Changing Roles - Corporate Language Services Revisited · 2014. 8. 27. · Some additional manual preparation (scanning, reformatting, etc.) ... Technical tools. TRADOS Workbench.

Changing Roles -

Corporate Language Services Revisited

Date: June 15, 2011, LocWorld

Barcelona Produced by: Beat Buchmann

Produced by: B. BuchmannCopyright@2011, Credit Suisse Group

Date: June, 2011Slide 1

From traditional corporate language services to in-house translation agency / LSP

From Swiss to global sourcing

From resource allocator to language coach

From clerk to project manager

From translator to quality assurer

Changing

Roles



Credit Suisse Language Services Who We Are and What We Do



36.1 translators/revisors,3.0 terminologists,2.8 translation technologists, 6.4 customer desk staff, 2.8 management & supportapprox. 70 freelance translators15 agencies under contracttranslation memory: 4 million sentence pairsterminology database: 37,000 termsapprox. 50,000 potential clients, 4,000 client IDsapprox. 160,000 standard pages p.a.approx. 35,000 orders p.a. (= 160 per day)volume increase 2009 v. 2008: + 4.5%volume increase 2010 v. 2009: + 25%

Language Services Facts & Figures

Q1 2011

German16%

English25%

French23%

Italian18 %

Chinese11%

Japanese2%

Russian2%

Others5%

German48% 3% 17% 16% 11% - - - 1%

English43% 11% 1% 6% 6% 11% 2% 2% 4%

French2%



Language ServicesTLSL1.0 *)

EnglishTLSL 1

7.8

FrenchTLSL 2

9.4

ItalianTLSL 3

7.6

German TLSL 4

5.3

Customer DeskTLSL 5

6.4

Russian MoscowTLSL 6

1.0

French ZurichTLSL 21

Italian ZurichTLSL 31

French GenevaTLSL 22

Italian LuganoTLSL 32

Mgmt SupportTLSL 94

1.8

English ZurichTLSL 11

English New YorkTLSL 12

Japanese TokyoTLSL 7

2.0

Chinese BeijingTLSL 8

3.0

TranslationTechnology

TLSL 932.8

TerminologyTLSL 9

3.0

*) FTE

Language Services Organizational

Chart



Translations into any language requestedin-house capacity for translation of core texts (high business and reputational risk) from a number of different languages into English, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Russiancollaboration with qualified external partners for non-core texts and other language combinationsdifferent levels of quality:-

premium quality for publications

-

top quality for important internal documents

-

accurate, but unpolished quality, for information purposes

-

gisting quality (summary or machine translation with rapid post-editing)

Basic Service

Language Services Services

(1)



Other

Services

Editing and proofreading of texts written in English, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese and RussianCorrection of texts for publication (ready for print, ready for online posting)Referral of professional conference interpretersDefinition of translation conventions for Credit Suisse GroupPreparation of glossaries, thesauruses, documentation and terminology listsMaintenance and expansion of a terminology database on the intranetAnswering language-related inquiries

Language Services Services

(2)



Point of Departure 2004



The Crucial Question

Question:

Why does a big company such as Credit Suisse have its own internal language services –

as opposed to a number of other big firms having outsourced this

function?



External sourcing moderate (2004: 34%) and not strategic:

reasons: volume peaks, missing language combination, lack of subject matter knowledge

overall high unit costs

Traditional in-house language services

Scenario 2Full outsourcing to one / several Swiss provider(s)

some savings at risk of deterioration of quality over time

Scenario 3Full outsourcing to Swiss + international providers

higher savings but at high risk: "accidents" costly in both CHF and image pre-programmed

from a professional point of view, irresponsible to go down this route

Sourcing Options (1/2)

Scenario 1In-house agency

linguistic competency and assets remain in-house: added value (quality, risk minimization)

unit cost at Swiss provider level realistic



Sourcing Options: In-House Agency v. Full Outsourcing (2/2)CS In-House Agency Full Outsourcing

Unit cost comparable with industry benchmark but with added value of CS quality assurance

Diversified provider portfolio strong price negotiating position due to competition

Control & leverage of translation memory & terminology DB CS dictates discounts purchasing power

Industry expertise re language service provider mgmt (rates, customer service, standards, complaints mgmt)

Quality assurance incl. consistent corporate language by CS specialists

Active risk mgmt through screening of translation jobs and targeted allocation

High customer satisfaction ( > 8 of 10 )

Final negotiated price based on Supply Management experience usually considerably higher than initial offer

Locked into one / few provider(s) mid/long term weak negotiating position

Financial benefits of linguistic tools not fully passed on to client

Need for dedicated CS provider manager with industry expertise (incl. linguistic complaints mgmt)

After contractual employment period of ex-CS staff, deterioration of quality business & reputational risk

