Nikita Agarwal Director Milestone Localization [More about her here ] ISO Process The ISO 17100:2015 covers the processes necessary for the delivery of quality translation services. It is acertification specifically for the language industry and is valid for 3 years with an audit once a year. Many big companies (MNCs, healthcare companies, medical manufacturers) will […]
The ISO 17100:2015 covers the processes necessary for the delivery of quality translation services. It is acertification specifically for the language industry and is valid for 3 years with an audit once a year.
Many big companies (MNCs, healthcare companies, medical manufacturers) will only do business with an ISO certified translation company. Only a handful of companies in India have this certification and getting it can give you a huge competitive advantage.
The biggest advantage of getting the certification is definitely the order and efficiency it brings to your operations. Following the standard will help you streamline your processes and reports. This can lead to better organization, more efficiency and cost savings for your company.
Milestone Localization is still a fledgling operation- we started operations only in April this year! Our team began working remotely in the middle of quarantine. We decided from the beginning that we want to use the best resources, latest technology and have perfect processes.
We actually decided to get this ISO certification before we even got our first order. This early planning meant that we could design our workflows and processes based on the standards requirements.
The first step was to buy the standard online to understand its requirements. It costs around Rs. 10,000 and lists the processes in detail. We designed our vendor recruitment, vendor management, project management and recording, sales and client feedback around the standard from our very first day of operation.
The biggest challenge of making your organization ISO ready would be all the documentation and tracking. There are several reports and records that need to be maintained for vendor management, sales, clients, projects, data management, employee management and more.
The best way to manage this is automate as much as you can. Use software and tools that will automatically record, track and generate reports.
We use a CRM tool that tracks all our marketing and sales activities (you can use Plunet, or a more flexible (and cost effective) tool like Zoho, Salesforce or Hubspot).
We use automated forms and connected sheets to manage translators. Once we grow- we will use an online platform for more automation
For project management, we use a CAT+ TMS tools. I like the new cloud based tools like MemoQ, Memsource or SmartCAT. They offer more flexibility, cost less and have more features than legacy CAT tools.
For our teams communication and file storage, we use G Suite- it has excellent collaboration features, security and cloud storage
Any software only works well and gives you meaningful results if your team uses it correctly. Make sure to train all your employees on the tools they need to use and do a monthly audit.
Using all this technology, we were able to meet more than half the requirements of the Standard.
Next, we contacted an agency to check and processes and do an initial audit. We were very particular to use a company that had helped a company get this certification in the past. The company checked all our reports and systems and made suggestions and gave us templates. It took us a little more than a month to implement all the suggestions and make the reports.
Our audit was completely remote and took a day’s time. We went through all our processes and systems and showed the auditors our reports and records over video conferencing.
Milestone Localization was recommended for the certification and we will be officially certified in a few weeks! We’re excited to tell our stakeholders about our new credentials.
If you would like to know about our experience getting certified, email us on info@milestoneloc.com
M SudheenFounder Crystal Hues Limited [More about him here] Importance of Quality Certifications, ISO for Translation, Localization Companies Quality today encompasses much more than most people think. Its important to remember that quality covers a number of areas, from the relationship that the LSP builds with its customers, to the reliability of its processes for […]
Importance of Quality Certifications, ISO for Translation, Localization Companies
Quality today encompasses much more than most people think. Its important to remember that quality covers a number of areas, from the relationship that the LSP builds with its customers, to the reliability of its processes for selecting the language professionals who work on its projects and other more specific elements of service, such as the correct use of terminology, traceability in management process and security of the information it handles, etc.
To help client evaluate all of this, ISO certification comes handy as the ISO auditors objectively and independently certify that a company complies with the applicable standards, and that the company follows a series of processes that are deemed to be optimal for ensuring that the product or service meets the customer’s expectations. Furthermore, the fact that ISO certification is audited annually provides further assurance that the supplier is following the due quality controls and processes, and is continually striving to improve customer satisfaction.
Radhakrishnan Mani, COO of Crystal Hues Limited heading the localization vertical says, “Let me share my experience from a previous assignment where my work involved meeting the European LSPs (Language Service Provider) to validate and audit their translation and localization quality process. Most of the LSPs and Translation agencies had almost similar processes but managed in different styles with some having automated process and some having manual process. However, the fact that I was deeply involved in QA process that the LSPs as vendors/suppliers, shows the importance that clients usually attach to QA.”
