At TradOnline, we enjoy taking on large-scale and challenging projects. So, when a pure player in the music industry reached out to us to translate their platform in some 30 languages, we jumped at the chance! TradOnline never backs down from a challenge: multiple languages, a technical translation platform, that’s what we look forward to.
Description of client’s needs:
Our client, a French digital distribution platform dedicated to streaming music contacted us to translate their website, app and e-mail marketing campaigns from English to more than 30 localized languages.
Our client has recurrent and ongoing needs: every Tuesday they release a translation session of between 200 and 700 words per language to be translated and quality assured for Thursday afternoon. The translations are processed via Transifex, and online translation management platform, and Google Docs for shared documents.
How does TradOnline manage these kinds of demands?
With a dedicated project manager that leads the session like an orchestra conductor!
The more languages there are to translate, the more native translators are needed and the more complicated the management of the project is. Once the procedural steps are defined, the project manager must ensure that each translator adheres to the process. The complexity of the project is only increased when given the short turnaround time, the innumerable client instructions for each string, and the tools that are imposed by the client. It is, therefore, the role of the project manager to ensure that each actor in the process – translators and proofreaders – follows the project instructions and meets the deadlines. TradOnline is also responsible for ensuring the languages are properly translated, employing the terminology approved in the client’s glossary and consistent from one project to the next. And lastly, our project manager plays a support role, lending aid as necessary to the translators and proofreaders in case of issues connecting to the various platforms and tools.
With better quality control to avoid any false notes!
To ensure a quality translation and consistent terminology usage, we have an internal staff member that is designated to run quality controls. They also play an important role in the overall quality of our deliverables. For each language, they must ensure all instructions were respected, suggestions for improvement implemented, and the pre-approved terminology applied across projects.
In summary, the project manager is the conductor of our little orchestra, playling a key role in this large-scale project with a number of stakeholders, and Quality Assurance is a crucial step to ensure the translations are up to client’s high standards.
The TradOnline plus:
Availability and an attentiveness to our client’s needs that are without equal
TradOnline has a lot of experience with multi-language localization projects. Our team regularly reaches out to all interested parties to inform them of eventual changes that need to be carried out, procedural updates, or simply to check in and see how things are going. If the client becomes unsatisfied with one of the dedicated resources, TradOnline will intervene to improve the deliverables, and replace them if necessary.
The advice of TradOnline:
For such a large-scale project, the best advice is to carefully choose and test the teams that will be assigned and to fill them in on your needs upstream. It is important they can take the necessary time to familiarize themselves with the various platforms as well as the customer’s needs, instructions and requested lead times before they begin the translations.
It’s also important to take a step back from time to time to review the practices that have been put in place and improve upon and simplify the processes for all the stakeholders.
The project in one word?
Reactivity!
Being available and planning ahead, because the deadlines are short: you have to know how to react quickly and plan for any possible delays.
To conclude, our client has remained satisfied with the translations provided to date, as well as the coherency between each project. They’ve also been happy with our constant questioning of and willingness to improve and simplify the processes. Aware of the difficulties that can be present in this type of project, they’ve underlined our efforts put towards facing the eventual unforeseen circumstances that can arise (delays from certain teams or replacing translators as necessary).
This month, TradOnline would like to showcase a company undergoing heavy expansion. Their services may very well interest a number of our clients. Tharios offers a different look on a community management solution.
TradOnline: Hello, Christophe Bourgoin. To start, who are you and what do you do?
Christophe Bourgoin: I studied econometrics, and then I worked in the world of data – first in a bank, then in start-ups – on solving digital marketing and programmatic problems.
When my project before last finished, I decided to try me hand in an entrepreneurial adventure.
TradOnline: Tell us a bit about the Tharios solution.
Christophe Bourgoin: At the launch of Tharios, we offered our clients services for managing problems related to data. Then, quickly, problems related to publishing and gaining recognition on social networks emerged. So, we started working on this idea of generating texts. Thanks to Deep Learning, we found a solution to automate part of the tasks for creating content.
The need is real.
