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For Hmong refugees arriving in the United States forty years ago, life was confusing, stressful and complex. As political refugees from Laos, many Hmong established communities in California. The Hmongstory 40 project was created to trace the immigration experience of the Hmong in California, through artifacts, photos, tapestries, clothing, artwork, newspaper clippings and other memorabilia. Hmong throughout California are encouraged to contribute their personal stories and loan artifacts to be displayed in this unique traveling exhibit. Hmongstory 40 will present Hmong customs, culture and life stories in a way that people can understand and relate to. The exhibit will go on full display first in Fresno during the Hmong New Year in December of 2015, and then it will travel to Sacramento and Merced, California, in 2016. Through the Hmongstory 40 exhibit, visitors will gain an understanding of how it felt to arrive in America, experience the hardships, challenges and triumphs of adapting to a foreign culture and eventually become settled in a new country. Many Hmong refugees arrived in California, found work, assimilated into American culture, raised families and became contributors to society. However, they kept their history and heritage alive through family stories, a deep commitment to the Hmong communities, and the celebration of their culture in their adopted country. Today there are about 62,000 Hmong living in California’s Central Valley, mainly in the Sacramento and Fresno areas. They are professionals, community leaders, teachers … but none has forgotten the stories of their families’ past. Those stories will be brought to life for others to experience through the Hmongstory 40 project. So far, exhibits in the Hmongstory 40 project include Life in Laos; Laos and the Secret War; Thailand Refugee Camps; California; Storytellers; Fine Arts; Refugee Mural and Fashion. For those wishing to contribute photos, stories or other memorabilia, they can visit the Hmongstory 40 website and follow instructions for submissions. At Avantpage, we frequently get requests to translate materials into Hmong, and we have access to a number of translators fluent in Hmong and English who can swiftly and accurately address these needs. Contact us today to learn more about our translation services.

Organizations that rely on translation services to communicate information about their products and services to diverse cultural and ethnic groups know that project management, workflow management and linguistic assets management are a large part of the translation process. Some work with Translation Management Software (TMS), and others do much of the work manually. Those who work with TMS have found that their multilingual projects are completed more quickly, with fewer errors, higher quality and greater control of projects from initiation to invoicing. Rather than sending, receiving, organizing and managing projects manually, TMS automates the translation workflow system and reduces the margins for error throughout the process. Using a software system designed for translation management takes the guesswork out of the translation process and ensures that projects are completed on time, that workflow is automated from start to finish, and that all people involved in a project have the same access to resources needed throughout the project’s completion cycle. Once a translation project is decided upon, TMS can gather and select appropriate source files and content, batch them, and have them ready for the next steps immediately. All translation team members have access to the same software platform in real time, enabling them to work concurrently, see changes as they happen and monitor quality control every step of the way. TMS is able to locate and access an organization’s specific glossaries, style guides and translation memory through secure cloud-based storage. Translators, in-house reviewers and project managers can access these resources for specific projects instantly through TMS. Another big plus: using TMS ensures that the latest versions of translated files are automatically renamed, filed and delivered to the Cloud, ready to be exported when needed. Avantpage uses AvantFlow 2.0, powered by XTRF, which is an integrated translation management system, for all client projects. AvantFlow 2.0 is a proprietary system developed for Avantpage to give clients a better way to automatically manage every aspect of their projects from beginning to end. AvantFlow 2.0 provides clients with an easy-to-use customized dashboard portal that allows them to automatically do everything from tracking projects to paying invoices. From Avantpage’s perspective, this system frees project managers from manually creating quotes, emails or POs, ensures 100% accuracy, and allows PMs increased personal one-on-one time with clients. As a result, there is greater understanding of client needs, less repetition of tasks, and quicker completion of projects, coupled with greater translation accuracy and overall efficiency.

