Translation/Localization Industry Forecast 2015
Originally published in the Moravia blog, this forecast outlines three shifts expected to shape the language services industry in 2015.
Global Brands Will Turn to Single-Sourced Language Solutions
Friends at the localization industry think tank Common Sense Advisory asked whether language service providers can become the exclusive language service vendor for their clients. Their own research suggested a measured answer: most enterprises are not ready to commit to a single source.
For most buyers, the risks of consolidating all language work with one vendor outweigh the benefits. The conversation is therefore less about exclusivity and more about how vendors earn the role of trusted partner across content types and regions.
For Better and Worse, Smartling Will Disrupt Business as Usual
Technology-led providers are changing how translation is procured, delivered, and measured. Coverage of these shifts, including a look at Smartling on ZDNet, signals that automation and platform thinking will continue to redraw traditional service boundaries in 2015.
Strong-Performing Multinationals Will Push Multilingual Supplier Demands
Top-performing multinationals raise the bar for their language partners. They look for vendors with innovation, drive, and the scalability to support complex multilingual programs. Buyers with mature globalization functions expect suppliers to keep pace with their content velocity and quality targets, applying sound localization key performance indicators to gauge results.
For vendors, the message is to invest in capacity, transparency, and measurable outcomes. For buyers, the message is to treat language services as a strategic capability rather than a commodity purchase.