We have tested our solution with freelancers, start-ups, and big organizations. Their support motivated us to continue. And in order to create a truly innovative product, we gave up on the consultation part of Tharios.
Tharios has been incubating in Montpellier at the BIC (Business & Innovation Centre). There are 3 associate partners and around 10 people in total working on this project.
TradOnline: What do you mean by “generating texts”?
Christophe Bourgoin: Today, paid advertising on the Internet is showing worse results than in the past. The only big lever for gaining traffic is through SEO.
And with SEO, the written editorials, the content in some ways, is extremely important. But in order to have successful marketing through content strategy, you need time and ideas. And that is where Tharios steps in.
For the moment, we are concentrating on posts, i.e. that our text-generating bot only writes titles, descriptions/summaries for articles that our users decided to publish.
For example, one of our users finds an interesting article from Wired about AI on our platform, and he wants to share it with his network. Our text-creation bot will create a few propositions for posts on the three primary social platforms, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, adapting the titles and descriptions (format, semantics, etc.) while trying to optimize the text! The post written for LinkedIn will therefore not be the same as that written for Twitter for example.
We have restricted it, for the moment to writing posts, and not article, because the longer and more complicated the text is to write, the more difficult it is to obtain an effective assisted text.
Home page of the platform created by Tharios
TradOnline: How does the Tharios solution work?
Christophe Bourgoin: Our solution is available as a SaaS platform. A virtual assistant is there to recommend content adapted to predefined criteria. The more you qualify these propositions, the more refined they will become until they correspond perfectly to your expectations.
Then, when you have chosen an article to share, a second virtual assistant with activate in order to share it on the networks you choose: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
Of course, you will have the opportunity to modify these posts before they are published, because this is always left open for the client’s validation. But at least the post will have the right semantics.
And the last piece of our solution is performance monitoring of your publications as well as the analyses of your communities. This till will allow you to verify which prospects are the most important for you, if they are receptive to your publications, and to personalize your content.
TradOnline: Do you have any competitors?
Christophe Bourgoin: We don’t have any direct competitors. However, all media agencies or platforms with create posts at a low cost are our competitors.
TradOnline: How is your, quite different, solution viewed by your clients?
Christophe Bourgoin: We want to help brands that don’t have a content strategy to find a financially viable solution.
We are not looking to replace community managers, but to help them become more effective. Thanks to deep learning, we handle the tasks with little added value so that they can concentrate on the brand’s strategy, which is much more important.
However, it is clear that machines will always be objective and that they won’t have all your knowledge on a number of subjects. It will be up to you to add some anecdotes if this is part of your editorial strategy.
TradOnline: What are your objectives and your projects for 2018?
Christophe Bourgoin: We are currently testing a new approach with our tool. The idea is that the client enters the start of a sentence, and the bot will propose the end. We have put a lot of resources into R&D, notably for this solution.
We will also finalize our platform over the course of the summer to be able to offer a beta version to our clients by the end of the year.
And then, as R&D is expensive, we are also finalizing a fundraiser which should allow us to plan for a commercial release at the start of 2019.
TradOnline: What drives you personally every day?
Christophe Bourgoin: The group adventure keeps me going, and the fact that we are responding to a professional problem with an innovative solution, of feeling useful. We are not along and our solution is much awaited. It’s very motivating, all the more so because the companies who tested our product have been very delighted.
TradOnline: How are the communication and commercialization of your offering organized?
Christophe Bourgoin: We believe in digital marketing tools for ourselves as well! We think we’ll attract clients through our bot’s content production, through the use of data, technology, and our experts. 🙂
More seriously, our solution can help a large spectrum of organizations but for the moment we have decided to target freelancers, start-ups, and small businesses. These smaller organizations don’t have the same needs as large groups. They need to build their communities, and to help them, our bot will curate content. The advantage is that the bot will be more precise than you on a whole range of subjects for which you do not have knowledge. For me, it’s everything linked to the legal domain, for example.
As for pricing, we will be working on a subscription model. The price will depend, then, on the number of services that you choose: how much content per month, on which social networks, etc.
