Language compliance audit

Why check it

Menus are printed in a rush before opening, price tags are changed by the manager, the sign was ordered three years ago, and the notice by the till was printed by someone on shift. Six months on, the venue has four versions of bilingual text: here the Kazakh text is smaller than the Russian, there the translation differs from the original, elsewhere a new dish is missing from one version. Staff hardly notice. Guests do at once.

A language compliance audit shows exactly what the guest sees and turns the findings into a clear list of fixes. The topic is covered in depth in the article "Menu, price tag and sign in two languages".

The rules we take into account

We are not lawyers, and this page is not legal advice. Below, in brief, are the rules we consider when drawing up the checklist. The requirements should be verified with a lawyer, especially before ordering a new menu or sign.

• Law on Languages in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Article 21. Menus, price tags, price lists, notices and other visual information are placed in the state language, Kazakh, and where necessary also in Russian and other languages. Signs are also made in Kazakh, and where necessary in Russian. The Kazakh text goes on the left or at the top, the Russian on the right or below, in letters of equal size.
• Law on Protection of Consumer Rights, Article 24(1) and Article 25. Information about goods or services and the seller is provided in Kazakh and Russian. Information provided in one language only is deemed not provided.
• Code of Administrative Offences, Article 75. Breaching visual information requirements carries a warning, and a repeat breach within a year a fine. The amount depends on the business category; check the current wording and amounts with a lawyer.

A word on spoken language. The law requires written information in two languages but does not set the language staff speak. Whether a staff member can serve a guest in Kazakh is a matter of service, not law, and we assess it as part of service.

What we check

• Menu. Are there Kazakh and Russian versions, do they match in dishes, prices and descriptions, are any items in one language only, is the font size equal, where is the Kazakh text placed.
• Price tags and price lists. In the display case, at the bar, at the spa desk and in the hotel room: both languages, matching prices, clear names.
• Signs. Kazakh text on the sign, its position and size relative to the Russian. A registered trademark stays as registered, and we note it separately.
• Guest information. Notices by the till, rules, announcements, table leaflets, service charge information: in which languages and whether equally complete.
• Translation quality. Any typos, machine translation that changes the meaning, dish names that sound different in Kazakh from what was intended.
• Service in Kazakh. By agreement, the mystery guest addresses staff in Kazakh: can they answer themselves, do they call a colleague, how fast does the guest get help.

How it works

The audit can be part of a regular mystery guest visit: the mystery guest dines like any guest and notes the checklist's language items along the way. A standalone audit is also possible when only the information in the venue matters: the visit is then shorter and focused on menus, price tags, signs and notices. Menus on the website and in delivery apps are covered by a digital audit.

The checklist is agreed at the briefing. For a chain, the items are the same for all outlets, so results can be compared. If staff phrases in Kazakh and Russian are needed afterwards, they can be prepared as part of work on a service standard.

What you receive

• A report within 72 hours of the visit, checked by a methodologist.
• Photos of menus, price tags, signs and notices marking exactly what does not match.
• A list of discrepancies between the Kazakh and Russian versions.
• Observations on how staff cope when addressed in Kazakh.
• A list of what to fix first, and questions worth discussing with a lawyer.

Frequently asked questions