Of the many different issues facing businesses today, one of the most fluid is how the changing demographics of the limited English proficiency (LEP) population impacts the need for language services in the workplace. A recent high-profile news story served to highlight the importance of providing quality translation for immigrant and LEP workers. Following an expose in the New York Times of the exploitation of manicurists throughout the state, Governor Mario Cuomo governor ordered nail salons to post worker health and safety information in six languages. “Salons will be required to publicly post signs that inform workers of their rights, including the fact that it is illegal to work without wages or to pay money for a job — a common practice in the nail salon industry, according to workers and owners. The signs will be in half a dozen languages, including those most spoken in the industry — Korean, Chinese and Spanish,” reports the Times. Workers who are at a disadvantage because of their limited English language proficiency isn’t a new issue for employers -- and it’s a widespread issue to boot. A 2014 study by the Brookings Institution revealed that more than 55,000 people of working age in the Kansas City area lack the necessary English language skills to find, keep, and advance in jobs that would lead to higher earnings. “English proficiency is the most essential means of opening doors to economic opportunity for immigrant workers in the United States,” said Brookings researcher Jill Wilson tells the Kansas City Star. “Yet access to acquiring these skills is persistently limited by a lack of resources and attention.” Researchers say employer-funded education programs and training would go a long way toward helping provide better opportunities to a demographic that’s expected to increase exponentially in the coming years. Across the country in El Paso, Texas, the effects of LEP workers on the local economy are largely the same. “Almost 30 percent of El Paso's working-age population lacks proficiency in English — the second largest percentage among 89 large metro areas in the United States,” notes the El Paso Times. “The economy can be hurt by having large numbers of workers with limited English skills because those workers tend to have lower paying jobs, which means they spend less and that also lowers tax revenues.” The U.S. federal government regularly monitors the LEP demographic through studies and uses the data to work with federal and local agencies across the country to improve the quality of life for limited English proficient individuals everywhere. The Migration Policy Institute used the data to assemble a revealing report that demonstrates how the LEP population is distributed throughout the country. Among its findings: Bilingualism has a long history in the U.S. and, in some cases, non-English languages dominated entire communities for decades. Some towns, like Beaverton, OR, embrace their residents’ duality of language. In January, the city recently adopted the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan to help Beaverton’s strategies for "adopting and implanting a language access policy" and "creating a centralized city budget live for contracting professional translation and interpretation services." "People have a right to access resources because they are a member of our community, despite barriers such as language," said Alexis Ball, the city's Equity Outreach Coordinator told Oregon Live. The city expects the plan will lead to a more diverse workplace and better opportunities for its LEP demographic. "There's been interest and will; I don't think there's been a lot of capacity to put in place a plan. We can't just wish that we get more diverse staff," Ball says. "We have to plan for it." The takeaway message from these studies and news stories are that, while federal, state, and local government agencies are taking steps to help the nation’s LEP population work to their fullest potential, there are also many things companies and business owners can do to help. Providing training materials and other documentation in languages that target the specific LEP worker demographic in its area is the first step in improving the lives of limited English proficient workers and, ultimately, local economies. To follow interesting discussions around these issues and learn more about how language services can benefit LEP populations, follow us on LinkedIn.

In 2008 native Cambodian Avantpage linguist Channdara Sos was proud to be City University of Seattle’s Distinguished Student Speaker for Commencement. Channdara “Dara” Sos is one of Avantpage’s many dedicated translators, and we caught up with him in between projects to ask him a few questions about his life and work. Originally from Cambodia, Dara is fluent in Khmer and English, and he provides translation services for many of our English-Khmer projects. Dara is from the Kandal Province in Cambodia, where he began studying English in the 7^th grade. His home and school were located in a rural area with no electricity, and Dara vividly remembers studying English at night by candlelight, after completion of his other schoolwork. Eventually, Dara moved on to more advanced English tutelage, and embraced the language, literature and vocabulary. He appreciates Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet is a favorite) and enjoys contemporary novels and nonfiction as well. Dara also loves Khmer literature, and enjoys creative writing in both Khmer and English. Dara has lived in America for almost ten years, and upon arrival in 2005, he settled in Seattle, Washington, to complete his university work. He was drawn to Seattle because of its large and vibrant Cambodian community, and because there were people from his hometown in Cambodia living there. Dara attended City University in Bellevue WA, and in 2008 was the University’s Distinguished Student Speaker for Commencement. He holds a Masters of Business