The world has a growing need for localization.
According to Common Sense Advisory, 56.2 % of consumers say that the ability to obtain information in their own language is more important than price, and 65% of multinational enterprises believe localization is important to increase revenues.
So, if your company is global or on the path to becoming a global organization.
As a Localization Manager, your main concern can be assuring an efficient localization strategy in terms of timelines, resources, and costs. But juggling different priorities such as being a global and unified brand with a local and fluent tone is challenging. A buyers’ journey depends on emotion, and the localization process must take that into account. You don’t want just another translation partner, you need a localization partner who knows how to trigger the right emotion in a specific market and help boost your sales.
Here are five suggestions on how to improve your company’s localization process.
1. Work with LSPs
One of the known benefits of working with an LSP (Language Service Provider) is the capacity to deal with the different phases of a translation project:
-Project management;
-DTP;
-File engineering;
-QA;
-Testing.
A particularly important aspect is that LSPs can keep the same linguists working on the same accounts, which is especially important for consistency, quality and continuity.
Other benefits that your company can experience include language consultancy: you want to know which languages to choose in order to cover a given market or region, which content to adapt, and the much needed attention to detail when it comes to cultural nuances and specifications in a given country.
»A good LSP can also guarantee timely deliveries despite short timelines and will offer you flexibility and certified processes that are essential to give you peace of mind. Having a freelancer fail a delivery or not being available for a last minute addition, and compromising a product launch/update is a Localization Manager’s worst nightmare...
2. Centralize and streamline
By choosing a single MLV (Multi-Language Vendor), you can centralize resources and requests and streamline communication, while eliminating inconsistencies. When you work with one MLV, accountability and trust are key to a successful partnership. Of course, you will also gain time in operational processes such as resources management, billing, etc., even if you are the king or queen of multitasking…
3. Glossaries and Style Guides
Before choosing to work with an LSP, many companies use their own internal resources (bilingual employees that translate or check content). While this can be an apparent solution, it is in fact quite deceiving, because your brand’s identity, tone and voice can be harmed, since these people are a kind of an internal handyman translator, without really being specialized in any sector and, sooner or later, they won’t have neither time or focus, for the same reason mentioned above..
Having two different voices and not necessarily appropriate, is something not desired at all, as it collides with a company’s efforts to build trust among customers in different markets.
A Style Guide sets the tone and voice, while embodying the company’s vision and target customers. A good Glossary or Style Guide is every Translation Project Manager’s best friend (apart from coffee).
4. Internationalization on time
Your LSP’s ultimate goal should be to simplify your global expansion. A pre- designed and flexible onboarding plan must be considered, and they should ask the right questions to better understand how they can provide a solution that fits your needs. From that moment on, it will select the right tools and strategies to help you achieve your internationalization plan timely and efficiently.
5. State-of-the-Art Technology
It is critical that, in a highly digitized world, your LSP can stay up to date with the latest translation tools and technologies, implement and suggest the best options for your localization strategy. From TMs (Translation Memories) to MT (Machine Translation), there is a plethora of solutions to fit your needs.
It is highly recommendable that you can discuss technology with your localization partner and compare apples with apples (since not all MT solutions have the same features and outputs, for instance).
Pick the right apple for your company, which might not the one recommended by an industry’s peer.
Are you considering a Localization partner?
Upwords is here to help you boost your Localization strategy and achieve seamlessly, efficient, and nuanced multilingual communication. Get in touch!
