From interface translation to integrated multilingual strategy
Faced with rapid growth in Europe, a B2B SaaS company needed to ensure a consistent user experience across all languages.
EuropaTrad helped the company transition from using machine translation in isolation to an integrated, managed and scalable multilingual strategy.
THE CHALLENGE
A SaaS company rapidly expanding internationally
Our client is a fast-growing B2B company, the provider of a SaaS solution that is well-regarded within its sector. Initially established in the French-speaking market, it quickly expanded across Europe, attracting a multilingual clientele.
This expansion has highlighted a strategic challenge: delivering a seamless and consistent user experience across all languages.
From the very early stages of development, the technical teams had anticipated this development by integrating a TMS (Translation Management System) into their software production pipeline. They opted for Lokalise, a platform renowned for its centralised translation management.
This decision made it possible to quickly generate multilingual interfaces thanks to the built-in machine translation engine. But this initial effectiveness soon revealed its limitations:
- terminological inconsistencies,
- unnatural-sounding phrases,
- context errors,
- tones that are inappropriate in certain cultures.
All these pitfalls were undermining the user experience and, ultimately, the perception of the product. Machine translations, which appeared accurate at first glance, proved to be inconsistent as soon as they moved beyond a purely technical context.
In other words, using the TMS, with minimal configuration and linguistic oversight, soon proved to be limiting. The real challenge, therefore, was not to translate more, but to translate better : to rethink the role of language within the product and to develop a sustainable linguistic approach that keeps pace with the company’s growth.
THE DIAGNOSIS
When translation alone is no longer enough to ensure product consistency
We began by assessing the condition of their existing TMS.
The aim was to understand how the tool had been set up and used on a day-to-day basis. In particular, we analysed:
- configuring workflows,
- user rights management,
- the consistency of resource files and translation keys.
Once this technical assessment had been carried out, we set to work on the linguistic aspects of the system.
This stage made it possible to:
- create and standardise multilingual glossaries,
- consolidate existing translation memories,
- introduce protocols for systematic human review for priority languages.
This phase of analysis and standardisation has made it possible to establish a consistent terminology base, which is essential for ensuring consistency across the interface.
Our linguists then reviewed the translations in contextto ensure a smooth, natural and authentic user experience in every language.
EUROPATRAD'S CONTRIBUTION
Extending the language strategy beyond the product
Once the linguistic quality of the product side had been restored, a new question arose: why restrict the use of the TMS to the translation of software interfaces ?
EuropaTrad gradually supported the company in rolling out the TMS to other departments, providing training and supporting their onboarding process to ensure it became a truly cross-functional tool:
- Marketing & Communication: translation of marketing materials, campaigns and sales documentation.
- Web: integration of the TMS with the CMS of commercial websites to automate multilingual publishing.
- Customer support: access to online help tools and knowledge bases.
- Training: integration with Learning Management Systems (LMS) to rapidly produce multilingual teaching materials.
- Human Resources: translation of internal guides, contracts and global communications to support international growth.
The TMS has thus become the linguistic backbone of the company: a shared tool that standardises practices, speeds up production and ensures brand consistency across all channels.
THE IMPACT
Within a few months, the effects were noticeable:
- consistent terminology across all languages and media,
- update cycles that are twice as fast,
- a reduction in user returns due to translation errors,
- adoption of the TMS by the product, marketing and HR teams,
- enhanced brand consistency on an international scale.
Translation is no longer a cost, but a driver of performance and credibility.
Artificial intelligence has been integrated as a driver of efficiency, without ever replacing human expertise.
Thanks to the controlled and calibrated use of translation engines, combined with continuous linguistic supervision, EuropaTrad has been able to reduce turnaround times and increase productivity, whilst maintaining a consistent standard of quality across all languages and media.
A translation solution is not just an ancillary tool: it is an organisational infrastructure.
When designed with this in mind, it supports international growth, enhances the user experience and unites teams around a common language.
EuropaTrad did not simply provide translations on request.
We have supported a growing company’s journey towards linguistic maturity — from the use of machine translation in isolation to a fully integrated multilingual governance framework.
Let’s work together!