Administration: Finance from City University, a B.S., Computer Science: Database Programming from the Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia, and a Master Certificate in Six Sigma from Villanova University Online, Tampa, Florida. Dara loves his adopted hometown of Seattle, and particularly enjoys the moderate weather, natural beauty and myriad outdoor activities as well as the down-to-earth friendliness of his fellow Seattleites. An avid hiker and camper, Dara also plays soccer and volleyball in his free time. He and his wife, Tithvorlak "Vorlak" Mok, also from Cambodia, see children in their future. Dara is also thrilled to have his brother living here as well. Most importantly, Dara is very active in Seattle’s Cambodian community, and he volunteers as a translator and interpreter whenever he can. “A lot of elderly Cambodians here are immigrants and refugees who have very limited English. Helping them to function more easily and confidently in American society through my linguistic skills is very fulfilling to me,” he commented. Dara has volunteered for a large number of Cambodian relief and support organizations, among them the Cambodian Cultural Alliances of Washington (CCAW), Cambodian American Support Network (CASNET), United Cambodian Development Association (UCDA), Asian American Dragon Boat Association (AADBA), Cambodian Women Health Organization (CWHO), Cambodian Assistance Foundation (CAF), Khmer Unity for Cambodia (KUC), American Red Cross Seattle (ARC), and Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). Dara thrives within a fast-paced work environment, and enjoys blending technology, linguistics and communication skills as a translator for Avantpage. He has previously worked for Amazon, Inc., as a Program Manager and Analyst and at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center as a Financial Analyst. Dara holds WA DSHS certification in both translation and interpretation, and it was through the Washington State DSHS website that Lori Ann Reinhall, then Avantpage’s Vendor Manager, first connected with him as a candidate for Avantpage. As a translator, Dara most enjoys the fact that the work he does contributes positively to society, providing new opportunities for communication and understanding.

English Language Learners (ELL) have specific needs from the education system. For ELL students to have the same access to education that English-speaking students have, translation services must be employed. Beyond the federal regulations demanding translated educational materials, translation for English Language Learners has many benefits. Students engage more fully with their education if they are able to study in their native languages, and the parents of ELL students also become more engaged with their students' education when given documentation in their native language. There are federal regulations in place to protect English Language Learners and their parents. These federal regulations increase the ability of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students and parents to engage in the education system. The regulations require schools and school districts to communicate with LEP families in languages they understand, and that the following documents and information be translated into those languages. Federal regulations also necessitate that your school or district make interpreters or bilingual staff available for parent-teacher conferences, meetings discussing special education, and any other meetings in which parents or students are involved. For schools and school districts nationwide, it’s time to assess language services, identify shortcomings and potential pitfalls, and shore up English Language Learner programs. Creating a Language Access Plan can help ensure your LEP students can effectively engage with their education, and that their parents can offer meaningful support as they do so. To begin creating a Language Access Plan, ask yourself and your team the following questions: These questions will help you start to develop a Language Access Plan that allows for meaningful parent and student education. As an educator, it makes sense for you to call on experts for advice and guidance. At Avantpage, we specialize in providing language services, Title III Compliance materials, translated documents and multimedia, assessments and more to the education market. We can help you create a Language Access Plan and translate your documents in an effective, meaningful way. Give us a call at (530) 750-2040 or request a free quote today.

When you’re entering a new marketplace that requires you to communicate with customers in a new language, one of the first things you’ll want to do is localize your website and collateral business materials. Localization involves translating content into the target language while ensuring its message reaches across cultures without losing its meaning.
The impact of localization on purchasing decisions can’t be underestimated. Studies show that 72 percent of consumers are more likely to buy a product that contains information in their own language. A whopping 56 percent say obtaining information about a product in their own language is more important than price.
 
Localization is more than translating words
There are several steps to localizing content, and word translation is only one component. A myriad of assorted tasks make up the professional localization process.
Images, graphics, and other visual assets may need to be adapted to suit the target market’s cultural nuances and tastes.
Phone numbers, addresses, and other contact information could require reformatting to meet local expectations.
Content may require conversion to match local currencies and units of measurement.
Depending on the original and target language, online and printed resources may need design and formatting alterations to accommodate right-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew.
 
What should you localize?
