a valuable partner that I have been recommending to others as well.” – Laura Syrjälä

You can visit Topiikki here.

Beautiful pictures, beautiful words

Anna Nordling runs Annaway, a graphic design and marketing company based in Kauniainen, near Helsinki.

Through her company, Anna provides illustrations and plans campaign strategies to help companies sell their products and services. Working alone, she can be flexible for her clients. She also realises that she doesn’t know everything, and is always willing to work with other experts in her projects.

The situation

Anna had a client in the shipbuilding industry who was developing a new website as a point-of-contact brochure for their engineering services. She had done work on the visual appearance of the site, but it still needed English text because her clients wanted to extend their business in new partnerships with shipbuilding companies outside of Finland.

The challenge

Anna asked me to edit the existing text on the site and make some new additions. Although I started the project with only a limited understanding of shipbuilding based on my knowledge of assembly cranes, my long experience writing for engineering companies helped me to quickly produce fresh, descriptive and accurate copy for her client right on schedule.

The outcome

“James did an excellent job and the client was very pleased. I would not hesitate to use him again.” – Anna Nordling

You can visit Annaway here.

Australia like it is

Reeta Sinkkonen is the owner and founder of Sinkkonen Consulting, a company specialised in coaching people in cultural competence, such as working in a multicultural environment with international teams, going on international assignment, and on guiding experts coming to Finland on local human resources and business matters.

She deals with different cultures daily, has lived and worked abroad, and even wrote her thesis on expatriate issues, as well as the book Onnistu ulkomaankomennuksissa (Succeed on International Assignments), published by WSOY in 2009.

The situation

Some of the Sinkkonen customers wanted to send employees to Australia, and Reeta needed an expert on Australian life and culture to provide pre-travel training before they moved away. There are not many Australia experts in Finland.

The challenge

A mutual friend introduced me to Reeta, and she soon gave me my first assignment. Since then, I have been the resident authority on Australia for Sinkkonen Consulting. Reeta contacts me whenever her customers ask her for information about the land “Down Under”.

Outcome

“I can highly recommend James as a professional Australia trainer. It is my responsibility to find the best trainer for my clients and James is definitely one of them. I´m proud to work with him.” – Reeta Sinkkonen

You can visit Sinkkonen Consulting here.