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Idiom Technologies, Inc. (www.idiominc.com) was founded in 1998 as a software solution for companies that wish to extend their brand to a global audience. The Web is truly a global community, however many companies struggle with extending their brand to other countries. One of the biggest hurdles is getting the translation right - not just the words themselves but the context as well. |
Website Magazine spoke with Dave Rosenlund, VP of Marketing and New Business Development for Idiom about their services. "If you're not addressing your international buyers in their native tongue, you'll lose to your competitor," says Rosenlund.
A 2006 study by Common Sense Advisory (www.commonsenseadvisory. com) supports Rosenlund's assessment. In the report, titled "Can't Read, Won't Buy - Why Language Matters on Global Websites," it was stated that more than half (52.4%) of consumers outside of the U.S. buy only from websites where information is presented in their native language.
The challenge for many businesses in the global market can be traced to a system of language service providers (LSPs). Traditionally, a business would submit content to a LSP which would then translate the content for publication. But there is a disconnect that takes place. Eventually, the content is spread across many LSPs with many different translations and can become disorganized or even lost.
One of the main goals of Idiom and a crux of their services is to save the business owners from the high cost of translation, supplanting the need for hours of human labor. Their trademark WorldServer technology aims to save time, increase speed of content development and delivery, lower costs and, ultimately, automate globalization efforts.
WorldServer provides a level of integration and centralization. LSPs are used along with translators and tech suppliers for a fully functional global management system (GMS). In short, a business is able to take their content and submit it through WorldServer which then works with your content management system (CMS) for fast translation which is then stored and available for publication. When it comes time for another translation, WorldServer searches for previous translations,
which have already been purchased, and use them to fill the current need. If a translation is not available, WorldServer posts the project to your selected LSPs. When the project is complete, the translation is sent back to WorldServer, recorded, the content is combined with existing translations then sent back to your CMS. It's all a very efficient and organized way to take a large part of the headache away from globalization.
Idiom's solutions, while impressive, are not for everyone. Rosenlund concedes that their services are not entirely designed for dynamic sites. Sites that are constantly updating and adding new content or pages could incur some cost issues. That would include PR sites and heavy blogging sites, for example. Large businesses would seem to benefit tremendously from Idiom and WorldServer. Some of their current clients include Adobe, Motorola, eBay and Travelocity. However, if you're planning on globalizing your business, it's well worth checking into Idiom. Their site is a good place to educate yourself and start thinking about your needs as a global enterprise.
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