Posted by Shahzad Bashir

How to Identify When You Need a Professional Localization Project Management Tool

How to Identify When You Need a Professional Localization Project Management Tool

We all know the significance of brand localization in making your business successful globally. Rapid globalization, which opens up new business opportunities, also increases competition. Creating multilingual brand identities has become increasingly important for international brands that want to target wider audiences from different cultures and backgrounds. It makes global companies look for new ways to make their localization project management seamless and hassle-free.

In order to accomplish their business expansion goals, companies must design a robust localization plan. Starting with identifying the end goals of your localization project, a well-crafted localization strategy helps you achieve desirable outcomes.

If you are struggling with meeting your localization objectives, you better invest in a reliable cloud-based localization management system. Read this article to have a closer look at the credibility of professional translation project management tools to combat localization management issues.

Table of Content

  • Signs You Should Invest in A Professional Localization System
    • Excessive Translation Workload
    • Frequent Delays in Translation Delivery
    • Inconsistent Translations
    • Ineffective Resource Management
    • Conflicts Between Translation Teams
    • Lack of Project Transparency
    • Poor Decision Making
    • Poor Collaboration with Stakeholders
    • Issues Regarding Data Security
    • Difficulty in Finding Reliable Freelancers
    • Poor Budget Management
  • How can MarsCloud Help?

Signs You Should Invest in A Professional Localization System

Is investing in a professional localization project management system actually worth it? Some businesses remain confused about the investment in localization tools. They keep second-guessing its significance and think of it as an added expense. While others simply don’t want to change their traditional localization approaches. Whatever the reason, not evolving and relying on old methods can put you behind in the global brand race. If you are facing any of the below localization issues, these can be the warning signs that you instantly get your hands on a localization management tool.

1. Excessive Translation Workload

Do you have a hard time managing your translation workload? Do your translators remain frustrated and complain about the excessive translation workload that you put on them daily? It is one of the major indicators that you need a localization system. If you are unable to effectively manage your everyday translation workload, it will not just take a toll on your nerves but also negatively affect your translation quality. Moreover, high workloads also decrease the work efficiency of your translators and reduce their job satisfaction.

Professional localization tools can help you effectively manage your translation workload by automating the translation workflow. It will relieve the burden on your translators, which eventually leads to high-quality translations. Similarly, linguists who have to manage multiple translation tasks at the same time also need to get their hands on some reliable localization solution.

2. Frequent Delays in Translation Delivery

Poor time management, lack of translation resources, or ineffective translation methods can be some of the reasons behind missed translation deadlines. Quick content delivery reduces the time to market the product in a foreign market; it can be one of the major indicators of your brand’s global success. On the other side, if you are taking more time than usual to deliver your translations, you will have a hard time catering to the global population. Similarly, for language service providers working on multiple translation projects at the same time, it is important to have a reliable tool in place to avoid delays and deliver each task on time to their clients.

Using these tools, you can also generate quick machine translations. Most localization systems contain a machine translation engine that will allow you to finish your translation tasks in the fastest turnaround time. It also will automatically prevent delays and allow you to make effective use of your time. 

3. Inconsistent Translations

When working on different translation projects for diversified markets, you are quite likely to face inconsistency in your translations. It will have a negative impact on your brand reputation when your brand voice keeps fluctuating in a different region. Especially if you are working with freelance translators or multiple language service providers, there are high chances that you may face inconsistency in translation tones and styles.

A professional localization system also provides great support to avoid this issue. Using a localization system, you can effectively create and manage your translation glossaries. Translation glossaries are like your brand translation guidelines that you provide your translators to keep the translations in context and relevant to the brand image. All the translators working through the translation project management system can have access to translation glossaries; they can use brand glossaries to generate high-quality and accurate translations without altering the unique brand voice. So, no matter how many translators are working on your project, your brand message will remain consistent for each market.

4. Ineffective Resource Management 

Whether it is your time, money, tools, or localization teams, poor resource management will always get in your way of achieving localization project objectives. The main reason behind ineffective resource management can be weak localization strategy or ineffective processes. Poor resource management will waste your time, money, and efforts, so you better identify and fix this issue in the first place. Things can get out of control if not managed properly. Businesses should have a systematic approach to their resource management to avoid chaos.

A professional localization management system can be quite helpful in managing your localization resources under one umbrella. These systems give you greater control over your project resources, and you can effectively manage them. It will also lead to better quality and agile localization processes.

5. Conflicts Between Translation Teams 

When you are working with a huge localization team, it is normal to have conflicts. Lack of good communication creates misunderstandings, leading to arguments and disagreements among teams. To effectively handle your localization project, there should be a good bond between your team members to create a healthy and safe work environment. If all your team members are not on the same grounds, it will only cause doubts and complications. Conflicts can result in poor decision-making and strategic planning. Moreover, if these conflicts are not resolved on time, your company will get into corporate politics, where team members will start competing with each other instead of working together towards localization end goals.