TradOnline: What kind of difficulties are you encountering on a daily basis?
Christophe Bourgoin: The principal difficulties that we encounter or technological. Given that Deep Learning is quite recent, we still have a lot to learn on the subject. Testing is complex, we are investing a lot into R&D, but it’s quite expensive.
And then, the infrastructure necessary for our tool needs to be quick and powerful.
That’s why we would like to raise some funds.
Thank you, Christophe, for presenting your project to us. The problems you face are similar to those we face at TradOnline as we are also experiencing a real revolution with the evolution of Machine Translations. Our concerns overlap, especially when it comes to analysing language. Our approach is the same: convert through teaching, but without overselling our solutions, because for Tharios, like TradOnline, Deep Learning solutions won’t replace humans.
Taking stock of digitalization for SMEs in France – 2017
International development, technological advancements, increased performance and competition, digitalization of processes, growth. These words go hand and hand, and are absolutely essential for anyone hopign to catch this moving train. The digital economy is rich in opportunities, but taking hold of these opportunities requires a digitial maturity which over a third of French SMEs haven’t yet reached.
In France, around 66% of SMEs have a website, whereas that number reaches 75% across the rest of Europe.
This number alone is a good indicator of how French SMEs are falling behind when it comes to digitalization.
Is the move towards digitalization providing a potential opportunity in France?
There are other indicators that that show the same general trend, like their presence on social networks, the existence of an e-commerce site, the use of special software for increasing productivity. For French SMEs, only 3% of annual turnover is generated through e-commerce sites. Generally, the smaller the SME, the larger the gap in digitalization.
The difference between the use of the general public of digital platforms and the digitalization of French SMEs is staggering. On a national scale, 7 out of 10 people make purchases online, whereas only one in eight SMES have an e-commerce presence.
There are 1.5 million consumers who are falling through the cracks, purchasing imported products because they have no alternative in their own country. This is a real opportunity for increased turnover that French businesses could have access to by embracing the move towards digitalization. In addition, there are a number of export aids that exist across various regions of France.
Can digital markets be a lever for growth for French businesses?
It’s fairly obvious, the numbers prove it, the move towards digitalization are an enormous help when launching an export campaign.
A company with an online offering has four times the chance to be successful at exporting their products or services than one with no online presence. This is notably because there are a number of domains on international markets online.
Online sales represent an incredible growth potential for French SMEs. They’ve already contributed to more than 40% of growth for these businesses over the last few years.
The move towards digitalization seems to occur sector by sector; tourism and the restaurant industries were among the first to evolve to the changing demands. While it seems to move from one sector to the next, it seems to progress at an equivalent pace across all regions.
The lack of digital competencies in businesses is a major stopping point towards the digitalization of companies because they often don’t know the benefits that such investments can have. That’s why studies are currently underway on the viability of policies which favour the digitalization of companies.
There are a number of conferences that have been flourishing across France, aiming tu invest SMEs in their digital transition. One such was Digital Change which took place on June 20th in Rennes, and will be held on October 20th in Nantes. It was co-organized by Agence API and ADN Ouest.
The inner workings of a translation agency can seem quite opaque to an outsider. This aura of mystery doesn’t work for us, so let’s see how TradOnline does business.
What does a translation agency do?
There is a great difference between larger and smaller companies, so the services a translation agency provide can differ greatly (hint: a simple no-frills translation is hardly ever a simple no-frills translation).
At TradOnline, here is what we offer our clients:
Translation
Surprise, surprise! French to English translations and English to French translations, as well as various combinations involving English, French, Spanish, Italian and Russian are some of our most popular “products”. We also collaborate with Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Thai or Malaysian language professionals among many others, carefully picked throughout the years we’ve been doing business.
We translate documents in any format you can throw at us, and we are familiar an array of online translation management systems. The type of documents we translate vary: medical, legal, customer relationship management and marketing, and many others.