He further adds, “CHL has ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 27001:2013 & ISO 17100:2015 certifications. The ISO 9001:2015 is a standard quality certification while ISO 17100:2015 certification is specifically meant for translation service providers. The ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification is aimed at ensuring information and data security processes.”
The Localisation Maturity Model (LMM) by Common Sense Advisory, Inc is good reference source to evaluate the various stages that an LSP progresses in its growth. Each stage of the LMM indicates requires implementation of certain processes which ultimately leads to meeting client requirements on various parameters that may be broadly included in quality assurance.
Sudheen M, founder of Crystal Hues Limited (CHL) says, “I was pleasantly surprised to know that CHL already had processes that met ISO requirements when we first applied for ISO certification. So, if you are process oriented with a consistent focus on quality assurance, getting a certification like ISO is easy at any point. I insist strict on-ground implementation of processes in true spirit and regular internal quality audit in CHL unlike many organisations that are just focused on merely getting the certification. I have seen numerous benefits and advantages of having a quality management system implemented in CHL.”
On being asked what is the right size/stage in the life cycle of a business when one should go in for quality certification, Sudheen says, “The moment you have to rely on someone else for ensuring quality delivery, you need to have defined processes that the other team member should follow and that’s precisely when you should get your quality certification. Typically organizations with over 10 FTE (full time employee) should considering going in for certification.”
Answering to the question on how the Indian language industry is placed vis-à-vis global language industry in terms of standardization, quality orientation and certification, Sudheen says, “Though the language service providers in India are reasonably conscious on the quality front, the lack of standardisation is quite prevalent. The reason ranges from lack of awareness to not having a forum like CITLoB that promotes knowledge share and industry best practices. Even getting an ISO certification for language companies is challenge since the auditors and consultants do not have exposure to our industry.”
He added that, “Translation as a business was traditionally a specialised service offered by skilled individual professionals. The fact remains that translator is not a recognised a profession by the administration. But with increasing use of technology and automation, one can no more avoid the resources required for such implementation even in the smallest of LSPs.”
Muqarram Khorakiwala has been associated with the software localisation sector for more than two decades. Currently based in Ireland, Muqarram has worked in a number of multinational companies in India and Europe. Having experience on the client as well as vendor side of localisation he has performed roles ranging from translator to program manager. Since […]
Muqarram Khorakiwala has been associated with the software localisation sector for more than two decades. Currently based in Ireland, Muqarram has worked in a number of multinational companies in India and Europe. Having experience on the client as well as vendor side of localisation he has performed roles ranging from translator to program manager. Since 2014 Muqarram is engaged with localisation projects for Indian languages and below he shares insights on the opportunities and challenges for translators and LSPs in India.
Q: Being a veteran of the localisation industry and having held key positions across major multinational companies, how have you seen the localisation landscape change in India?
A: There has been a dramatic shift in the localisation sector in India. Twenty years ago, we had a handful of translation agencies mostly dealing with languages like French, German, Spanish and Japanese. The need for translation from these languages into English was largely driven by Indian IT companies with clients in these countries. In a way, most of the content that was translated was for internal consumption only and translators were not able to see their work in action. The demand for translation into Indian languages was practically non-existent. There were hardly any consumer IT products available in our regional languages.
Today, there is an exponential growth in consumer software, digital media and content. Increasing access to technology in India has prompted many multinational companies to offer their products and services in Indian languages. There is increased awareness for the need of localisation professionals proficient in managing requirements for our local languages. We also see the use of sophisticated localisation tools and processes being brought into India by leading international LSPs and their clients. This is very positive and encouraging for the entire Indian language industry with solid potential for innovation and growth. However, this is the beginning of a very long journey towards delivering consistent and scalable linguistic excellence so that the localised content is usable and makes sense to the general public.
Q: Many multinational companies are betting heavily on using Indian languages to penetrate deeper into Indian pockets. What can you tell us about the localisation challenges for Indian languages?
A: There are several challenges for Indian languages that we must solve swiftly in order to cope up with the enormous volume of content that needs to be localised into Indian languages. Finding the right balance of contemporary local language skills and advanced knowledge of English, coupled with the necessary skills required to work with translation tools and technology is the number one challenge that heavily impacts scalability and quality.
