Three important factors in translation management

Three important factors in translation management

Nowadays, companies are usually engaged in multilingual communication due to the global distribution of their markets, business partners, and (potential) customers. For this reason, sophisticated translation management provides a significant competitive advantage.

When companies communicate externally, every word is important, as it impacts the brand image, strategic positioning, and relationships of the company with customers and partners. It doesn't matter whether it's a start-up, a small or medium-sized enterprise, or a large corporation operating worldwide.

It's the same for everyone: Language nuances can have a profound impact on a company's success or can hinder progress (as demonstrated by the recent example of social media company X). This is why translation management is not just a means to an end but an integral component of successful communication.

But what exactly constitutes good translation management?

It can essentially be broken down into three concepts: automation, security, and transparency. In this article, we look at how these three factors influence translation management and how they contribute to more effective communication.

Automation: More efficient translations

The importance of time to market has never been greater, making automation increasingly crucial, as it enables considerable time savings. Modern translation management systems (TMS) come equipped with automation features that you can use to optimize your translation workflow. This is associated with several advantages:

• Speed and scalability: Automation, such as in the form of machine translation, expedites the translation process and empowers companies to quickly process large volumes of text. The time saved in this way is particularly advantageous in industries where time to market is crucial.
• Consistency across all content: Automated translation management systems employ translation memory technology to ensure translations remain consistent, minimize the likelihood of errors, and maintain uniform brand language across different languages.
• Cost efficiency: By automating repetitive tasks, companies can significantly reduce the costs associated with manual translation. This efficiency allows for the allocation of resources to more strategic areas of the enterprise.

Security: Protecting sensitive data

New technologies are not being used just by legitimate companies; criminals are also leveraging them for fraudulent purposes such as data theft and blackmailing of companies and individuals with ransomware.

In Germany alone, the police registered 136,865 cases of cybercrime in 2022. According to the digital association Bitkom, the associated losses amounted to 203 billion euros, which is twice the amount recorded in 2019. Due to the growing number of cyber threats and data breaches, sensitive data must be protected at all costs. Are you wondering what all this has to do with translation management? Quite simply, many translations contain personal or sensitive information that requires special protection, and the only way to ensure that it remains protected is by using a secure translation management system that takes the following concepts into account:

• Data encryption: Robust encryption protocols protect confidential information during the translation process and prevent sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.

• Access control: Secure translation management systems incorporate access controls that allow companies to define permissions for viewing, editing, downloading, and sharing translations, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access.
• Compliance with regulations: In an increasingly regulated environment, secure translation management helps organizations comply with data protection laws and industry-specific regulations.

Transparency: Fostering trust and accountability

In the intricate framework of the global economy, trust and accountability form the basis for fruitful collaboration, and transparent translation management plays a pivotal role in ensuring this. By providing the company with deeper insight into the details of the translation process, it enhances trust among the various stakeholders and lays a solid foundation for accountability:

• Insight into the translation process: Transparent translation management systems provide stakeholders with real-time insight into the translation process. This encourages collaboration and allows teams to seamlessly track translation progress and intervene promptly if required.
• Quality management: Transparent translation management enables detailed quality control. For example, the parties involved can check the translations at various stages and verify their accuracy and adherence to guidelines and style guides.
• Accountability and traceability: In the event of inconsistencies or problems, transparent translation management systems enable the tracing of errors, thereby bolstering accountability and facilitating continuous improvement.

The bottom line

The translation industry is undergoing significant changes due to the widespread adoption of modern technologies, machine translation in particular. How companies deal with the issues of automation, security, and transparency will prove decisive in shaping the future translation landscape.

When used correctly, automation optimizes workflows, saves time and resources, and simultaneously enhances the consistency of translations. At the same time, sensitive data must be protected in order to maintain customer trust. It is important to consider this point if you want to use machine translation, for example.

Transparency fosters collaboration and accountability in translation processes. By adopting transparent practices, companies can cultivate closer relationships with both their customers and translators. This ultimately helps to provide content that is both high in quality and rich in cultural diversity. In today's digital world, where communication transcends borders, a robust translation management system has become indispensable. The combination of automation, security, and transparency not only solves some of the challenges of multilingual content but also promotes efficiency, reliability, and innovation within the translation industry.