Order mgmt and quality assurance shifted to each individual CS end client workload up, quality down

Customer satisfaction down over time (market voices)

Balance risk / benefits / costs in favor of in-house agency solution



The Crucial Question

Question: Why does a big company such as Credit Suisse have its own internal language services?Answer:

Added value

Added value through:

-

minimization of business and reputational risk (core texts translated in-house)

-

best "make or buy" decision based on industry knowledge-

informed decision regarding quality level required

-

guardian of corporate language: terminology database, language norms, TM

-

higher-than-market quality through holistic internal quality assurance

-

closeness to and knowledge of internal clients and procedures

-

access to internal sources of information (specialists, intranet, etc.)-

availability, flexibility, confidentiality



Selective Outsourcing

Optimization of level of vertical integration by adopting a lean industrial engineering approach to translation – selectively sourcing semi-finished products externally and providing the finishing touch by internal specialists.

Bulk of translation function to be outsourced (2004: 34%); extend provider portfolio to become global; only core texts (high business or reputational risk) translated in-house

Optimally leverage existing skills: better deployment of language group heads and of customer desk clerks (changing roles, change management)

In-house operations to be transformed from mainly translation to quality assurance

Invest in quality (people, partners, processes, systems)

CS Language Services to function like a translation agency with added benefit of in-house controlled holistic quality assurance along the entire production chain

Strategy



Follow-Up Questions

Questions: Given the new strategy:Are we doing the right thing?What we do, are we doing it right?

Answer: Obviously not

Launch of a Six Sigma project to have a close look at existing roles,responsibilities, resources, tools and processes

Two immediate measuresanalysis of the types of source text materials and differentiation as to the quality, service, and processing levels required (levels 1-3); definition of level criteria catalogueglobal RFP to identify and contract preferred suppliers with best price /quality ratio



Traditional Language

Services A Close Look at Existing

Roles, Responsibilities,

Resources, Tools and Processes



Technical Setup 2005Delivery Admin and Planning Translation Delivery

Email in group inbox

approx. 95%

Fax

Alternatives

Post

Courier Phone

Documents manually saved in LAN. Job manually entered and resources managed in "Translator's Task Manager" (Client/Server, MS SQL).

TTM database

Some additional manual preparation (scanning, reformatting, etc.)

Partially: Time required estimated on the basis of pre-translated text in the translation memory

Technical tools

TRADOS Workbench

Translation memory is accessed and fed into various text editors.

Translation memory

TRADOS MultiTerm

Terminology tool.

Terminology DB

LAN

Email

approx. 95%

Alternatives

Jobs placed externally: manual dispatch via email.

manual/

physical distribution

CMS

Fax Post

Courier Phone

CMS



Process (1/3)

Problem:

Entry deficits on client side

Problem:

Jobs wait in tray for collection by Language Group Head

Client sends job via email

CD employee processes job

tray

Network folder

TTM

Email appears in Customer Desk

inbox

Entry electronic entry

electronic

primary medium: paper



Problem:

Jobs are

processed

differently

and independent of each

other

in the

various

languages.

electronic

Primary

medium: paper primary

medium: electronic

additional: paper

write

email electronic

Language

group

heads

evaluate

(level

decision) and allocate

jobs

(capacity

management)

Internal

translation Internal

revision

Corrections

are

discussed. The

translator

then

sends

the

job back to the

client.

Client receives

job via email

Level 1

internal

Process (2/3)



Problem:

External placement takes a long time

External translationCD employee

contacts external proposed by LGH

Client receives job via email

L 3

Internal revision

L 2Level 2/3

external

back & forth

Received by CD

electronic

Primary medium: paper write email

additional: paper

primary medium: electronic

email electronicemail

Level 2

electronicemail

Level 3

in CD rev.

in CDemail

Process (3/3)



Findings –

Technical Platform & Admin/Work Preparation Process

Too many manual steps

Constant shift between media

20% client input defects

15% work preparation defects (CD clerks)

Throughput times too long, late deliveries to client

Crude capacity management tools at language group level (Word, Excel, paper)

etc.

Example of findings:details of 20% client input defects

Coun

t

Perc

ent

Input Problem

S ons

tiges

Form

at pro

b.