We are so habituated to using digital devices and content in English that even when we have equivalent terms for such technical concepts in Indian languages, they are unfamiliar to most users. Even technical translation into Indian languages requires complete restructuring of the source content in order to achieve parity with the way language is spoken by the Indian audiences. While we have accepted hundreds of words from English into the day-to-day use of our regional languages, we need to define stylistic, grammatical and transliteration rules for dealing with such terminology from English. This problem is unique to Indian languages where loan words often exceed the native terminology requiring translators to impose the local language’s rules for such borrowed words. There is a strong need for standardisation of rules for dealing with such blended language across products and platforms.
Additionally, we need to systematise typography rules and input methods for Indian languages. We have so many different and acceptable ways of writing the same words and unlike writing for the print media, translation requires consistency. Companies rely heavily on reusing content from translation memories to optimise on cost and quality. This is even more important when machine translation, machine learning and artificial intelligence systems come into picture.
We need to invest continuously in upskilling linguists to meet the exponential demand in the next few years. Style guides and content authoring guidelines that help to produce high-quality localised content that makes sense to people from urban, semi-urban as well as rural areas need to be adopted at the industry level.
Q: What technical, linguistic and other capabilities do multinationals look for in its LSP vendors?
A: LSPs need to develop a partnership and ownership mindset to help their clients succeed in India. Most multinational companies have their own proprietary translation tools and very specific style and terminology requirements. In addition to possessing good linguistic skills, LSPs need to make sure that linguists are well-trained in all aspects of translation memory tools, post editing machine translated content, using translation management systems, term bases and quality control tools. Additional care must be taken in translation of UI elements for software, websites and apps because the structure of most Indian languages is very different from English and sometimes the entire sentence needs to be rearranged if it has to make sense in the regional language. These products are used by lakhs of people every day from calling a taxi to doing online shopping or for staying connected with friends and family, so we need to ensure a seamless user experience to increase adoption in local languages.
The majority of multinational companies engage a third-party reviewer to evaluate their localised content and provide continuous feedback. Translators need to be able to work collaboratively and constructively with the reviewers. The style guide and term base play an important role in driving an objective feedback loop, so it is very important for translators to use these tools efficiently.
The majority of Indian language scripts are classified as complex, so it is very important to be able to type using traditional keyboards and not rely on phonetic keyboards. This is essential for typing conjunct characters in the correct sequence as not doing so may cause system crashes or text rendering issues.
And finally, translation and DTP are not the only services that multinationals need for Indian languages. There is tremendous scope in terms of localization services for language data modelling and linguistic requirements for enhancing AI and ML related to smart devices and digital assistants.
Q: What message would you like to give the Indian localisation fraternity?
A: This is an exciting time for the localisation community in India. Linguists play an important role in making content accessible in our regional languages. Most of the content being localised in Indian languages today is for everyday use by non-technical people. We need to keep the language simple so that we are able to appeal to all types of users.
Indian LSPs have a unique opportunity to define and set the standards for stylistic and terminology excellence for Indian languages. Alliances like the CITLoB can play a key role in partnering with academic institutions and LSPs for training linguists and reviewers to keep abreast with the latest developments in translation technology and tools.
We need to actively embrace AI and ML in translation and contribute to making them better for Indian languages. Localization professionals have an important role and a great responsibility in enabling inclusive access to information for everyone in the new Digital India.
Sandeep Nulkar President | CITLoB Dear friends, This past month has been particularly gratifying. We have been able to get some more of our planned initiatives going, in line with the objectives that we had set out for ourselves. Our primary objective has always been to give our Members a platform to voice their opinions […]
Sandeep Nulkar
President | CITLoB
Dear friends,
This past month has been particularly gratifying. We have been able to get some more of our planned initiatives going, in line with the objectives that we had set out for ourselves.
Our primary objective has always been to give our Members a platform to voice their opinions and share their concerns. What started as an informal discussion on a WhatsApp group, eventually proved to be a breeding ground of ideas and topics that fuelled our first ever virtual Quarter Members Meeting. With more than half the Members in attendance, I think we have managed to create a sound platform and set a terrific precedent for subsequent interactions.
The vision of CITLoB also entails creating greater visibility for the association and thereby its members. In that sense, our newsletter and our series of soon-to-be-launched webinars become important tools. They have and will allow us to reach out to the national and international thought leaders of our industry and share their ideas, experiences, knowhow and best practices with our Members. I am happy that after successfully launching and sustaining our newsletter, IndoVox, September also saw a lot of groundwork being done for our first webinar that already garnered over a hundred signups.
Last but not the least, elections are the essence of any democratically run organisation and we have also done a fair amount of work during the past month for our upcoming biennial elections. Our new governing body will now have four Regional Vice Presidents, apart from a President. This will help us strengthen our presence in every corner of our country.
