When you have decided it is time for your company to go global, ensuring an all-encompassing localization strategy is a must. To effectively do this, it is vital to keep a tight rein on all translation and localization activities. The easiest way to do this is by centralizing the process through your chosen translation provider.
If you are only just starting this process and getting to know a new translation provider, familiarization and creating a streamlined structure to complete the localization helps create a smoother process. This can be achieved by making sure that the service provider you choose is compatible with your needs and is willing to create a unified partnership. Accomplishing localization requires a solid working relationship and the ability to centralize all activities to prevent slip-ups along the way.
To help you with the centralization process, we have outlined some steps to take on the journey to localization.
1. Create an asset pool
As you wish to reach wider markets, targeting various countries, translation to one or multiple languages is essential to help your brand win new consumers. To do this without losing your brand identity and message, you need to ensure that your localization provider knows what your message is.
To do this, you must gather all the company's content, images, logos and product information into one big file for translation. By putting all your assets together, you create a pool of information that the translation service dips into to create the new multilingual versions.
Having the assets compiled into one file helps to speed up the process as it reduces the need for the translation partners to revert to you, requesting further documents or images. And after all, time is money!
2. Get onboard the translation train(ing)
Starting to create a new partnership in any aspect of a business can be fraught with misunderstandings or communication errors. To alleviate this possible stress point, ask for a transparent and comprehensive onboarding process with product demonstrations and training from your language service provider.
Communication is vital, and by taking any ambiguity from the process, it becomes clearer how information should be shared and with whom.
3. Have a clear roadmap
To assist the translation service provider in the process of localization, you need to know your company's plans for development. Having clearly stated goals, budgets and target markets removes the chance of issues arising through languages or markets being forgotten.
Throughout the process of centralization, you must keep your language service partner informed of any changes needed. Plans do change, so having an easily edited document outlining the roadmap to localization is vital with change controls built in to allow for pivots.
4. Include colleagues
Many different departments may need to be involved in the localization process. Pulling together the assets and terminology required for the centralization needs the input from the people familiar with the various aspects of the company.
Setting up a process that allows for the involvement of all employees helps ensure that all factors of the translation are covered. This may simply involve setting up documents and databases that are accessible by all members of staff so that they can easily input the information required or in some cases, require training sessions or circulation of detailed documentation to train employees on the centralization process.
5. Monitor progress
As centralization is implemented, it is a good idea to keep an eye on its progress to make sure that there are no changes to costings or targets. Keeping a close eye on how it is progressing may allow future time or money savings. It may also negate the need for costly do-overs at a later date. Choosing to centralize your translations and localization projects brings many benefits. By entrusting one translation service provider with the whole project, you can reduce costs, time wastage and errors.
Your localization project is less likely to have a cost overrun if a contract has been agreed with one company and they have been given complete access to the assets needing to be translated—ditto with regards to time. If all the assets are with one company, proper communication processes have been established, and all necessary tools are centralized, the process can be completed in a more timely manner.
Conclusion
When the language service provider has all the tools, assets and instructions required to complete the work, errors are less likely to occur. Flipping and flopping between different providers can cause the ball to be dropped and result in a less cohesive end product.
As Andovar offers full localization and translation services under one roof, we are the perfect choice for centralizing the process. We work closely with your team to create the translations and customized localizations that help your company to win new consumers the world over. Get in touch today and start your journey to globalization.
