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HIDDEN COSTSTHE
OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES
How to Increase Time to Market and
Reduce the Length of Translation Projects
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 2
TRANSLATION PROJECTS TAKE TIME. AND TIME IS MONEY.You pay your staff to do the job they were hired to do.But all too often, they end up getting distracted by tasks that aren’t the best use of their time.
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 3
IF YOU’RE NOT USING SOFTWARE, HERE IS HOW YOU PROBABLY FEEL ABOUT TRANSLATION.
MANUAL
SLOW
INEFFICIENT
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 4
YOU MIGHT WISH YOU COULD MAKE IT GO AWAY, EVEN IF IT’S CRITICAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
Delays Your Launches.
Gets In The Way.
Not Sure It’s Worth The
Company’s Time.
A Real Pain.
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 5
EVER HAD A HUNCH THAT TRANSLATION IS TAKING WAY TOO LONG?
YOU’RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT TOO.
Here’s what’s really happening behind the scenes on a
typical translation project
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 6
1STEP
You have content that needs to be translated. Your staff member contacts a translation agency to ask for a quote. They promise to get you a quote within one business day.
=(Agencies often take multiple days to negotiate rates with vendors and provide a quote.)
TIME LOST
8 HOURS
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 7
2STEP
The quote comes in. Your staff member has other work to do, but reviews the quote and approves it on the same afternoon once she is out of meetings.
=(In reality, a staff member might be busy and not get to it until the following day due to being busy.)
TIME LOST
4 HOURS
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 8
3STEP
Your staff member locates the RNTQBD�kKDR��L@JDR�RTQD�@KK�SGD�kKDR�@QD�BNLOKDSD��BGDBJR�SN�make sure they are the correct UDQRHNMR��@MC�RDMCR�SGD�kKDR�SN�your translation provider.
=(In many cases, it takes far longer than this, especially if dealing with LTKSHOKD�kKDR�NQ�K@MFT@FDR �
TIME LOST
1 HOUR
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 9
4STEP
The translation agency briefs the translators and editors on SGD�OQNIDBS��OQDO@QDR�SGD�kKD�for them to use a computer-assisted translation tool, and kicks off the project.
=(The computer-assisted translation tool will generate a database of your translations, but you generally won’t QDBDHUD�SGD�kKDR�TMKDRR�XNT�@RJ�ENQ�SGDL �
TIME LOST
1 HOUR
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 10
5STEP
Translation takes place. Even a very small translation project can take about 5 business days to deliver.
=(Large projects take even longer, of course.)
TIME LOST
5 DAYS
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 11
6STEP
Once the content has been translated, the agency will prepare them for delivery and send them to you.
�3GD�@FDMBX�VHKK�L@MT@KKX�BGDBJ�SGD�kKDR�SN�L@JD�RTQD�SGDX�are complete, verify that the databases of translations are @SS@BGDC��@MC�SGDM�CDKHUDQ�SGD�kKDR�SN�XNT ��
=TIME LOST
2 HOURS
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 12
7STEP
Your staff member then OQDO@QDR�SGD�kKDR�RN�SG@S�XNTQ�in-country reviewers can look at them to make sure the quality of the translations is acceptable.
(This is a best-case scenario that assumes that there is UDQX�KHSSKD�SN�CN�SN�OQDO@QD�SGD�kKDR�ENQ�QDUHDV �(M�QD@KHSX��SGHR�can take a lot longer.)
=TIME LOST
1 HOUR
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 13
8STEP
Your in-country staff reviews the translations, but it’s very time-consuming. They have other work to do, they are not professional translators, and they have to provide their feedback manually. They cannot usually put other work on hold to review translations.
=�2S@EE�NESDM�B@MMNS�RDD�SGD�kM@K�DMC�QDRTKS�NE�SGD�SQ@MRK@SHNMR�until they are published, so they are reviewing the translations in a spreadsheet in many cases – a huge time sink.)
TIME LOST
4 DAYS
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 14
9STEP
The translation agency receives the comments and begins to implement all the change requests. This can require a lot of back-and-forth discussion.
=(The length of time depends on the number of comments and changes required.)
TIME LOST
3 DAYS
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 15
10STEP
3GD�kKDR�@QD�RDMS�A@BJ�SN�SGD�QDUHDVDQR�ENQ�an additional review. Again, they don’t have time for this, but your staff wants to make sure that the translation quality is high.
=�3GD�kM@K�CDBHRHNMR�FDMDQ@KKX�take less time, but there can be multiple cycles at this stage.)
TIME LOST
2 DAYS
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 16
11STEP
3GD�kM@K�kKDR�@QD�CDKHUDQDC �(M�many cases, your staff will then have to manually copy and paste SGD�kM@K�SQ@MRK@SHNMR�HMSN�SGD�publishing platform.
(This is a best-case scenario that assumes that there is UDQX�KHSSKD�SN�CN�SN�OQDO@QD�SGD�kKDR�ENQ�QDUHDV �(M�QD@KHSX��SGHR�can take a lot longer.)
=TIME LOST
1 HOUR
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 17
12STEP
By the time Step 11 is completed, new content has been created and existing content has been updated and needs to be published.
Return to Step 1 and start again.
TIME LOST = IN TOTAL, YOUR COMPANY HAS LOST NEARLY 3 WEEKS, MOST OF WHICH WERE
SPENT SITTING AROUND WAITING.
IN ADDITION, YOUR STAFF HAD TO SPEND HOURS ON
MANUAL TASKS THAT CAN EASILY BE AUTOMATED.
12
1
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 18
AS A RESULT, YOUR TRANSLATION CYCLES LOOK
LIKE THIS…
2 DAYS
+
3 DAYS
+
1 HOUR
8 HOURS
+
4 HOURS
+1
HOUR
+
1 HOUR
+
2 HOURS
+
5 DAYS
+
1 HOUR
+
4 DAYS
+
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 19
SMARTLING API INGESTS
CONTENT AUTOMATICALLY
STEP 1
TRANSLATIONS ARE COMPLETED
SMARTLING AUTOMATICALLY PUBLISHES THE
LOCALIZED WEBSITES
STEP 2
STEP 3
WHEN INSTEAD, THEY SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS…
11 STEPS REDUCED DOWN TO JUST 3? NOW, THAT’S EFFICIENCY.
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 20
SMARTLING REDUCES THE TIME SPENT ON TRANSLATION PROJECTS, BY AUTOMATICALLY:
EXTRACTING YOUR
CONTENT
ROUTING IT TO
TRANSLATION PROVIDERS
ROUTING IT TO EDITORS AND REVIEWERS
TRACKING EVERY
CHANGE MADE
STORING TRANSLATIONS
FOR FUTURE RE-USE
DELIVERING THE FILES TO
THE RIGHT PLACE
PUBLISHING WEB-BASED
CONTENT
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF TRANSLATION INEFFICIENCIES • 21
WHY MANAGE TRANSLATION PROJECTS MANUALLY, WHEN YOU CAN AUTOMATE THE PROCESS INSTEAD?
REDUCE YOUR TRANSLATION CYCLES.
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?
CONTACT US:
+1 866.70.SMART
WWW.SMARTLING.COM