A lot of exciting things coming up in October on the backdrop of many members reporting that their businesses are picking up too. What can I say, we are indeed living in exciting times!
Take care and stay safe all of you. Happy reading and happy CITLoBing.
We are happy to bring to you the third issue of IndoVox. The month of August was filled with positive news in the language industry in India. The new education policy has the potential of focusing on Indian languages. It will take a few years to show the impact of knowledge generation in Indian languages, […]
Vidula Tokekar Editor | IndoVox
We are happy to bring to you the third issue of IndoVox.
The month of August was filled with positive news in the language industry in India. The new education policy has the potential of focusing on Indian languages. It will take a few years to show the impact of knowledge generation in Indian languages, but the increased use of online content is already opening huge opportunities for people. The political will in terms of sizeable budgets for language technology is yet another indication of ‘Acche din’ (a better future) for language industry.
This opportunity, however, calls for quality control of translations and formal training to translators. Only a limited pool of good translators is available, creating peculiar situations for LSPs. It also calls for quality certification, standardisation and technology adaptation for language providers looking for growth.
As the global language industry is taking note of the ‘India potential’, it also assesses the challenges of the Indian industry. As we hear the exciting news of mergers and collaborations, and the news of double digit growths of listed LSPs in Europe and USA, Indian LSPs need to wake up to technology adaptation, a collaborative mindset and growth orientation.
In this issue, the guest of the month, Florian Faes, Managing Director, Slator, shares his observations and frank opinions while answering 4 questions from IndoVox. Alifya Thingna, Founding Member and COO, Vernac Language Technologies tells us the story of Localisation into Indian languages. The President’s message takes stock of the current situation and shows a path of growing together.
This month will end with the ‘World Translation Day’. Let me take this opportunity to wish you all in advance the fulfilment of your growth plan!
Dear friends, As we come to you with yet another issue, I cannot help but notice how the market for Indian language services has been changing since the past one month or so. For as long as I can remember, and which is pretty much since the beginning of the 90s, government spending on translations […]
Sandeep Nulkar President |CITLoB
Dear friends,
As we come to you with yet another issue, I cannot help but notice how the market for Indian language services has been changing since the past one month or so. For as long as I can remember, and which is pretty much since the beginning of the 90s, government spending on translations into Indian languages, especially on projects that were available in the public domain for translation companies, has been minimal.
I can safely say that all that seems to have changed with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology reportedly allocating a budget of 100 crore rupees to fund various translation projects. Although the allocation might have happened a while ago, the projects are beginning to role out only now. And the budget allocated is certainly a sizeable opportunity, which is over and above the already increasing demand for services in nearly all major Indian languages that is coming from sectors such as edutech, fintech, healthcare, e-commerce and more.
Opportunities there surely are, but there are problems too. There is a genuine lack of quality translators. Inability to scale on-demand is another issue and nearly every LSP is dipping into the same talent pool. Then, prices have also been restrictive from where the industry sees it, especially in case or large volumes, where customers find it difficult to see the RoI. We have a guest column on this topic in this month. However, there is only so much you can achieve through a column. At best, it is a beginning. What we need is for CITLoB members to come forward and start a dialogue about how we can redefine the supply chain.
Let us think, act, be counted and make the most of what is undoubtedly a defining time for our industry.
Take care and stay safe all of you. Happy reading and happy CITLoBing.
Alifya Thingna Founder Member & COOVernac Language Technologies [More about her here] Heading towards a Vernacular Internet India’s linguistic and cultural diversity may be best represented by the multitude of languages and dialects spoken across the nation. Unlike most countries that are unified by one single language, India is, in fact, a nation of 22 […]
India’s linguistic and cultural diversity may be best represented by the multitude of languages and dialects spoken across the nation. Unlike most countries that are unified by one single language, India is, in fact, a nation of 22 official languages and at least 1600 spoken dialects. This emerging market, known to be the fifth largest economy in the world, will have a staggering 829 million internet users by 2021 according to a Google-KPMG report. The report further goes on to add that a compelling 75% of these users will prefer to access the Internet in their mother tongue!
As more and more Indians come online, businesses are gradually waking up to the importance of connecting with their target audiences in their language so as to transform the way their products and services are sold. Furthermore, consumer behaviour has changed drastically and remarkably in the last 5 years owing to the ubiquity and affordable prices of mobile phones along with internet penetration, leading to higher internet adoption levels in the country. This has meant that an increasing number of Indians now want to consume content in their mother tongues.