When deciding what materials to include in your localization project, you’ll want to look beyond marketing copy and website content. Don’t forget about: You’ll want to put your best foot forward when entering a new global market and for that you’ll need the services of a professional localization team. The average business owner has limited access to translation technology and automated translators simply aren’t up to the complexities of important projects of this kind. Localization professionals bring a strong combination of technical expertise and reliable tools that are required to retain the subtleties of the message, understand the nuances of the culture, and the manage the technicalities of translation. Professional localization teams also help you create style guides so your project stays consistent no matter how large it scales. Learn more about how to make the most of your website localization project or contact us today for a free, no obligation quote. Image: ©istock.com/oaltindag

Terminology is the study of terms and their use. But what is “terminology” to a translation company? To a language service provider or translator, terminology refers to a specific group of descriptive words used by an organization to describe commonly used terms within their own business “language.”  Different organizations will use different terms to describe their products, services, concepts, and ways of doing things. These may include preferred acronyms, jargon, product names, tag lines, industry-specific terms, and more. These approved terms are often grouped into terminology glossaries so that users can use the same terms to describe the same entities consistently. Having a standardized approach to terminology is critical in fields like healthcare, where clarity can mean the difference between life and death. In this article, we’ll explore the root meaning of terminology, look at real-world examples, highlight which organizations benefit from terminology glossaries, and offer guidance on how to create your own glossary for internal consistency. To understand the meaning of terminology, it helps to break down the word itself. The term comes from the Latin root "terminus," meaning “end” or “boundary.” In ancient Rome, terminus referred to a boundary marker—something that defined the limits of a space. In much the same way, terminology defines the boundaries of meaning within a particular subject or field. The suffix “-logy” comes from the Greek logia, meaning “study of.” So, when combined, terminology quite literally means “the study of terms.” In modern use, terminology refers to a system of specialized words and expressions, often used within a particular field or subject, that helps professionals communicate with precision. Each field develops its own lexicon to convey complex ideas clearly and efficiently. Understanding the roots of the word terminology reinforces why it's so essential: it provides structure and clarity in communication using the same words for the same meanings, particularly in specialized or high-stakes environments. Terminology can vary widely based on the particular field or subject. Here are a few examples that illustrate how terminology and nomenclature play essential roles in different industries: These examples illustrate how terms are tightly bound to their fields and how misusing them can create confusion or errors. For a real-world example, learn how this statewide government agency built a stronger connection between its organization and the LEP community with a translation glossary. Imagine a healthcare provider using three different terms for the same medical procedure across various patient documents. Without a standardized glossary, a translator or even an internal staff member might think they’re referring to three different things. This could lead to patient confusion, administrative errors, or medical mistakes. Terminology matters because it: Terminology glossaries provide translation and style guidelines for a company’s terms, enabling translators to maintain consistency and accuracy across every project.  Glossaries generally provide the term, its translation (in different languages as needed), the term’s grammar (gender, noun, verb, etc.), its definition, and an example of its use in context. Glossaries also typically include a list of terms that are not to be translated into foreign languages. These are usually product names or acronyms. Terminology glossaries save time, reduce inconsistencies within documents, and reduce costs associated with rework. Terminology glossaries are invaluable business tools for all organizations, whether they use translators or not. These glossaries help employees maintain consistency in every form of written communication by providing specific information regarding an organization’s personal preferences. Terminology glossaries are constantly evolving to reflect a company’s growth and expansion. Most companies prefer to review their glossaries every six to twelve months with their language services provider to ensure all updated material is included. Learn how healthcare agencies can develop multilingual CMS marketing content for LEP patients with terminology glossaries. For translators, terminology glossaries are critical because they must translate terms across languages and ensure that they are using the same translated term in the same way every time the word or phrase is used. For this reason, many organizations have terminology glossaries prepared specifically for use by translators. Translators use glossaries to: Without a glossary, each translator might make different decisions, which leads to inconsistent messaging and reduced translation quality. Setting up a terminology glossary from scratch takes coordination between an organization and its chosen language services provider or translator. Lists of terms are created, definitions finalized and translations defined for each target language. The glossary generally evolves over time, as new terms are added and older ones revised or deleted. But creating a high-quality glossary for a particular subject doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are some key tips: Begin with commonly used terms in your organization or industry. Pull them from websites, product documentation, FAQs, or internal communications. Use those terms in example sentences to provide additional context. For each term, define its meaning, note its part of speech, and add a sample sentence. Clarify any terms that should remain in the source language. Language evolves—so should your glossary. Review it every 6–12 months with your translation or content team and update entries as needed.  