International markets open doors to growth. But those who want to convince those international markets need to do so in multiple languages. Your products, services, and brand stories must have equal impact in every language. At the same time, the clock is ticking mercilessly: time, budget and resources for translations are limited. So the key question for any entrepreneur is: how do you combine speed and quality without derailing your budget or diluting your multilingual message? Our answer: by coupling the power of artificial intelligence (AI) with human expertise. You can read how that works here.
In this article, you'll discover:
• where the pitfalls lie with (free) online translation tools;
• how ELAN Languages creates a customised translation solution with the help of AI;
• how we help you optimise your translation budget without compromising on quality.
Picture this: it’s 9 a.m. on Monday morning. Your marketing team wants to launch a new international campaign. Deadline: yesterday. The press release for the US market is already in your mailbox – in English. The German, French, and Spanish versions? Still nowhere to be found. One colleague is frantically reaching for Google Translate, while another is feverishly searching for freelance translators who can get you out of a jam ‘the sooner the better’. Four hours later, the translations are pouring in. But, alas, the French text sounds stiff, the product name is mistranslated in the Spanish version, and there’s some incorrect legalese in the German text. End result at 5 p.m.: your campaign is delayed, costs are soaring, and your team is at a loss.
Humans and AI
This is where the power of ELAN Languages comes into play: as your language partner, we quickly deliver translations that are both smart and reliable – thanks to the unique collaboration between humans and AI. Curious about how we manage that? Just keep reading.
Online translation tools: useful in daily life, often a flop in business
Don’t get us wrong: we’re fans of what free online translation tools can do these days. They help millions of people around the world communicate better. Moreover, they are fast, always available, and free.
But as a language partner, we also know that those tools soon hit their limits in a business context.
• They keep making the same mistakes: Professional jargon gets mistranslated time and again – and you get to correct it.
• They are inconsistent: Different teams use different tools, creating a patchwork of styles.
• They don’t take your tone of voice into account: Your brand language and terminology simply disappear from view.
• They remember nothing: Previously translated content is not automatically reused.
• They do not adequately protect your data: Uploading sensitive information in a free tool comes at a risk.
In short, even if you think you’re saving time or money with free translation tools, you often wind up paying double – in the form of post-editing, misunderstandings, and quality issues.
Here’s how we avoid those pitfalls – 4 practical examples
We are happy to take you behind the scenes and show you four concrete cases in which we help companies tackle their translation challenges smartly.
1. Example: marketing & communications
An international online retailer based in Amsterdam wanted to launch its product texts in five languages simultaneously. Free tools had led to loads of errors, inconsistent style, and endless corrections. Thanks to our mix of AI translation, client-specific terminology, and human post-editing, the texts went live lightning fast – in the right tone and with the perfect terminology.
2. Example: law & compliance
A law firm in Hamburg needed to translate contracts for an international deal at lightning speed. Here, precision and legal certainty are crucial, as any ambiguity can cost a fortune. Our solution: AI pre-translation, an immediate terminology check, and post-editing by sworn legal translators. The result: on-time delivery in ISO-certified quality.
3. Example: life sciences & pharma
A Bern-based pharma company wanted to roll out patient information in several European markets simultaneously. The complex terminology and strict regulations made this extra challenging. The project was unfeasible using AI alone. But by combining translation memories, trained AI models, and human checks, we were able to automatically reuse two thirds of the content – fully consistent and 100% secure.
4. Example: engineering & industry
A Brussels-based machine manufacturer regularly had to translate manuals – bulky documents with hundreds of pages. Manual translation would have resulted in sky-high costs and lengthy lead times. Our approach – AI pre-translation, reuse of the translation memories, and post-editing by experts – saved 40% in costs and resulted in a faster market launch of the products.
Our approach at a glance: AI translation plus common sense
To tailor your translations seamlessly to your needs, we combine three building blocks:
- Machine translation for speed;
- Translation memories, terminology lists, and style guides for consistency; and
- Experienced, specialised native translators for the finishing touch and quality assurance.
This way, you not only get lightning-fast but also terminologically correct, brand-compliant, and legally conclusive translations.
This is what ELAN stands for:
• Lightning-fast translation thanks to automated workflows and AI;
• Print-ready translations thanks to professional post-editing;
• Consistent translations with smart terminology management and an established brand style;
• Scalable translations with flexible automation – small or large volumes, in dozens of languages;
• Secure translations with 100% data protection on certified platforms (ISO 18587 & ISO 17100);
• Translations using the ideal mix of tools based on ELAN’s expertise and experience.
The right approach for every text
Translation is never one size fits all. Each document deserves the method that best suits it. That is why we always work with tailor-made solutions. Our translation processes rely on:
• The efficient exchange of translated content or content to be translated and clear communication;
• AI translation with post-editing for nuance, tone, and precision.
Do you need to have critical documents translated in situations where a breach of confidentiality, data loss, or errors would have serious consequences? Then we choose 100% human translation – with as much focus on quality as security. On the other hand, if you have purely internal communications that really just need to be understood, then our 100% AI solution takes care of it.
We also process extensive data files and documents. Depending on your requirements, expert native translators will take care of the final quality check.
Do you have audiovisual content you would like to share internationally and make accessible to a diverse audience? Then ELAN offers what you need as well. Both subtitles and voice-overs can be partially or fully automated with us, tailored to your specific needs.
Translations from ELAN Languages – what you can expect
Customised translations naturally also involve customised investments. But one thing is certain: by cleverly reusing validated content, less translation work is needed – and therefore, the cost drops. Even before we start, you know exactly where you stand: based on a transparent quality estimate, we show how much human post-editing is needed.
Moreover, our workflow is designed to save time and effort. Thanks to a direct link to your Content Management System (CMS), endless mail rounds with files are a thing of the past. This saves working hours and reduces the risk of errors. We have already set up this process for many of our clients. If you’re also curious about how content can be exchanged more efficiently and qualitatively, we’re happy to look at how best to implement this with you. You always have full visibility of projects and budgets thanks to the user-friendly ELAN customer portal and Single Sign-On for your entire organisation.
Do you have an in-house translation team? Then we’re happy to brainstorm with them to optimise your organisation’s internal processes. Whether it’s providing our tools, professional advice, or tailor-made training on machine translation, the possibilities are endless.
You see, whether it’s huge content volumes, multilingual video projects, or strengthening your internal teams – the future of translation lies in the smart combination of technology and human expertise.
Contact us for a no-obligation chat and find out how ELAN Languages makes your translation processes smarter, faster, and more consistent.
Contact Jourik Ciesielski: jourikciesielski@elanlanguages.com – +32 11 49 04 68. He will gladly provide you with expert advice.