Dok f

ehlt

z usä

tzl. n

otw. I

nfo fe

hlt

Zielsp

r . feh

lt

W- T

erm .

fehlt

A uftr

ag un

k lar

B/Kst

fehlt

100

80

60

40

20

0

100

80

60

40

20

0

P areto Chart of Input P roblem



Findings –

Resources, Roles and Responsibilities

63 FTEs in-house staff, mostly Swiss freelancers and agencies (68%)

Bulk translated in-house (66%)

Language Group Heads (LGH) – the most senior, most experienced, most expensive translators loaded with admin/process tasks

LGH autonomous with regard to processing/allocation decision for individual translation jobs

Potential of reasonably well paid CD clerks (multilingual, mostly with translator training) totally underused

Split of resource allocation decision power (LGH) and actual allocation (CD clerk) with regard to external resources

In-house translators overqualified / too expensive for certain text types; no added value as compared to market quality

Inefficient use of human resources and expertise at all levels



Service Level Concept

Level 1:Texts requiring the highest quality standards, knowledge of internal processes / corporate language / information sources, confidentiality, or texts with high business or reputation risk

Translated and revised internally

Level 2:Texts requiring high quality standards, specialist expertisea)

Familiarity with CS and SwitzerlandTranslated externally (chiefly freelancers / agencies in CH), revised internally

b)

No CS or

Switzerland-specific

contentTranslated externally (chiefly freelancers / agencies abroad), revised internally

Level 3:Texts without CS or Switzerland-specific content, chiefly for internal use only

Translated externally (agencies abroad) with standardized internal quality control as per checklist

Findings –

Types of Source Text Material



Implementation of a new software solution in which both the administrative tasks and the linguistic functions are integrated into a workflow

–

Automates many tasks that were previously performed manually–

Eliminates the constant change of medium (paper / electronic)

–

Standard processes also for external resources–

Enhances translation quality through the consistent use of linguistic tools

Role transfer from LGH to CD: centralization of level decision and job allocation / capacity management at Customer Desk

–

End-to-end project management responsibility clearly assigned–

LGHs focus on management / coaching / training / quality assurance tasks

Strictly apply level concept to focus Language Services as a whole and translators as individuals on added value activities only

–

translator becomes mainly quality assurer–

considerable reduction of unit costs through internal external production shift and through Swiss global sourcing shift

–

Language Services turns into in-house agency

1

2

3

Three

Major Areas

of Transition



Integrated

Language

Services Tool (ILST)1



Technical Setup from Q2 2008 Onward Delivery Admin, work preparation & resource allocation Translation Delivery

approx. 98%

Alternatives Manual entry of job and documents in the workflow tool.

STAR Transit

Translation memory

TermStar

Terminology DB

Job portal in the intranet

Data and documents are automatically saved in the workflow tool.

approx. 98%

Alternatives

Job portal in the intranet

Interface portal –

workflow tool

Workflow Tool incl.

-

CMAT: Capacity Mgmt

& Allocation Tool

- PO: Purchase Order

Features of workflow tool (STAR James):

-

pre-processing of source texts (TM & TDB)

-

client master data in CMAT

-

internal and external resource master data

(languages, specialties, rates, etc.) in CMAT

-

generation of PO if job externally allocated

-

reporting/controlling module

Automatic delivery via workflow tool

Interface to web portal

Email

Fax Post

Courier Phone

CMS Email

Fax Post

Courier Phone

CMSInterface workflow tool –

CMSInterface CMS –

workflow tool



Entry electronic

Mandatory fields

reduce

entry

errors

on client

side.

Jobs are

evaluated

and allocated

centrally

via CD. Standard procedure

and time savings

for

evaluation.

Client sends

job via webportal

CD employee

takes

level

decision

and allocates

jobs

internally

and externally

(capacity

management)

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Pre-processed

job in workflow

systemFiles and job data

are

saved

centrally, files

are

pre-

processed

automatically.

Current Process (1/2)



Internal

translation

Level 1

internal

Internal

revision

Client receives

job via workflow

system

electronic

Depending

on type

of work

additionally: paper

Current Process (2/2)

Level 2/3

external

External

translation

L 3

Brief internal

revision

Internal

revision

L 2



Changing

Roles: Language

Group Heads, Customer

Desk

Clerks

2

3 Changing

Roles: Translators, Traditional Language

Services In-House Agency

Swiss Sourcing Global Sourcing



Language Group Head

Has an overview of his/her group’s jobs and can intervene if necessary.

Evaluates level and determines translator & revisor

(cap. mgmt.)

CD Project ManagerClient

Translator & Quality Assurer

Client

Increasingly performs coaching, training, and quality assurance tasks.