Learn more about how to make your translation project easier with Avantpage.  Terminology refers to the collection of terms used within a specific subject, field, or profession. These terms are often technical, specialized, or unique to that context. A terminology glossary is a structured list of approved terms and their definitions, translations, grammar info, and usage examples. It's a reference tool used to ensure consistent language across documents and translations. “Nomenclature” refers to the system or rules used to name things within a field (e.g., chemical elements or biological species). “Terminology” is broader and includes all relevant words or phrases used in a particular field. Organizations, translators, editors, technical writers, and subject matter experts across industries. Consistent translations are critical in healthcare, legal, electoral, educational, and government sectors. A terminologist is a language expert who researches, organizes, and manages specialized terms for consistent usage within a glossary or database. Yes, terminology often includes new words and acronyms introduced through innovation or changing trends in a field. These terms are reviewed and added to glossaries as needed. Terminology glossaries are essential tools for organizations of all sizes, helping teams and translators stay aligned on language use. Whether you're navigating medical, legal, or technical fields, investing in a robust terminology glossary can save time, reduce errors, and elevate the clarity of your messaging. At Avantpage, we encourage our clients to maintain terminology glossaries that contain commonly used terms and their preferred translations into the target languages they use most. We help organizations set up and maintain these glossaries for use by translators through our Linguistic Asset Management services, which are designed to help create and maintain these valuable resources. If your organization doesn’t have a terminology glossary, now’s the time to change that. Contact us to discover how we can help you build a powerful, customized glossary that ensures clarity, consistency, and impact across every language you use.  Whether you need document translation services for internal use, public-facing materials, or multilingual communication, we’ll help you build a clear, consistent, and effective language foundation.Get a free quote for translation and language access consulting services.

Chinese translation and localization projects are among the most common requests our clients make, and with good reason.  More than 1.2 billion people worldwide speak Chinese and it’s one of the fastest growing consumer markets in the world. Chinese is the second most commonly spoken non-English language in the United States, with over 2.8 million speakers across the country. Translating written materials and web content into Chinese requires translation professionals to employ techniques that accommodate the differences in between Latin letters and Chinese characters. Care must be taken to convey the content’s original meaning while keeping in mind cultural implications and the nuances of the written language. Lots of factors affect the way content is translated into Chinese. However, the first decision you must make before launching your translation or localization project is whether to translate written text into Simplified or Traditional Chinese. Let’s take a look at the differences between the two. Traditional Chinese is used primarily in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and also among the Chinese speaking population of Malaysia. The Traditional Chinese writing system dates back to the 5th century and uses about 13,000 characters, some highly complex. It's a nuanced and visually beautiful language, but quite difficult to learn -- even for native Chinese speakers. Many organizations find value in providing Traditional Chinese-translated printed or digital content to consumers. For instance, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art created an iPad app in Traditional Chinese and the Museum of Modern Art distributes maps in the language to help visitors find their way around. Likewise, most healthcare providers in the United States translate their materials into Traditional Chinese because of the history and demographic of the Chinese population in this country. Simplified Chinese is commonly used in mainland China and Singapore; Chinese speakers in the United States generally use Traditional Chinese as well. The Simplified Chinese writing system, introduced by the Chinese government in 1949 to reduce illiteracy in China’s population,  uses about 8,000 simplified characters and is easier to write and understand. Many significant translation projects use Simplified Chinese. Starting in May, the New York Times will begin publishing a condensed version of its newspaper in Simplified Chinese. “The use of simplified Chinese characters will accommodate tourists from mainland China where the writing system is more widely used. Hong Kong and Macau typically use an older, more complicated form of script although simplified Chinese is understood,” reports the Times’ Lukas Alpert. Which type of Chinese you choose greatly depends on your goals and the audience you wish to reach. To ensure messages reach the entire Chinese target audience, many companies opt to translate documents and web content into both Traditional and Simplified Chinese concurrently for maximum impact. Let Avantpage help you create a style guide and translation roadmap to keep your Chinese translation project consistent and on track.

