I’ve been asked this question countless times whenever I mention I work for a translation company. Since the concept of machine translation became widely known, people have been wondering about the future of traditional translation companies.
When people ask, they often have different intentions: some are genuinely concerned, others are curious about the tech, while some may even think, “Isn’t this a risky industry?”
Our company has also discussed this internally. We want to be prepared to answer not only out of curiosity, but also to understand whether this concern truly impacts us—and, if so, what it means for us as a translation company. Previously, we’ve discussed topics like “The Future of Translation in the Age of AI” and even recommended relevant books in our social media posts, which have sparked some thoughtful conversations (and brought in a small commission, so thank you for that!).
Here, I’m sharing two illustrations: the first shows our standard client request handling process, while the second zooms in on just the translation phase. This helps illustrate that translation itself is only one part of our broader service. We actually provide a full translation-related outsourcing service for our clients.
At iCentech, we call ourselves a “Language Service Provider.” To be precise, we’re more than just a translation provider; we offer a wide array of language-related services. As the visuals show, translation is just one component. Our services span beyond delivering a translated document—we consider our client’s industry, target audience, document purpose, distribution channels, and more to design an end-to-end service process.
A translation project typically involves several steps, such as document preparation, quality control, project management, review, and formatting. For many clients, managing these steps is complex and time-consuming. Our company’s project management expertise and tools help streamline these steps, ensuring quality and timely delivery—benefits that AI alone can’t provide.
In addition to core translation, professional companies often offer added-value services that help clients optimize multilingual supply chains. By building long-term relationships, we can better understand client needs, refine our processes, and create higher client satisfaction.
This is far beyond the traditional concept of translation. We play a crucial role in localization, which is why some companies are specifically labeled as “localization providers.” As globalization continues, businesses are increasingly focused on tailoring their products and services for specific markets. This isn’t just simple language translation but involves adapting to local culture, customs, and consumer psychology. Translation companies excel at understanding target markets, allowing them to blend language with localized elements. For instance, when a game is launched in multiple countries, the translation company can adjust character dialogues, quest prompts, and user interfaces to fit the preferences of local players, enhancing user experience and product competitiveness. This in-depth understanding and implementation of localization go far beyond what translation technology can achieve alone.
By consistently delivering high-quality translation services, we can gain insights into our clients’ business directions and evolving translation needs. As they expand, we can proactively prepare relevant language resources and translation strategies. When a client plans to enter a new international market, for example, we can quickly draft a translation plan tailored to that market thanks to our familiarity with the client’s business and the target market’s language and culture. This trust-based, personalized service and long-term relationship are why clients continue choosing us.
Finally, we strive to stay updated on specialized knowledge and to handle urgent and unique needs. In conclusion, I’d say that, with ongoing technological advancements, we embrace these tools to enhance our processes and create even more value for clients. Our work relies on skilled linguists who bring expertise and quality control that technology alone cannot replace.