Partnering for Scale

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Global Watchtower

Common Sense Advisory Blogs

Posted by Donald A. DePalma on July 22, 2005 in the following blogs: Translation and Localization, Web Globalization, Business Globalization, Technology, Interpreting, Market Data, Global Marketing, Best Practices, Supplier Business Issues
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Consolidation in the language services and technology has not made life any easier for smaller translation companies. We spoke with Sinometrics CEO Rick Myers about his company, the changing market, and his company's partnerships with PASS Engineering and Basis Technologies.

Myers told us that he regularly sees Bowne Global, Lionbridge, and SDL in his accounts. To compete against the bigger guys, smaller LSPs like Sinometrics must match the broader service offerings of the bigger guys -- or lose the business. A small company has limited resources, so when prospects ask for something not in Sinometrics's quiver, it partners with specialists -- internationalization (i18n) services with Basis and visual localization tools from PASS. This i18n partnership is a win-win since it also gives Basis representation outside the defense and intelligence arenas where it's been focused for the last couple of years.

Besides services, smaller LSPs face some tough technology choices with the disappearance of LSP-neutral Trados. Sinometrics counts itself in the majority of language service providers that would feel uncomfortable buying technology from SDL; according to a GALA survey about SDL's acquisition of Trados, 68.9% of LSPs worry about buying or using tools from a rival LSP (viz. SDL). Pre-acquisition we rated the Sinometric-PASS partnership zero-haba?ero, noting the disinclination of LSPs to buy technology from competing LSPs. Today, as translation agencies search for a safe technology haven, we'd be less dismissive of such deals.

As part of his growth plan, Myers brought in Carsten Kneip, a well-known client-side localization professional from Cisco. Kneip received his Project Management Certification before joining Sinometrics earlier this year. We expect that he will be the voice of the customer in company planning and strategy.

And what will Kneip tell his boss that customers care about (besides the usual price, quality, and timeliness)? Small LSPs must present themselves not simply as a translation service but as an agency to manage risk, improve process, aggregate quality translators, and guarantee quality for their clients. Providers should add value -- and clients should demand nothing less. The best of the smaller language service companies are in a position to stay closer to their customers and monitor their needs than big ones usually are. That reality is what will keep small LSPs in business.

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