For organizations that translate large volumes of material, style guides can be a godsend. Style guides are created collaboratively between the language services provider and the organization, and they are then used by linguists to communicate an organization’s “style” consistently and accurately with every translated piece. For translators, style guides make the translation process smoother, easier and faster. For clients, style guides ensure that every translated project contains a consistent style, tone and format, no matter the target language or the individual working on it. Style guides provide translators with a list of standardized elements that must be handled the same way every time. These can include capitalization, grammar, measurements, acronyms, dates and numerals, text never to be translated, company trademarks, formatting (bold, italic, font use, etc.) currencies, and formal versus informal “voice” and tone of language. Style guides are unique for each target language, and larger organizations may maintain style guides in numerous languages. Microsoft has some excellent examples of style guides adapted to reflect the different target languages this organization caters to By using style guides, organizations can ensure that translated content communicates the same consistent message, no matter how many translators end up working on a particular project. Style guides save time as well, since translated work already conforms to the organization’s stylistic and cultural norms and does not have to be corrected for style, tone or standard elements. Style guides can initially take ten hours or more to create, as well as additional time for maintenance. However, this relatively small investment poses big rewards in acompany’s future. Once you have your style guides created, they are owned by your company and stored with your translation assets. Your language services provider can help you create and maintain style guides in the target languages you translate into most. At Avantpage, we have experience creating style guides. When our translators set to work on a project, these style guides are a critical piece of the translation process, enabling translators to work faster, more accurately, and more cost-effectively.  Less wasted time and effort translates into significant client cost savings.

Now that access to quality medical care in the U.S. has become easier under the Affordable Healthcare Act, health providers are increasingly faced with the challenge of treating patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). Fortunately, there are several healthcare translation options that help ensure patients receive information and advice in their native language. In an ideal world, each patient would have access to a native speaker of their language throughout their medical journey. Patients often use family members to help interpret during medical visits, but the risk of translation error is quite high. Some hospitals provide on-site professional medical interpreters, but staffing for every possible language need is nearly impossible. In many cases, the cost of professional in-person interpreter services is prohibitive. According to Modern Healthcare, “an American Medical Association survey found that costs of $150 or more for interpreter services often exceeded a physician's payment for the visit, presenting what the AMA called a ‘significant hardship’ for practices.” In an effort to keep costs down while still providing professional language services, many hospitals are turning to video technology. “West Chester Hospital [in southeast Ohio] since November has used a handful of iPads at patients’ bedsides to access certified translators in over 10 languages through LanguageLine Solutions. The iPads are on wheels and stand about three feet tall, said Rosemary Bake, interpretive services coordinator,” reports Hannah Poturalski of the Journal-News. Video interpretation is a more cost-effective way for healthcare facilities to provide language services without sacrificing the quality and expertise professional interpreters bring to the table. It also provides access to a wider range of languages without requiring hospitals and doctor’s offices to be staffed with several different in-house interpreters. While in-person or video translation options are helpful, they aren’t practical for every healthcare environment or budget. Furthermore, they’re of little use once the patient leaves the facility. This is where written documentation has a serious edge over other types of language services. All 50 states have laws regarding language access in healthcare settings. Some simply require medical providers to provide basic translation services while other state regulations are far more comprehensive. For instance, all California health plans must provide translation and language assistance services to enrollees with limited English proficiency. As of 2011, hospitals and healthcare facilities seeking accreditation by the Joint Commission must translate all forms, documentation, signage, and patient care instructions into languages appropriate to the community it serves. Written documentation that has been translated by professional linguistic experts is not only the law, it’s an important step in providing safe, quality patient care. Professional healthcare translation doesn’t have to be a daunting process. Read our case study on how the Avantpage team translated over 600 pages (and 205,000 words!) of English medical documentation into Spanish in just 30 days. You will also want to download our brochure on healthcare translation services.

