Global brands should make localization a critical component of their international growth strategy. Localization enables companies to increase their market reach, improve the customer experience, comply with local laws and regulations, and grow revenue and market share. Buying language services, including running a successful localization RFP and selecting the right language service provider (LSP) to work with, is crucial for global expansion.

Language services are not limited to translation and localization and this can add complexity. Companies also require localization testing, on-site and remote interpretation, transcreation of marketing campaigns, subtitling and dubbing for multimedia content, multilingual digital marketing, and AI training data.

Highly regulated industries like the technology, finance, life sciences, and legal sectors require LSPs with specialized knowledge and expertise in their respective fields. Global brands in these sectors need to carefully consider the buying process – considering what they want and appointing a scalable, full-service language service provider with relevant regulatory expertise.

10-Step Selection Process: Buying Language Services

Determining what language services you need, developing an RFP, and working with key stakeholders to choose the right LSP takes time and effort. However, the process typically includes the following steps.

1. Determine Your Requirements

You should be clear from the start about what your localization requirements are. These include the type of service, the content to be localized, your target languages, the ideal turnaround time, and your budget. One best practice is to engage all stakeholders in the process. In an interview with Welocalize, Carsten Kneip, Director of Localization at Smartsheet, shared, “For me, the first step was getting to talk to all the stakeholders about their unique localization requirements so that I could put those into the RFP process.”

2. Work With Procurement

One of your key stakeholders is your procurement team. The procurement team either influences or decides on the purchasing of language services or hiring the localization vendor. Kneip said, “Every company has a procurement department. But every procurement department works differently. They have different tools, processes, and people with different motivations to help you.” You can also share information to help those stakeholders who aren’t directly involved in localization, translation, or language services.

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3. Review the Current Vendor Portfolio

If you’re already outsourcing localization projects, you should review the current vendor portfolio. Most companies work with multiple LSPs. However, assess if a multi-vendor strategy still makes sense. Regardless of your preference, you must evaluate the performance of your current vendor or vendors.

4. Determine Your Selection Criteria

Define what matters most to your organization and assign weights to your criteria. Typically, you should consider quality, price, turnaround time, vertical specialization, certifications, language technology, and value-added services. Some companies like Smartsheet required an LSP with full-scale services and the ability to scale.

5. Research and Invite Potential Providers

Look for several potential LSPs to send requests for proposals (RFPs) to. Check their websites, read customer and analyst reviews, and ask for references from other companies. Provider reputation is also an essential attribute in LSP selection.

6. Request Quotes and Require Specific Responses

Develop your RFP and send it out to your shortlisted candidates. A well-thought-out, detailed RFP is crucial so potential language service companies can tailor responses to your needs. Kneip advised other buyers: “Really put your requirements in writing. And make sure that is something the vendors you invite can work with. So, when the proposal comes back, just make sure they’re very specific about how they address your needs. You don’t need a generic sales pitch; you want specifics on how they can address your issues.”

7. Evaluate Your Vendor Candidates

After you receive the quotes and proposals, it’s time to evaluate each localization company. You should consider various factors and not just price. Evaluate their level of experience and expertise in your industry, their tech stack and ability to integrate with your systems, their responsiveness and customer service, their ability to scale, and their relevant ISO certifications.

8. Consider the Dynamics of Your Working Relationship

You will be working closely with your chosen LSP daily. So, your team must get along with the people you will work with! Smartsheet required its candidates to give an oral presentation, which gave Kneip a sense that there would be good chemistry between Smartsheet and the vendor’s team.

9. Test Their Services

The best way to determine if there is a good fit between your company and your language service provider is to run a small test project. This will give you a better sense of how they work and how they work well with you. This is to evaluate the quality and reliability of the LSP’s services before committing to a larger project. Smartsheet asked its top two potential vendors to do mock projects, giving a clear picture of their ability and whether there was compatibility and a good basis for a partnership.

10. Sign the Contract

It’s time to sign a contract that outlines the services, quality standards, delivery timeline, and pricing. The entire process could take a few months. However, as Kneip pointed out, “Going through this process, it’s not something that’s going to be solved and answered in just a few short weeks. Take your time, slow down the process, and give vendors time to respond.”

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Our comprehensive guide, Buying Language Services: A Step-by-Step Guide [downloadable PDF] shares third-party research on the right approach to LSP selection and gives actionable tips on how to successfully procure localization and language services.

You can also listen to Carsten Kneip, Director of Localization at Smartsheet talk about his journey to buying language services and selecting an LSP in this on-demand webinar, Running a Successful Localization RFP: Smartsheet’s Journey.