Systems and processes are in order. Translation memories are maintained, the term base is set up, and the translation management system is up and running. And yet, there are still tasks left undone.
Not because no one knows what to do, but rather because in day-to-day operations there is often not enough time to consistently address them.
When important tasks are repeatedly postponed until tomorrow
Take a medium-sized industrial company with an international focus.
It develops and distributes technically sophisticated products in various markets. The company translates technical documentation, product information, software and UI texts, as well as sales and marketing materials.
Translation processes are established. A translation management system, translation memories and a termbase support their daily work. A small internal language team coordinates processes, works with external language service providers and takes care of terminology, systems and quality.
However, there is often not enough time for operational tasks, especially in day-to-day project work. Terminology needs to be updated, tickets need to be processed, system changes need to be tested and processes need to be documented. Every single task is manageable. But when many of them come together, a backlog quickly emerges.
The tasks do not disappear. They’re just being moved to tomorrow’s to-do list.
Get started flexibly with the starter pack of blc Managed Services
The goal is to reduce the to-do list. At the same time, the company does not want to create an additional job or commit itself directly to a long-term scope of support. After all, it is not yet clear how much support will be needed permanently – and for which tasks.
Therefore, what is needed first and foremost is one thing: additional operational capacity that can be flexibly deployed wherever it is needed at the moment.
The company uses the Starter Pack for exactly this: 3 months, 6 expert days – flexibly applicable.
The first concrete need is quickly found: Terminology.
The introduction of new products and features have created new entries in recent months. At the same time, there are open terminology requests and existing entries that need to be reviewed or updated.
Support starts right there: tasks are prioritized, entries are reviewed and revised, new terminology is added and inconsistencies are identified.
After the first few weeks, the to-do list has been reduced and the internal team is noticeably relieved.
The next topic is already planned for the coming weeks. But things turn out differently…
When priorities change
During daily operations, a technical issue has arisen in the Translation Management System. At the same time, a system change is scheduled that must be tested before the next release.
Suddenly, other tasks become urgent: tickets must be analyzed, inquiries must be clarified with the system provider, changes must be tested and results documented.
The Language Team could take care of this if day-to-day business did not continue in parallel. The remaining expert days are therefore being redeployed: this time for support around the TMS.
We see: the need has changed. Support has been able to adapt.
What remains – and what comes back?
In the third month, some of the original tasks are completed. The terminology backlog is smaller, the urgent system issues have been addressed.
At the same time, it becomes clear during day-to-day operations that other tasks don’t simply disappear. New terms must be checked and maintained, system changes involve new tests and documentation requirements, queries arise and data must be maintained regularly.
This collaboration has now made it quite clear where support is needed not just on an ad hoc basis, but on a regular basis: Which tasks come up regularly? Which ones can be handled internally? And which activities make sense to delegate to external experts?
This provides a clearer picture of where long-term support offers the greatest added value after the starter pack.
No need for a full-time job – but for reliable expertise
After three months, it becomes clearer where the long-term support needs lie. While some tasks were one-time occurrences, others reveal that the internal team needs additional capacity on a regular basis.
The scope of the work may not be sufficient to justify a full-time position on its own. At the same time, the need is too constant to keep putting off these tasks until later.
What the company needs, on the other hand, is reliable access to expertise and additional capacity for tasks that regularly arise within its own team but cannot always be handled internally.
You don’t need to know today what you’ll need in three months
The specific need for support does not have to be determined in the coming months. It is crucial to have a reliable framework in which expertise and capacity can be used where they bring the greatest benefit.
This is exactly what the Starter Pack of our Managed Services offers:
3 months · 6 expert days · flexible use
Whether terminology, TMS administration, quality assurance, data management or any other operational task: you decide during the runtime where the support is currently needed.
This allows you to tackle specific tasks, learn about collaboration, and at the same time find out what support makes sense for your business in the long term. If it turns out that more support is needed on a regular basis, the scope can be adjusted accordingly.
We’ll take care of it for you!
Get to know the blc Managed Services Starter Pack and find out where additional expertise can most effectively support your team.