If you’ve ever used an online translation app to translate snippets of text, you know it can be unwieldy at best. At worst, the results can be downright wrong. Basic translation tools are fine for content that’s not mission-critical, but for large projects like website localization it just won’t fit the bill. Professional website localization entails much more than simply changing words into another language. Skilled translators work with your existing content to make sure its original meaning is preserved while also ensuring it is culturally relevant and meets the expectations of people who visit your website. If you’re planning to localize your website to reach new target markets or to compete on a global level, there are several things to keep in mind. Here’s what you need to know to make your website localization project shine. Even before the first word is translated, it’s important to map out your organization’s mission and strategy for the globalization project. Decide what markets you want to target first and consider what cultural factors may impact your brand’s messaging. In some cases, you may discover that transcreation is a more appropriate approach for your needs. Proper planning lets you hit the ground running with whichever method is best for your company. It’s tempting to hand over every page of your website for translation but, in some cases, that may not be economical or practical. In fact, some of your web pages may not require localization at all. Certain product, shipping, or delivery information may only be relevant to limited geographical areas so what matters to customers in the U.S. may have nothing to do with customers in South America. Limit your first round of localized content to the main pages of your website that best highlight your product or service. You can always add additional pages down the road. Be sure to let your localization team know what your goals are so they can make the best choices when translating your content. The goal of the project is to make the new content look, feel, and function as if it were produced in the target country. This may involve creating additional content, color schemes, and visual elements to reflect the expectations of the target demographic. You know your business and customers best so don’t be afraid to give your translation team a bounty of information about your brand so they can provide the best results. Conversely, translation professionals will give you excellent advice about how to make sure your website localization project puts its best foot forward. By working together, expertise from both sides will help create solid localized content that speaks directly to the culture and the customers you’re targeting. To learn more about how Avantpage can help you with your website localization project, download our free guide, AvantWeb: Essentials of Web Localization. For a free quote, fill in our online quote request, or call or email us today:

By Rocío Haskell, Delta Dental
Republished from GALAxy Newsletter: Q1 2015 Five years into a well-established client-vendor relationship, in autumn of 2013, Delta Dental and Avantpage realized a revised roadmap could take their collaboration in a new, positive direction. One year later, both organizations have seen their relationship evolve into a real partnership. Sometimes, even with the best business practices in place, a client-vendor relationship needs to be revitalized, as project requirements evolve and changes take place within the organizations themselves. This is the story that Delta Dental and Avantpage have to tell: Five years into a well-established client-vendor relationship, in autumn of 2013 both organizations realized a revised roadmap could take their collaboration in a new, positive direction. Fortunately, their story is one with a happy ending: One year later, Delta Dental and Avantpage have seen their relationship evolve into a real partnership.  An additional consequence of this growing relationship was account revenues that saw an increase of 88%, with projections for even more growth in 2015. So how did this all happen? When I joined Delta Dental in 2013, it was my goal to establish an enterprise translation process based on industry benchmark standards. As an experienced localization manager with a background in multicultural marketing, I was accustomed to running a well-oiled machine when it came to translation of marketing content. What I encountered at Delta Dental was very different: a multiple-vendor model with no shared translation management system (each LSP had its own TM) there was no centralized terminology management and essentially no TM maintenance was in place. With multiple vendors often working on the same language and TM exchange (TMX), content was not being leveraged and the translations were full of inconsistencies, resulting in increased costs and poor overall translation quality. I knew what needed to be done to guide the organization into the next stage of the maturity continuum. I was ready to explore a number of new initiatives, including regular client-vendor meetings, glossary maintenance, and increased linguist participation in the terminology process. 2013 was also a pivotal year for Avantpage. The company had taken a new direction in leadership, with the goal of building stronger client-vendor relationships. David Serra, long-time industry veteran, had just signed on as Senior Director of Client Services. Like me, Serra brought years of experience and knowledge to his company. Both of us understood that enforcing good communication between the key stakeholders was essential to a productive collaboration, and so the conversation began. The first step was to define the essential challenges: to assess exactly what needed to be done to produce high quality translations that would continue to meet market expectations. An experienced communicator, Serra knew how to ask open-ended questions without defensive comments and rationalizations: the goal was to identify any problems and fix them. When client and vendor were able to sit down together face-to-face (as opposed to scattered email and phone calls), both of us could engage in a genuine, frank exchange of ideas. Both of us also realized that any realignment could not be completed during one meeting. Taking a leap of faith together, we outlined our goals and scheduled a series of follow-up sessions. We then began a thorough, systematic assessment of the situation. We started by taking a close look at