How Language Services Providers Help Businesses Reach Global Markets

Atara Braun

September 11 , 2023 · 6 min

Not very long ago, the idea of translating an online presence into multiple different languages felt daunting. How could it be done? The cost, the time… it all felt prohibitive. Fast forward to today and we are living in a world where two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies have an international presence. The world is indeed getting smaller, more connected, truly international – and it’s exciting. But it also means that we are required to become even better at localizing content to multiple languages while suiting material to a variety of cultural tastes in an increasingly interconnected world.

What can you do with a LSP?

A Language Service Provider (LSP) offers a wide range of language-related services to help individuals and organizations communicate effectively across linguistic barriers. LSPs can provide professional translation services, ensuring that documents, websites, marketing materials, and legal contracts are accurately and culturally adapted for target audiences. They also offer localization services, tailoring content to specific regions or markets.

Interpretation services, both in-person and remote, are available for conferences, meetings, and customer support. LSPs assist with transcription, subtitling, and voice-over work for multimedia translation projects. Moreover, they often employ technology, such as Translation Management Systems (TMS) and Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools, to enhance efficiency and consistency in language-related tasks.

Some of the most important language translation services.

Translation
Localization
Transcreation
Proofreading
Revision
Evaluation
Translated segment evaluation
Training in using CAT tools
Interpreting

Who Needs a Language Service Provider?

Businesses operating in today’s globalized world, regardless of their size or industry, can greatly benefit from partnering with a Language Service Provider (LSP). This includes multinational corporations, e-commerce platforms, legal firms, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and even government agencies. These entities often have diverse audiences with varying linguistic backgrounds, making accurate and culturally sensitive communication imperative.

LSPs play a crucial role in ensuring that content, whether it’s marketing materials, legal documents, product manuals, or customer support, is effectively translated and localized. Additionally, industries such as healthcare, life sciences, and legal services require specialized linguistic expertise to maintain compliance and ensure accurate communication with patients, clients, or partners. In essence, any organization seeking to expand its reach and effectively engage with a global audience can benefit from the services of a reputable Global Language Service Provider.

How does a company go global?

With the internet and advanced technological tools, more companies than ever are selling to international audiences, as well as working with global teams. Some companies open offices in strategic locations where they aim to make a splash in the local and global market together, other open offices where labor is cheap and plentiful, while others – especially in a post-Covid world – are increasingly hiring remote employees in all corners of the globe.

So the question becomes; how can a company manage the experience for each internal stakeholder so that wherever a person is accessing employee information, he or she has the same experience? The answer is simple – work with a professional LSP (Language Service Provider).

The role language service providers play in helping businesses go global

These teams of localization specialists work with companies to ensure that not only are their products or services internationally viable, but that material used by their teams is accessible around the world. It’s crucial that all communications to global employees of translation company – whether it’s training materials, policy updates, or information about their products and services – will be interpreted in the same way everywhere, allowing teams to work together effectively toward a common goal. For example, while pivoting their business to go digital during Covid-19, Subway found themselves needing to constantly translate and localize materials for the many countries they operate in to inform employees about updated health, safety, and operational policies in their stores.

In order to deliver internationalized and localized content that works, these localization vendors have honed skills and processes that help their clients achieve their goals, no matter the country, language, or industry.

What to look for in a good Language service provider

When it comes to finding a reliable business Language Service Provider (LSP), businesses must navigate a vast landscape of options. The key is to identify an LSP that not only understands the nuances of language but also possesses the expertise to seamlessly adapt content across cultures. As the demand for localization grows in our increasingly globalized world, businesses need LSPs that can deliver accuracy and efficiency within tight timelines. This requires a balance between the art and science of the translation process, as well as robust quality assurance processes. Let’s explore the essential qualities to look for in a good LSP.

LSPs develop teams of skilled linguists who can take text in one language and make it “live and breath” in another language industry well. This is an art as well as a science, and LSPs make sure that the people who work with them are meticulous about the details. What do we mean when we call this a science? A good LSP will put measurable QA processes in place that will help the linguist deliver more accurate and higher quality results. As companies are becoming more and more global, they have an increased need to localize even more content into more languages, within the same time constraints. To tackle this increased amount of text and deliver in a timely fashion, LSPs create systems that work to provide optimal results – even looking beyond the abilities of human translators.

How AI is helping LSP’s cut costs and save time

Innovation and technology are what set a good LSP apart, and what makes it possible for them to keep up with the demands of modern companies. The latest AI technology, NMTPE (Neural Machine Translation with Post-Editing) is a hybrid service of machine translation, and human translation that delivers localized content in a fraction of the time – and with significant cost savings. As companies increase the amount of content they need to be localized, these savings become crucial in assisting them in meeting their goals at a cost they can afford.

At BLEND, we look at our clients’ needs and proactively suggest cost-saving localization solutions that will keep them achieving their goals. We pride ourselves on continually improving software capabilities to deliver more accurate translations, with better customer service, at lightning speed. We understand how important your content is – and we see ourselves as true partners for our clients, ensuring we help you communicate with your audience and employees – powerfully, accurately, and in a timely manner.

How can you know if you have found the right LSP?

You can identify the right Language Service Provider (LSP) by their ability to alleviate concerns, handle pressure, and address your specific needs with clarity. A suitable LSP will not shy away from your questions and will offer transparent responses, especially when challenges or extra work arise.

A dependable LSP will leverage cutting-edge localization technology, support various file formats, and implement automation for efficient data handling. They should seamlessly integrate linguistic services with your tech infrastructure, be well-versed in agile workflows, and maintain a robust quality assurance process, including a vetting system for translators. From the outset, your chosen LSP should become a valuable asset in expanding your business’s global reach.

And as we continue to innovate, our clients win.

Read our latest case study to learn more about how BLEND proactively suggested our NMTPE solution to help Castlight Health achieve the high-quality results they sought, as a fraction of the cost.