Friday, August 5, 2005
Letter to BusinessWeek Addresses Common Dilemma
A response to BusinessWeek's Smart Answers column on outsourcing Spanish translation to Latin America, and why price alone rarely decides the outcome.
The piece in question, "Don't Get Lost in Translation," appears in BusinessWeek's Smart Answers section. The advice from Chris Durban is excellent, even though the "Lost in Translation" framing has become a familiar trope in our industry.
Why the Cheaper Option Doesn't Always Win
Lower rates in a particular region don't automatically translate into more work. The buyers who reach for the lowest quote often end up with output that does not fit the market they are trying to enter. Product-market fit, not price, is what determines whether a translation program supports a brand or quietly erodes it.
Key takeaway
Translation buying practices differ sharply by segment. Vendors and clients alike benefit from matching the right process and pricing model to the actual market being addressed, rather than assuming one rule applies everywhere.
Different Segments, Different Practices
Common Sense Advisory research has long pointed to distinct buying behaviors across enterprise buyers, mid-market companies, and small organizations. Each segment weighs quality, domain expertise, scalability, and cost in different proportions. Treating them as a single market leads to misaligned expectations on both sides.
The original BusinessWeek article and related commentary remain useful reference points for anyone weighing where to source translation work.