our project resources to identify possible areas for improvement. For Avantpage, that meant finding the right mix of project managers to execute day-to-day operations while still finding time to actively engage with the client. It was understood that Delta Dental required experienced PMs who were versed in both the client history and internal processes, including an optimal application of tools and technology. We also found that there had not been a proper transfer of knowledge between Delta Dental and Avantpage: no TM, no glossary, no style guides, and no review of previous translations. Avantpage responded by empowering a new Director of Operations, Vera Hooijdonk. She and Serra worked together to guarantee that the client’s expectations were being met at every point throughout the translation process, and that PM assignments, responsibilities, and performance were more closely aligned with client needs. Hooijdonk appointed a new project manager, Dominica Woszyck, who was in command of the skillset required by Delta Dental. Now, Avantpage had the resources at hand to effectively standardize and oversee operational and delivery processes, while addressing project management issues on an individual level. At the same time, I brought on Yi Yao, an experienced PM and highly qualified Chinese linguist, to manage day-to-day project operations. Yao and Woszyck crafted a productive relationship in which they communicated freely to solve issues and jobs.  New efficiencies were initiated: for example, linguist-to-linguist communication was no longer routed through the Avantpage project managers. By having the linguists interact directly with their counterparts at Delta Dental, a smoother workflow emerged with less risk for bottlenecks and misunderstandings. Next, there was an identified need to cut back on the number of vendor translators, and Avantpage also had to ensure that the right vendors were being used. In particular, the quality of Chinese was identified as a problem. To rectify this, the vendor prerequisites needed to be clearly spelled out, underlining the level of subject matter expertise required by the translators. The quality of Spanish being delivered by Avantpage was much different, essentially very good, although inconsistent. This became a good case study to understand what was being done right. With in-country offices, Spanish quality was being monitored by in-house lead linguists, and Delta Dental also had similar resources in place on our end. I already had the ideal resource on staff with PM Yi Yao, who was a native speaker of Chinese. While language quality assurance (LQA) was being executed by outside vendors, the volume for both these languages was so high that in-house expertise could only add value. Most importantly, the issues surrounding terminology management required immediate action. I understood that by contract, the enterprise owned the content of their LSPs as it related to their translations and that my team was not keeping up with due diligence. With no real TM maintenance, no regular sharing of TMs between the LSPs, ad hoc glossaries, and no style guides, there could only be one expected outcome: inconsistency. Each language was using a glossary that was full of errors, unilaterally imposed on the LSPs by the enterprise. This led to translator confusion, as well as significant cost inefficiency with time-consuming QA and rework. I knew it was time to put my plan to build new glossaries for Spanish and Chinese into action. The improved glossaries would best be developed in close collaboration with the vendor, with signoff from all stakeholders. Yao was tasked with driving the initiative for Chinese, while the Avantpage team took charge of Spanish. I initiated weekly glossary meetings where linguistic experts from both parties worked to identify, research, discuss, and confirm the appropriate terminology for the targeted markets. With the newly approved glossaries, TMs could be cleaned up and the vendors could provide the desired consistency and overall quality. The improved results immediately showed up in the QA process, as well as a significant savings in recycling. TM maintenance was put on a regular schedule to keep pace with the ongoing glossary development process. After many months of hard work and close cooperation between Delta Dental and Avantpage, the new roadmap had been implemented and a new synergy developed between the two organizations. This case study of Delta Dental and Avantpage underlines a broader industry trend of 2014 as LSPs moved away from their traditional role as "Language Services Providers" to "Language Solutions Providers." With a greater need for translation quality to vie in competitive markets, LSPs found themselves working towards a deeper understanding of client requirements to provide them with solutions tailored to their specific needs. Communication lies at the forefront of building this relationship, as well as putting the right team in place, defining clearly stated objectives, and leveraging the right tools and processes. This eventually leads to a “trusted advisor” relationship, a true partnership of both trust and empowerment. Moving ahead, the Delta Dental/Avantpage team has even more on our agenda. There are plans for the needed style guides and quarterly business reviews, and very importantly, the enterprise is looking to a single translation management system (TMS) across all vendors. Efforts to improve, monitor and report on quality control are being put in place as another industry veteran, Lori Ann Reinhall, joins the Avantpage team as Quality Manager. Keeping up with industry innovation, the Avantpage team continues to take advantage of “the cloud” with the implementation of state-of-art TM and TMS technology—and they’re taking Delta Dental with them. No longer will client, LSP, and freelancers work in separate silos, resulting in even better collaboration and sharing of language assets and, ultimately,  even higher consistency and translation quality. Rocío Haskell is currently the Hispanic Marketing and Localization Manager for Delta Dental Insurance Company. She joined Delta after many proven successes in developing, championing, implementing, and managing marketing and customer experience programs for numerous Fortune 500 companies. Rocío’s areas of expertise include customer experience, loyalty, co-branding, retention, small business, multicultural marketing, translation, localization, project management and strategic planning.