In today’s globalized world, it is essential for businesses to communicate with their customers in their local language to succeed. This requires localization services, which many companies rely on a single supplier to provide. While this approach may be convenient, it may not always be the best option, especially for organizations that require localization on a regular basis and have diverse needs.
Multi-sourcing, the practice of using multiple suppliers for localization needs, can be a viable alternative. It keeps suppliers competitive, ensures that the best service is obtained at competitive prices, and enables the use of different providers with different skill sets and industry best practices.
However, before embracing multi-sourcing, it is essential to understand the value chain that language service providers (LSPs) provide. Most LSPs have minimal staff and source translation services from freelancers or other LSPs with specific capabilities. The key value LSPs provide is understanding customer needs and advising them on the best approach to meet those needs.
Single-sourcing forces LSPs to hand off work they may not be well-suited to deliver to other LSPs, thereby extending and complicating the supply chain, adding cost, complexity, and uncertainty. Therefore, organizations that require regular volumes of localization must take a closer look at their localization workload and ensure that work performed structurally goes to more than one party, with the relevant skills taking the job rather than adding margin and passing it on.
While implementing multi-sourcing requires discipline and well-defined processes, it can result in lower costs and better quality. Loquell has developed a complete marketplace solution that allows organizations to manage all their localization efforts, including supplier interactions, in a single, globally scalable platform. Whether a local SMB or a global corporation, Loquell’s consultants can help design a single platform around specific needs, integrating with all existing localization infrastructure.