Translation management systems: Best options for business

In today’s interconnected world, multilingual communication is an everyday reality. Virtual meetings connect people in the four corners of the earth. Offshoring is an increasingly popular option for companies with expansion ambitions. The workforce of the future will be even more diverse and international.

From major multinationals to independent start-ups, translation has become the bedrock of global trade. But it’s no longer enough to produce merely serviceable content. Your marketing messages need to deliver the same punch in all languages. Your technical documents need to convey information with native accuracy. Your customer services need to strike the right note with all cultures.

Whether you’re launching your brand to new markets or integrating international arms of your company, managing multilingual content efficiently and at scale can swiftly become a burden on in-house resources. Collaborating with an experienced language solutions provider (LSP) backed by a state-of-the-art translation management system (TMS) is today’s smart decision. Not only will you free up your own resources, but you will gain access to technology that will deliver cost savings and maximise efficiency.

What is a translation management system?

LSPs typically employ a translation management system (TMS) to support their human workforce, simplify translation processes, and improve order management. A TMS is a type of software that automates the repeatable processes of translation and localisation and handles day-to-day administrative functions such as workflow, content management, and data sharing. This enables project managers and translators to focus on the uniquely human skills of customer service, creativity, and quality assurance.

What to look out for in a Translation Management System?

TMS systems vary in size and scope, but their purpose is similar: to leverage the latest technology to optimise translation and localisation processes. There are various systems to choose from, all of which have their merits. Global Lingo wanted something that stood out from the competition. So we decided to design our own bespoke TMS, to support our in-house expertise and have a real impact on our clients’ own wider objectives.

GloZone is the result of our research and development initiative to create a piece of software that is capable of managing end-to-end quotes and order fulfilment, with as much automation as possible for all team members and translation project managers involved. This centralised web portal not only improves our own operational efficiency, but brings multiple benefits to our clients in terms of time and cost savings, visibility, and data protection.

GloZone integrates translation and transcription software with accounting, finance, and quality management functions, using APIs for enhanced security and stability. The portal provides a comprehensive overview of each project’s progress, from ordering through to invoicing, accessible in real-time from anywhere in the world. All translated content and data are securely stored in a central location according to each customer’s own guidelines and parameters, guaranteeing protection and peace of mind.

How can your business benefit from a translation management system like GloZone?

• GloZone utilises translation memory to prevent duplication of work and create glossaries built on your past projects. By storing all your translations, your regular content can be quickly accessed and adapted as required. So you’ll never have to reinvent the wheel.
• Our staff and our clients work from the same platform, so you can make requests, track your projects, and follow each job through to its conclusion. All without the time-consuming back-and-forth of email updates.
• With GloZone, you can itemise your spending, create intelligent reports, and break down activity by language, service, colleague, or team. You can also upload and download files swiftly and securely and track their progress on the dashboard.
• GloZone provides access to our LiveReview tool, which allows you to work one-on-one with our professional linguists to offer comments, feedback, and suggestions in a live environment.
• We use industry-leading XTM to power our TMS software, giving you peace of mind that all your file formats will be processed accurately, efficiently, and securely through each stage. The final translated files will behave just as you expect, with no issues of compatibility or corruption.

Technology with a human touch

Our TMS system is designed for ease of use (for our clients as well as our team) and adaptability, while capable of handling complex tasks and large data sets securely and efficiently. By automating each stage of the process as much as possible, we save you time and cost, provide complete visibility, and deliver high-quality results.

But translation management technology is only part of the story. We belong to an industry where words take centre stage, so we’ve created a real-time global communication platform where people still bring the human touch to every translation project.

Thanks to the bespoke nature of our TMS, we can tailor our service to the specific requirements of every customer. This built-in flexibility gives us an advantage over many larger LSPs that run more rigid systems.

Practical examples prove the point

Here are some practical examples of how our TMS has helped clients to achieve their particular objectives.

• Milbank relied on our translation memory technology to ensure consistency and accuracy of highly confidential legal content and sensitive litigation documents.
• First Draft trained their native team on our LiveReview tool to review a series of essential guides to coronavirus for journalists, meeting time-critical deadlines and challenging localisation targets.
• Standard Charter used GloZone to securely upload audio files of disciplinary meetings for cleaning up and checking correct use of terminology. Completed transcripts were password protected and delivered back to the customer by the same means.
• InBox Insight used GloZone to streamline processing of multiple batches of thought leadership content for translation into many different language combinations.
• The World Food Programme trusted GloZone to upload and track confidential transcriptions of meetings securely, often from remote locations and different time zones.

You can find out more about Glozone online, or get in touch with the team at info@global-lingo.com