Professional localization systems help you improve the communication flow between your internal and external project teams. Through the localization system, project managers can monitor the activities of their teams and take timely action if disagreements happen.

6. Lack of Project Transparency 

When you use traditional methods to manage your localization project, the most difficult part is to gain control over things because of the lack of project transparency. You are working on multiple tasks at the same time, yet you do not have any idea where everything is heading. When there is no transparency, it is hard to track the progress of your project and make sure that things are going fine. Similarly, there are higher chances that your team will lose track of the project goals and make costly mistakes that may lead to project failure.

Cloud-based localization project management tools streamline your everyday operations and significantly increase project transparency. Project managers can have a bird’s eye view of the localization project anytime they want. It also allows them to detect problems in earlier stages and fix them before it gets too late.

7. Poor Decision Making

Your overall localization project’s success depends on how effectively you have made the localization strategy and how well you are going about its execution. You must have the right knowledge and accurate data to make smart decisions about your localization project. If your current localization strategy is unable to meet the project goals, a lack of robust decision-making can be a major reason behind it.

Translation and localization project management systems help you make better business decisions by providing regular data reports. Most localization systems provide project performance analytics that shows real-time project stats about how your localization project is going. It allows you to direct your focus on important and high-priority stuff. So, when you make your decisions backed by authentic data, you are less likely to make strategic mistakes. You are less likely to face any technical or quality issues, which automatically reduces your risk of project failure.

8. Poor Collaboration with Stakeholders

Managing your teams of in-house and remote translators, developers, and designers is not going to be easy. You have to ensure seamless communication between all team members to enhance project understanding. Especially if you are working with freelance translators most of the time, there will be higher chances of communication and collaboration issues. Project managers can have a hard time conveying task requirements to freelancers every time they approach a new resource. Similarly, there will be availability and timing issues that can be a reason for poor stakeholders’ collaboration.

To avoid such issues, you should use a cloud-based localization management system that allows your teams to have real-time communication. Cloud-based systems provide a safe work environment to your teams, where they can easily collaborate and work together towards similar goals. Professional localization systems bring all your localization stakeholders under one umbrella to work hand in hand with each other.

9. Issues Regarding Data Security 

Working with third-party tools and agencies raises concerns about data security. Under translation projects, companies also have to translate their confidential legal and financial documents. Using open-source translation engines and partnering with non-credible resources puts you at a direct data security risk. It’s become important for companies to look for credible resources and translation language service providers to handle their translation projects. Moreover, data protection is the main reason companies avoid sending excessive emails to multiple stakeholders and use a centralized system to have it all available in one place. All authorized team members can access the company’s data through the system, and there is no need to create redundant files. Professional localization systems perform advanced security measures to prevent cybercrime activities and ensure user data protection. So, if you’ve been through information breaches and facing data security issues, you better use a reliable localization system for private information protection.

10. Difficulty in Finding Reliable Freelancers 

Startups and small-scale businesses mostly hire freelance translators because they are more convenient and affordable to work with. However, finding reliable freelance translators isn’t easy at all. The freelance market is full of scammers, and you have to be really careful while getting any third-party resource on board.

If you’re working with translators, you must find someone who will provide you with high-quality work in time. There are many freelance sites out there where you can find translators from different domains and industries. However, you need to do detailed research online to find a suitable match.

Localization project management systems have made outsourcing super easy and convenient for businesses. These systems have dedicated professional linguist communities, and you can find your ideal resources in just a few clicks without leaving the system. These translators can work in collaboration with other team members already working on your localization project.

11. Poor Budget Management

Businesses must spend a great deal of money on brand localization to enter foreign markets. However, by making a smart budget plan, you can actually manage your expenses quite well. In traditional localization management, you have to hire in-house teams and work on dedicated resources that will increase your cost. On the other hand, advanced localization systems will significantly reduce your localization budget by offering shared tools and resources.

Similarly, the localization management tool prevents the wastage of time and resources that have a direct impact on your overall project budget. A professional localization tool will streamline your workflow to avoid wasting your time, effort, and money on unnecessary processes. So, never consider your localization system an added expense. Instead, it is a great tool to reduce your expenses and project costs.

How can MarsCloud Help?

Now, as you have come to know about the significance of professional localization and translation management systems, finding the right tool is like a holy grail.

You can consider trying MarsCloud, which is an all-inclusive professional localization tool. This system has many smart features to automate your localization journey and help you effectively manage your day-to-day tasks. MarsCloud is designed for global enterprises and language service providers to manage large-scale localization projects smoothly. The best thing about MarsCloud is its affordability; you will also get a free 15-day trial. This way, you will get time to understand the tool, so you are 100% sure before making any purchase.

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