Driving business growth is the smartest way to navigate uncertainty, and successful localization is one of the biggest growth drivers. Localization allows companies to grow by being able to communicate in their new markets and regions in a more effective way, which helps its products or services reach customers around the world. To do so successfully, companies need to underpin their localization program with robust and scalable localization technology, which in this case can only mean a translation management system (TMS).
Localization — Connected and more efficient than ever before
A vendor-neutral TMS is important as it enables seamless connectivity with other cloud-based systems, a key feature in creating an agile, composable, and connected technology stack. Having a technology stack with these characteristics is vital if companies wish to reach their global-content goals faster and meet evolving business requirements. The MACH Alliance advocates for this open connectivity, moving away from monolithic suites towards a technology stack of best-in-class, cloud-based software which creates a microservice architecture that empowers companies to enhance their efficiency.
Microservice architecture is key to an efficient digital experience for any company. In fact, this architecture is an approach that the majority of enterprises are adopting. According to MACH’s own independent research, 79% of enterprises are on the move from monolith to MACH. This is key for localization as there is no efficiency in localization without the successful integration of SaaS platforms with each other that make up a flexible, adaptable and interconnected technology stack.
With the growing need for more content and shorter time-to-market, integrating localization technology in any enterprise’s global content strategy has become vital. Scalable, cloud-based localization technology has become an essential part of any successful global company. Integrations with a wide range of content-authoring platforms mean that localization is now easier than ever before thanks to seamless connectivity between SaaS technologies. Smart MACH localization has now become a must-have for any company wishing to evolve its digital maturity, a notion that is reinforced with XTM being the first localization-technology certified member of the MACH Alliance.
Composable, not custom, as the way forward
Having a composable technology stack is vital to adapt to the world’s rapidly changing circumstances—the ability to choose the technology you need, when you need it. This modular approach encourages companies to leverage and deploy the best technology solution for every job instead of settling for software suites which may not provide the best specialized solution. By having the freedom of not being bound by monolithic suites, companies can seamlessly add or remove tools from their technology stack in accordance with their needs, no matter who the provider is, and ensure that they are using the best tool for the job.
What kind of impact can you expect? We worked with a European-based language service provider, who were dependent on offline tools in their localization process. By integrating XTM and working in the Cloud, their manual workflow steps per project went from 40 to 5. This allowed them not only to save time and reduce costs, but also to cut down on the risk of human error and foster stronger cross-team and cross-entity collaboration as they benefited from real time communication and intelligent automation.
Another challenge that MACH technology can turn into an opportunity for customers is the increased demand to localize high volumes of content in short turnaround times which has been felt acutely in the game development space. One of our video-game developer customers encountered many challenges as their system struggled to cope with the regular updates and changes which also continue even after the product has been released. By deploying XTM Cloud and integrating it to their content repository, task-creation and Quality Assurance times dropped from hours to minutes. The customer is now able to get their products to market faster, safe in the knowledge that their content is correct, consistent and on brand for their target audiences.
These are some of the stories we have seen where a Translation Management System following MACH principles at its core is a powerful and game-changing addition to a company's composable tech stack. Being able to move away from the monolithic approach gives companies more control, flexibility, and a greater chance at frictionless decision-making to make all their processes more efficient and agile. XTM has shown, thanks to its native features, that TMS is a key component in any composable architecture made up of best-of-breed solutions, and that localization is smarter when it’s done the MACH way.
Author: Billy Burnet, VP of Marketing, XTM International