Why the buyer won’t buy
As the world moves online, businesses from all major sectors are increasingly identifying the need to go digital, but not every business recognises the need to go vernacular. A shocking number of web and mobile applications are still talking to vernacular India in English. Considering how barely 10% of our population speaks English, this is clearly a lost opportunity for many because if the buyer can’t read, the buyer won’t buy, as pointed out in a research carried out by Common Sense Advisory, a leading research and analytics company.
Even on a sentiment level, trust is the key in an online marketplace, where a reassuring personal touch is often missing. Being able to read about the product or service that you are buying in your language, helps make up for the lack of the in-person experience that Indians are so used to. Trust is also the keyword when it comes to making online payments. Buyers are reluctant to part with credit card information when they are being spoken to in a language that is not their own.
Industry challenges
It is evident that businesses want to localise and sell to audiences beyond their primary markets. They might have the vision that underlines the need to localise content, but unfortunately, the language and language technology ecosystem does not exactly help their cause.
While cost and time have always been the primary determining factors for services in our industry, if the RoI isn’t immediately or effectively visible, it will naturally lead to a lower impetus to localise. In addition to this, the lack of a large pool of resources and the lack of large, professionally managed language service providers, coupled with the inability to integrate technology in vernacular localisation workflows, often result in an increased time to market, thereby resulting in a low impetus to localise. Another factor would be the lack of qualified and quality resources on the freelancer market, which ultimately places the responsibility of doing the QA on the buyer. Would such an investment in localisation really be worth it for a buyer?
Behind the scenes
All is surely not lost. A lot of work is happening in the background, be it with MTPE, AI, voice & speech technology, domain names in Indian languages or even promoting the concept of ‘digital inclusion’. A significant amount of work is being done to ensure all information and communication reaches the next half billion users in their mother tongues. There is an increasing number of networking associations, language communities, automated platforms, crowdsourced translation models, and language marketplaces that are working to solve these problems.
On a micro level, language service providers would do well to adapt to the needs of the market and work towards making use of available technology, and spending time and money on training and upskilling their in-house or contracted human resources, in view of the changing nature of work. On a macro level, the Government of India, along with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Technology Development in Indian Languages (TDIL), in association with FICCI-ILIA, have made a significant contribution to this space and are working with multiple stakeholders across the academia, government, public and private sectors to make the internet relevant to every Indian, while facilitating innovation, networking & policy advocacy.
Florian Faes is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Slator and host of the weekly SlatorPod podcast. Based in Zurich, Florian Faes spent almost a decade in Asia before launching Slator in 2015. In Asia, he was with CLS Communication (now Lionbridge) as Head Asia-Pacific. Slator is the most up-to-date source of industry news and analysis covering language services […]
Florian Faes is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Slator and host of the weekly SlatorPod podcast. Based in Zurich, Florian Faes spent almost a decade in Asia before launching Slator in 2015. In Asia, he was with CLS Communication (now Lionbridge) as Head Asia-Pacific. Slator is the most up-to-date source of industry news and analysis covering language services and technology. Headquartered in Zurich, Slator runs editorial and research desks in London, Chicago, and Manila and has a presence in Bangkok. [More about him here]
In conversation with Florian Faes, Managing Director, Slator
Q: There has been a lot of buzz around India lately. Some global LSPs have even set up offices here and there have been a couple of M&As too. As the world’s leading language industry news, analysis and research company how do you see India?
A: We think India’s language industry is at a very interesting juncture. The country’s huge domestic market and vibrant multilingualism present an attractive mix to future growth. Increased affluence and the rise in spending power linked to consumers preferring a local language other than English is creating a massive potential market for language services.
India’s rise from a relatively small local market to a potentially very large one will likely happen much faster than the earlier transitions in Europe or the United States. This might enable the Indian localisation ecosystem to leapfrog in terms of leveraging the very latest language technologies such as machine translation (MT) and related natural language processing (NLP) applications. India’s large pool of highly-educated computer scientists will certainly be a competitive advantage.
A major challenge that remains for India’s language industry is the need to educate enough highly-skilled linguists to work with the ever more powerful language technologies.
Q: Considering that the translation and localisation industry in India is coming of age, what are the key things Indian LSPs should focus on in order to grow as well as to be attractive options for potential M&As?