Proofreading
If you have translated a text or you have a translation you’d like to check for typos or how naturally it reads to a native of that language, translators can proofread that text for you. They will know what to look for to make sure the translation is in line with your expectations: the text should read naturally in translation, while keeping the rhetorical structure of the original.
Revision
The revision of a text goes deeper than proofreading. We’re talking about looking at the translation carefully and correcting the style and potentially the grammar. Depending on the volume of the text and the quality of the translation you’re sending in to be revised, we might advise you to start again from scratch (i.e. translate again), as it takes more time to correct a badly translated text than starting afresh with the translation.
Putting it all together: how does a translation agency work?
Our project managers have several workflows they will apply depending on the situation: the type of source text, the number of languages we need to translate into, frequency of incoming texts to translate, and turnaround times.
The human aspect is an important one, as translations ultimately are done by linguists (people) for your clients (also people) and thus we are not translating machines but ultimately a translation agency coordinated by humans.
We pride ourselves in being there for our clients throughout the translation process, from the moment we issue a quote to resolving various problems that might pop up during the translation phase, and even after the translation is completed.
Our sales team contacts potential clients who are then directed to project managers who understand their specific needs. Once we establish the type of translation most suitable for you, we send you a quote. After you accept it, we contact the translators and proofreaders most suited for the job at hand, according to their native language (target language), the languages they translate from (source languages), and their specialisations.
Who is translating you ask? Our mega-army of in-house translators gulping down more coffee than Starbucks could stock? Well, it’s actually freelance translators who we test and select based on their domains of expertise and experience. They are often specialised in one or two areas. You will rarely find a medical translator doing legal translation work and vice-versa.
What is the price of a translation?
To be honest, we won’t give away all of our secrets, nor will we deprive ourselves of the pleasure of communicating with you once you’ve sent us a question regarding translation.
Jokes aside, it would be impossible to give you a price list because these rate change: each project is different and a quote for a straight-forward legal document of 3500 words that needs translating from French to English will be different than, say, an online translation for 15 languages from English, encompassing different styles (legal, marketing, etc.), especially as the project manager will need to spend more time on one project than on the other 😉
So while paying for translation isn’t exactly like going down the aisle at the supermarket and picking the best value goat’s milk, you can look at a translation as an investment in your company’s image. We are very practical and will advise you to the best of our abilities on how not to go overboard with the spending while still getting quality translations.
You might have noticed, our translation agency has its own way of handling things. Other agencies might only deal with translations. Some only work with a limited number of languages, or fields of activity.
Hello Anne and thank you for agreeing to this interview. Let’s jump right in!
Today you’re based in Miami, working as Brand Manager Travel Retail Americas for L’Occitane en Provence, after having worked in Switzerland for the same company. How did you get to work abroad?
My first trip abroad was in 2001 in New York, where I worked as an au pair. I really enjoyed this experience and followed up with a 6-month internship in Berlin, a one-semester Erasmus exchange in Denmark, then one year in Australia after spending some time in Paris.
Upon returning from Australia, I targeted international companies for their multicultural atmosphere and potential international career opportunities.
I remember mentioning my desire to work abroad during my very first interview with L’Occitane. After two years in Geneva, and talks with my managers about working abroad, I received an offer to work in Miami when this position became open.
Now I am responsible for marketing and merchandising in Travel Retail for the Americas (duty free retail outlets) and I am based in Miami. Miami is the place to be if you’re in the beauty industry; it’s a platform for brands that are distributed in North and South America because of its strategic geographical location. All our competition is present here: LVHM, Clarins, Shiseido, L’Oréal, Estée Lauder, etc.
When you’re targeting the South American market, it’s important to understand the culture, and living in Miami can’t hurt, as more than half the population is Latin American.
Like most important players in the beauty industry and Travel Retail in particular, L’Occitane has 3 subsidiaries: one in Europe, one in Miami for the Americas, and one in Hong Kong for Asia/the Pacific.
Did you have any fears or apprehension before moving to the US?
Well, we always have some fears when we make a big move like this, especially abroad, but for me they were mixed with excitement.
