The search for available translation agencies will yield no shortage of results. The language service market will grow to over $56 billion in value by 2021 to meet a rising need for global content. Just about every company—from app providers to e-commerce sites and online publication agencies—will eventually have to look internationally if they want to grow. Success in this global direction is going to depend on your ability to reinvent your offerings for a new market without losing what made you popular in the original one. That is where the search for an ideal translation agency comes in.
Choosing the right provider is going to make all the difference, but most business leaders don’t even know where to start when it comes to creating localized content for a new market. If you want to grow your brand, you’re going to have to review the available providers carefully, along with their business models and the technology they rely on. The first step is evaluating your need for translation in a successful global launch.
Localization can be a costly project, especially if you’re not entirely sure what you’re getting in the deal. In rare cases, you may not need a professional service at all and may get by on basic machine translation results. In most cases, you’re going to need a robust program in place to ensure your localization efforts pan out.
You should consider translation services if:
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You may not need them if:
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Full-scale translation services aren’t always necessary. In some cases, a simple machine translation may work for you. In others, you may have the bandwidth to handle the entire project in-house. However, if you have a significant amount of content to translate, you may want to consider working with an agency early on. In these cases, the sooner you work with a company to create standards for your translation, the better.
As demand for translation services grows, so does the complexity of business models. While there are virtually thousands of companies involved in this kind of service, all of them break down into several basic categories.
![]() Large Translation Company
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Large translation companies are typically a one-stop shop to allow for translation into many different languages. These companies do hundreds of millions of dollars worth of business per year and, as a result, have locations and personnel all over the world. |
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![]() Small Translation Company
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Smaller translation companies typically do only a few million dollars in business per year and have few locations, centralized to a specific region. |
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![]() Translator
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A single translator will specialize in a specific language and often works remotely from the targeted region. |
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![]() TMS (Translation Management System)
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The translation management system (TMS) is not an agency but a software that may power an agency. Popular options include XTM International, Transifex, and Memsource. |
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![]() Bureau Works
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Bureau Works uses a unique business model that combines a high-quality localization management platform with the business processes and availability of a major firm. |
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After reviewing the pros and cons of each business model, you’re likely to have a good idea of the kind of translation agency that’s right for your future prospects. However, you still need to look at how individual agencies manage their workflows, tools for facilitating the localization process, and standards of communication and transparency. To understand these additional important elements, you need to evaluate the technology at the heart of the agencies.
There are three basic types of software you’ll need to help you control workflows, eliminate redundant tasks, and manage costs.
It’s not unusual for these systems to overlap on some level. A TMS may come with built-in CAT tools. A BMS may allow for assigning and workflow management of translation projects. Some systems may integrate and connect with others. For example, a TMS may communicate with a content management system (CMS) to allow for seamless uploading of new content—a significant timesaver.
Before deciding on an agency, it’s vital to evaluate the supportive software at stake. Disparate software solutions lead to business segmentation and missed communications. However, as translation is only a small component of a business, it’s rare to find a tool that allows for the combination of all three systems in a single, collaborative space.
This multi-dimensional software is something that only Bureau Works has accomplished to date. Our platform acts as a repository for company-specific translation memories and term bases to provide higher-quality, more efficient translation overall. It leverages artificial intelligence to assign the best translators for the target language, subject matter, and tone based on their prior performance data. Also, it provides a workspace for them to accept, translate, and submit strings before those projects move on for review and approval in the same system.
When it comes to business management tasks, the system allows you to keep track of billing and payments on a granular level. You can run reports based on previous projects to determine where you’re spending the most money, and you can get a clear picture of your ROI. This allows you to make smarter decisions about localization and expansion in the big picture.
The best way to eliminate waste in any business process is to cut back on the steps to completing a task. When a translation agency focuses only on translation, they may overlook technologies that could make the job seamless and efficient. Meanwhile, a platform only creates the scaffolding of a project; you still have to hire translators and manage the localization process somehow. Working with a translation agency that combines the right human capital with an intuitive platform is the closest to a turnkey localization solution you can get.
When working with a translation agency, you want an end-to-end solution. You need a simple option for hiring and collaborating with translators, as well as technical support to get your localized content live without delays. You also need a way to measure your success. When choosing a localization partner, your choice shouldn’t focus on whether you need a small or large agency. Instead, you want one that offers an all-inclusive experience so you can see the real profit of international expansion.
Bureau Works can act as your all-inclusive translation agency by combining our powerful platform with our range of linguistic experts. Contact our team to learn more.