A: Indian LSPs should carefully evaluate the domestic market and decide on a few segments where they feel they have a very strong market position. As India’s market grows, international competitors will increasingly look to establish a presence in India and attempt to compete either by setting up a local base from scratch or entering the market via M&A. A defensible market position in an attractive niche will make any LSP a sought after target for M&A.
As mentioned above, Indian LSPs should focus on recruiting, training, and qualifying linguists. They should be fearless in adopting new technologies and open to collaborating with outside partners. Finally, while the domestic Indian market provides ample room for growth, Indian LSPs should also look abroad for potential expansion. A smart and prudent internationalisation strategy typically supports the long-term growth of an LSP in a number of ways.
Q: How would Slator like to be a part of the emerging India story?
A: A very tangible contribution by Slator is our recent initiative to launch the Slator-CITLoB India language industry survey. We are looking forward to compiling the data and sharing the results with India’s language industry.
Q: What message would you like to give our readers from the language services and technology companies, academia and a cross section of the industries we serve?
A: These are incredibly exciting times for the language industry. The Covid-19 pandemic has again proven just how resilient the industry is and how essential a service it provides. While automation and machine learning technology does present a challenge to the traditional ways of doing things, the rise of AI is a net positive for the language industry in particular and enables a dramatic rise in productivity to those bold enough to embrace the change.
Dear friends, In hindsight, the past couple of months will perhaps look like the months when things finally began to flip. If recent developments are anything to go by, the winds of change seem to have surely begun to blow. The only question we need to ask ourselves now is whether the Indian language industry […]
Sandeep Nulkar President | CITLoB
Dear friends,
In hindsight, the past couple of months will perhaps look like the months when things finally began to flip. If recent developments are anything to go by, the winds of change seem to have surely begun to blow. The only question we need to ask ourselves now is whether the Indian language industry is ready for what lies in store.
Among the top global companies, Lionbridge was perhaps one of the first companies to set up shop. Much later came Euroscript and some years ago it was thebigword. And then, some years ago a series of acquisitions of Indian LSPs began. First, it was Mayflower’s merger with Poland’s listed company Summa Linguae, and now the acquisition of Webdunia by the world’s most valuable language service provider, RWS.
Viewed against the backdrop of an exponentially growing local market; an increasing number of funded Language Technology start-ups; the coming of age of Jio, and Google’s recent commitment to invest in India – this only means exciting times ahead for every language service provider that can create value.
It looks like CITLoB has its work cut out. Representing an industry that is still unorganised and is only beginning to ascend the maturity curve, CITLoB through its various initiatives aims to help its members become more and more competent to handle this surge in local demand while becoming increasingly attractive to global partners and investors. This newsletter is but one step in that direction.
Take care and stay safe all of you. Happy reading and happy CITLoBing.
Adv. Shailendra Pathak is the founder of the leading law firm ‘Legalance’. He has been working in the fields of corporate law and IPR for last 14 years. [More about him here] A Legal View Since January 2020, the spread of COVID-19 has led to a pivotal change in the work environment. As more and […]
Adv. Shailendra Pathak is the founder of the leading law firm ‘Legalance’. He has been working in the fields of corporate law and IPR for last 14 years. [More about him here]
A Legal View
Since January 2020, the spread of COVID-19 has led to a pivotal change in the work environment. As more and more translators prefer to work from the safety of their homes, they face unique challenges that may require a relook at how we handle workflow issues.
Let’s deal with the challenges.
Training: Work-from-home has become the new normal, and it’s time we adapt to this situation. Training is vital to make working from home hassle-free. It would help to educate our employees and freelancer workforce in handling sensitive data; its storage, transfer and delivery. The training may include IT handling, copyright issues, sourcing database, and avoiding oversight due to remote operations. Setting up Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) mitigate technical challenges of routine work and act as time savers.
Remote operations: Translators are bound to face challenges accessing databases of existing translations and other resources. Remote operations make monitoring the work at close quarters difficult. The effect is a time-consuming review process at the end of the project. Setting up a periodic review system helps to stick to the deadlines.
Data security: Data is precious. A data leak can not only dent your reputation but can also prove to be fatal to your business if it lands in a legal mess. While dealing with the content of a client, it is imperative to have a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement in place. A contract is necessary if you are out-sourcing translation jobs in whole or part. Other ways to protect your data include the use of secure servers to process data, secured internet connections and email accounts, and licensed software with antivirus or firewall.
Finally, be the St. Jerome who rewrote the Bible, but make sure you give Moses the ‘radiating light’ rather than the ‘horns’!