It’s okay to be afraid, this lets you think about things and make good choices for yourself. We find information and try to understand some of the realities that lie ahead as an expat, before leaving.
On the other hand, I had no apprehension about Miami, even though I had no clue as to what to expect from the place. I love big cities and their cosmopolitan charm, so I knew I would enjoy living in Miami.
How did your family react to you leaving?
I’m not married and I don’t have any kids, so that made my life easier!
My choice did impact my family, but they were all supportive. My parents’ and siblings’ work doesn’t take them to faraway places, but they were always there for me and understood me.
Getting used to living in Miami takes a while, and the first year was difficult. I worked a lot and didn’t spend much time socialising.
Any culture shock stories for us?
Asia might have more items for a culture shock menu, at least for a European- but America is a Western country, so the shock isn’t so great, especially as I’d already had a taste of its culture in New York.
In Miami you do sometimes get the impression you’re in Latin America though: there are Cubans, Mexicans, Columbians, Venezuelans, you name it! I have met very few people who are originally from Miami. You hear Spanish everywhere, all the time! 🙂
When you were away from home before, it was for shorter periods. How does the length of your stay impact your routines?
When you leave for one year, you feel like doing everything all at once. On the other hand, moving with a long-term contract and a job with lots of responsibility, you begin working before you even start thinking about exploring the new place! It’s been two years since I’ve been working here, and there are plenty of places I haven’t had the chance to see yet.
Nowadays I live my life as if I were back home in France: looking for the same comfort, and the same hobbies.
Do you have any French friends in Miami?
Almost all my friends are expats who work in the beauty industry.
Every time I found myself abroad, I wanted to make French friends as we have common cultural references, but I also love meeting people from different cultures.
I felt the need to have a group of close friends, and personally I don’t need to work on my English skills, so I don’t only look for English speakers as friends.
Friendships between expats are much stronger, even more so in the United States, as it is difficult to build long-term friendships with the locals. While it’s easy to talk with Americans, those who become real friends are few and far in between.
So while I do look for fellow French speakers, I also actively engage in making all types of friends- for example, I am part of a dance group together with people from all over the world and we have all sorts of events and generally a fun time.
All the paperwork makes it quite hard to go work abroad, which puts some people off. What’s your take on this?
In my case, it was l’Occitane that took care of the paperwork, so I didn’t have much hassle to deal with, even though there were quite a few documents to fill out and it’s always a bit stressful waiting for you visa application to be approved. We went to an immigration lawyer, which makes thing easier in the case of an expatriation.
I am seriously thinking about going back to live in Australia, but I wouldn’t try to find a sponsor by myself. It can take lots of time, there are lots of formalities and few companies take the plunge.
On the other hand, l’Occitane has a branch in Sydney, so that might be an option in the future.
Many people idealise moving abroad. Is there a hidden side to being an expat?
For a start you have to have considered all facets of the project. You need to be adaptable. It’s a big challenge on a personal level, especially if you’re changing companies. You need to be resourceful, accept times when you are all alone, and not be overwhelmed. You have to know what you’re getting into, and take the good with the bad.
Are there many French companies who also have offices in the US?
This is certainly the case in travel retail. Some companies have offices both in New York and Miami.
Multinational corporations don’t have a choice: they need to be present in America to be able to properly take care of these two important markets, North and South America.
That being said, the American Dream is an outmoded concept, in my opinion, and not just any company can make it in the States. If they’re filling a gap in the market and if the idea is good enough, however, success is ultimately easier to achieve than in France. The difference between the US and France is that in the US meritocracy works, and if you bring skills to the table you’re noticed and rewarded, so you have more chances to evolve career-wise.
Do you see yourself back in France or Switzerland?
One day, I shall go back to Europe, but without a doubt not to live in France. I seem to love France more when I’m away. When I’m in my country, I only seem to hear complaints and I don’t see people taking action to evolve. There is a certain degree of bleakness which I don’t find appealing.
When I do have children though, I would love for them to be close to my parents and my siblings, so I will probably have a good think about this, but the time has not yet come for such a step!
