The term may sound a little complex, but the concept itself is in fact quite the opposite. Simply put, it refers to using more than one LSP service provider to meet all of your localization needs.
Now, you might wonder why a company would want to seemingly complicate things by bringing several LSPs on board to manage a localization project, but as you’ll soon realize there are plenty of good reasons for this.
There’s no one-size-fits-all in localization
You’re not always going to have multi-million-word projects that need to be localized for dozens of markets. That means that having a range of LSPs can be beneficial both in terms of cost and quality. After all, those smaller projects that need to be localized for the local market are probably best assigned to a small, local LSP that’s bound to have a wealth of highly applicable experience.
Time is money in this game
As we all know, deadlines are often tighter than we’d like in the localization world. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have more than one resource to hand to cover your demand. By having multiple LSPs on your books you can split larger projects across a number of providers to ensure you meet those almost impossible deadlines.
Localize round-the-clock without the burnout
It’s no secret that we live in a global world. However, the downside to that is that time waits for no one. So, why not use this to your advantage? By collaborating with a range of LSPs from multiple time zones you can ensure that progress is constantly being made on your project-and all without you having to work insane overtime.
Keep them on their toes
As simple as it may sound, letting those LSPs know that they’re not the only localizers on your books may work wonders for the quality of your end project. After all, once they realize they have to fight for your attention then they can’t put a foot wrong. It’s also likely to spark innovation with vendors and make them more likely to come up with fresh, exciting ideas.
Take your pick of localization tech
Working with a range of LSPs means you get your choice of fancy tools and processes too. Some may include specific translation management systems with their services that can offer real added value to your projects. In other cases, vendors may even be willing to customize systems or integrate tools that perfectly suit your needs. By having a range of options on hand, you can select the tool that best works for you.
As you can see, although setting up a multi-vendor localization strategy can be a little time-consuming at first, it can truly pay dividends in the long run. Ultimately, it serves as pretty much a guarantee that you’ll always have a vendor on hand that’s able to produce a top-quality localization project.
