Investing in high-quality translation is not a cost center, it’s a strategic investment that unlocks global growth. Measuring the translation quality ROI is key to understanding the tangible business impact of every translated word.
The hidden costs of ‘good enough’ translation
Settling for ‘good enough’ translation is a risky proposition. The hidden costs of poor quality can far outweigh any initial savings. In a world where 76% of shoppers prefer to purchase products in their own language, and 40% will not buy from websites that are not in their native tongue (CSA Research), the financial and reputational risks of subpar translation are too significant to ignore when considering your translation quality ROI.
How poor quality erodes brand trust and customer loyalty
Poor quality translation directly threatens brand trust and customer loyalty. A brand’s message lost in translation creates a frustrating and confusing customer experience. This is not just a minor inconvenience; it’s a breach of trust. Inconsistent messaging, cultural missteps, and a lack of clarity make a brand seem unprofessional and untrustworthy, sending customers to the competition.
Quantifying the financial impact of translation errors
The financial impact of translation errors can be substantial. From lost sales due to poorly translated product descriptions to legal fees from misinterpreted contracts, the costs of “good enough” can quickly add up. These direct costs are compounded by the indirect costs of a damaged reputation, decreased customer loyalty, and a diminished brand value, all of which negatively impact the translation quality ROI.
From cost center to value driver: The strategic ROI of quality
Shifting the perception of translation from a cost center to a value driver is essential for any business with global ambitions. High-quality translation is a proactive investment in growth. It pays dividends in the form of increased conversion rates, enhanced brand reputation, and improved customer experience, all of which contribute to a positive translation quality ROI.
The link between quality, conversion rates, and market share
The data is clear: companies that invest in professional translation are 1.5 times more likely to experience revenue growth. By providing customers with a seamless, high-quality experience in their native language, businesses can significantly increase conversion rates and capture a larger share of the global market. This is a key factor in achieving a high translation quality ROI.
Building a global brand with a consistent voice
A strong global brand is built on consistency. High-quality translation ensures a brand’s voice remains consistent across all markets. This fosters a sense of familiarity and trust with customers around the world. The synergy of human expertise and AI creates a virtuous cycle of improvement, ensuring every translation is not just accurate, but also culturally relevant and on-brand.
Beyond generic AI: A purpose-built solution for enterprise translation
Generic AI solutions are not equipped for the complexities of enterprise translation. Translated has developed a purpose-built solution that goes beyond the limitations of traditional machine translation, delivering a level of quality and consistency that generic tools cannot match. This is essential for a positive translation quality ROI.
The limitations of generic LLMs for enterprise needs
Generic LLMs lack the context, consistency, and security required for enterprise-level translation. They are not designed for the specific terminology, style, and tone of a particular brand. This can lead to inconsistent and off-brand translations. Furthermore, the security of sensitive corporate data is a major concern with public, cloud-based LLMs.
How Lara and TranslationOS deliver superior quality and consistency
Translated’s purpose-built AI translation, Lara, and TranslationOS, Translated’s AI-first localization platform, are designed to overcome the limitations of generic LLMs. By leveraging a data-centric AI approach and a human-AI symbiosis, we deliver unmatched quality and consistency. Lara, our adaptive machine translation engine, learns from every translation, becoming progressively more attuned to your company’s specific terminology and style. TranslationOS, our AI-powered localization platform, provides the visibility and analytics you need to track and optimize your translation efforts and maximize your translation quality ROI.
Measuring what matters: A data-driven approach to quality
To truly understand the translation quality ROI, you need a data-driven way to measure it. That’s where Time to Edit (TTE) comes in.
Introducing Time to Edit (TTE) as the new standard for quality
TTE is a revolutionary metric that measures the time it takes for a professional translator to edit a machine-translated text to a publishable standard. Unlike vague quality scores, TTE provides a concrete, data-driven measure of translation quality and efficiency.
How TTE correlates to ROI and enhances decision-making
There is a direct correlation between TTE and translation quality ROI. As TTE decreases, translation quality and efficiency increase, leading to a higher ROI. By tracking TTE, businesses can make more informed decisions about their translation workflows, optimizing for both quality and cost-effectiveness.
Conclusion: Don’t settle for generic. Demand an enterprise-grade solution.
In today’s global marketplace, “good enough” is no longer good enough. To succeed on a global scale, you need an enterprise-grade translation solution that delivers a measurable translation quality ROI. With Translated, you get more than just a vendor; you get a strategic partner dedicated to helping you achieve your global growth ambitions. Our purpose-built AI, data-driven approach to quality, and commitment to human-AI symbiosis make us the ideal partner for any enterprise that is serious about global success. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you unlock the full translation quality ROI.