Language Service Providers (LSP) are your brand's gateway to working with talented and creative translators. But, without prior experience working on a translation project, the task of selecting the right LSP can seem daunting.
To help ensure a successful outcome, here are ten questions to ask your Language Service Provider before starting work on new localization campaigns.
Different industries will have their own unique challenges when it comes to translating content. Legal content will require the close-eye of a Lawyer, meanwhile medical documentation will require an experienced professional to review.
Some questions to think about include:
Its important that the Language Service Provider working with your brand provides translators that are familiar with your particular industry to understand the details and nuance, or even legal requirements, of that content.
Different LSPs will have different pricing structures. Some will charge per language translated, while others will charge based on the number of words translated.
Some questions to think about include:
Language Service Providers may even charge project minimums as an extra cost of translation. Discuss with your LSP to uncover any hidden fees before you begin working together.
Volunteer and free-lance translators can do amazing work, but banking your global expansion on free translation efforts might lead to poor results. Mature LSPs should have an evaluation process in place to vet acceptable translators.
Some questions to think about include:
A look inside this process will ensure you will be working with talented and qualified translators.
Not only should translators be qualified, but it is essential to ensure that translators receive proper training to deliver high-quality results.
On-going education is always a great way to help your employees continue to learn and master new skills, and the same can be said for translators as well.
Some questions to think about include:
Mature LSPs should have a process in place to help foster creativity and translation success.
Quality can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Start off on the right foot with your Language Service Provider by establishing a common understanding of what a high quality translation should look like.
Some questions to think about include:
Mature LSPs should have internal quality assessment processes in place, and even some Key Performance Indicators to measure, to better understand the attributes of a solid translation.
Even beginning on level ground with a clear definition of translation quality, there still might be times that the end result doesn't quite meet your brand's expectations.
Some questions to think about include:
There is always the possibility that translations will need extra work, or a new creative touch. LSPs should have a process in place to handle these situations and facilitate necessary revisions promptly, so that your brand doesn't have establish an internal review process.
As one of the most valuable linguistic assets, translation memory is vital resources for improving translation quality while cutting down on time and money spent on each project.
Some questions to think about include:
Some LSPs and Translation Management Systems provide flexible translation memory databases, enabling for quick access, editing, and even exporting for future use.
Gone are the days of emailing spreadsheets or word documents filled with strings and content to be translated, and gone are the days of lengthy internal reviews.
Smartling's Cloud Based TMS enables translators to leverage linguistic assets like glossaries and a style guide, as well as work directly with visual context of the project they are translating.
Some questions to think about include:
These tools not only improve translation quality, but cut down on the time-to-market and overall cost of translation.
Translators should be seen as an extension of your brand, and not just another email address in your inbox. With an open path to collaborate with your brand, translators can ask for clarification, creative insight, or direct feedback on their work.
Some questions to think about include:
Ensure the LSP enables your brand to directly communicate with translators without any red tape. For example, Smartling offers a direct Slack integration to communicate with translators in real-time.
With so many new tools and services to build your brand's experience around, it has become increasingly important to find technology that will work together.
Some questions to think about include:
Ensure that the LSP can integrate with your existing tech stack, for example, Content Management Systems or Marketing Automation platforms. If there aren't any existing connectors, inquire if the LSP will work with your brand to build one.
Language Service Providers should act as your brand's ambassador to translators, powering amazing connections with localized content crafted by creative professional translators.
However, when entering an entirely new field or taking on an entirely new process like localization and content translation, it can be easy to get lost in the weeds of it all. That's why any successful project first begins with the right research.
Arming yourself with these ten questions to ask your language service provider, brands can establish a strong foundation for success moving forward.
You can learn all about the Smartling Translation Services experience here. Ready to get started? You can request a translation test here.