New Roles for LGHs, Customer Desk Clerks, and Translators



From

In-House to Agency, from

Swiss to Global Sourcing

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Internal 66% 54% 34% 26% 24% 22% 13%

External 34% 46% 66% 74% 76% 78% 87%

translation

year

Shift internal / external translation 2004 -

2010

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Swiss 68% 62% 61% 51% 54% 51% 40%

Global 32% 38% 39% 49% 46% 49% 60%

year

Sourcing shift: Swiss / global providers 2004 -

2010

translation



Investment in Changing Roles

Lengthy and intense change management process (2006-2008):

Questionnaires, interviews, group sessions to extract knowledge from LGHs’ brains, make it explicit and capture it in client and resource profiles

Numerous training and know-how transfer workshops with LGHs and CD clerks

LGH and CD role changes relatively easy sells: win-win situation, upgrading both functions

Translator Quality Assurer role change a more difficult sell: plenary sessions, individual talks, proper sales job (NTH syndrome); numerous revision workshops

In collaboration with Supply Management, one global RFP and several local RFPs in different geographic areas to test and recruit external partners

In collaboration with Legal, set up contractual framework and negotiate approx. 100 supplier contracts (including use of same software, PO based TM discounts etc.)

Continuous investment in quality



Investment in Holistic Quality Assurance (1/2)

1. Client

CS language conventions

Terminology DB on intranet

Center of competence E/G

2. Data transfer/pre-processing

Subject area

Target audience

TM

Background material

3. Project Managers

Criteria catalogue for in-house/outsource decision

Choice of best available resource (transl. & revision)

Formatting check of source text correct segmentation

4. PMs & TT

Format manipulations, conversions, etc.

"Job enrichment": additional background material, links

Electronic package: TM & TDB extracts, background material

Quality Assurance

Investment TDB System

TMSkills Skills



Investment in Holistic Quality Assurance (2/2)

5. Translator

Access to CS services:–

terminology database–

terminologists–

transl. technologists–

project managers

6. Revisor

Internal expertise:–

CS corporate language–

CS lang. conventions–

access to end client

Rating of external resource / ratings, incl. comments sent to agencies monthly

7. Data transfer

Revised (final) version sent to external provider

Comments to client

8. Client

Quarterly reporting to main clients

Regular client survey

Defined complaints mgmt

Quality Assurance

Investment StaffProviders

StaffAgencies

Provider Client relationship



Reduce external costs per unit to an optimum

Find the ideal level of vertical integration (cheap sourcing versus quality assurance effort needed) to achieve (1) the optimal mixed cost calculation and (2) the quality required by customers.

Financing (1/2)

fully exploit the opportunities of global sourcing including currency fluctuations

fully leverage the benefits of our in-house linguistic and workflow tools (translator workstation, translation memory, terminology database) and to exert significant purchasing power in the market:

–

make contractual discount arrangements with all providers based on output from translation memory

–

pre-calculate price of each outsourced translation job on basis of translation memory statistics and agreed supplier rates and dictate to the supplier via purchase order

–

contractually oblige all preferred suppliers to work with same translation tools lean processes



Cost avoidance Avoid costs for low or zero value added activities.

Avoid typical "agency" costs/overheads.

Financing (2/2)

avoid surcharges for:

–

express / overnight / weekend jobs

–

small jobs (< 1 page)

–

order/project management

–

formatting / desk-topping

demand management

–

high-level authorization needed for jobs > 50 pages

–

quarterly reporting to main customers to reduce expensive express jobs

no sales / marketing organization

no accounts payable organization



Timeline

from mid 2005

Analysis

2006 –

March 2008

Preparation, change mgmt, system implementation

from March 2008

Structures, processes & systems in production

2009

First year with full benefit



Baseline 2004 Status as of 31.12.2010

Ratio internal : external service provision (translation) 66%: 34% 13% : 87%

Volume 100% + 63%

FTEs 63 43.1- 31%

Unit costs (hour)1) 100% - 32%

Customer satisfaction 8.2 8.3

Total budget1) 100 % + 13.5 %

1) Based on full costs, incl. internal cross-charges of IT, business school, etc. and external costs

Strategy Benefits (CH Operations)



THANK YOU

�Changing Roles - Corporate Language Services Revisited��Date: June 15, 2011, LocWorld Barcelona�Produced by: Beat BuchmannChanging Roles �Slide Number 3Language Services�Facts & Figures Q1 2011Language Services �Organizational ChartLanguage Services �Services (1)Language Services �Services (2)Slide Number 8The Crucial Question�Slide Number 10Sourcing Options: In-House Agency v. Full Outsourcing (2/2)The Crucial Question�StrategyFollow-Up QuestionsSlide Number 15Slide Number 16Slide Number 17Slide Number 18Slide Number 19Slide Number 20Slide Number 21Slide Number 22Slide Number 23Slide Number 24Slide Number 25Slide Number 26Slide Number 27Slide Number 28Slide Number 29Slide Number 30New Roles for LGHs, Customer Desk Clerks, and TranslatorsFrom In-House to Agency, from Swiss to Global Sourcing�Slide Number 33Investment in Holistic Quality Assurance (1/2) Investment in Holistic Quality Assurance (2/2) Financing (1/2)Financing (2/2)Timeline�Slide Number 39Slide Number 40