Paradox of choice, so many Jeans ... and so many Language Service Providers!
Yesterday it was bank holiday over here and I had some time to look for a new pair of jeans.
My jeans tend to last quite long and I’m not really that much into fashion, so when I entered the shop and I looked at the exhibitor closet I was very surprised to see so many jeans among which I could choose! My only condition was that they were navy blue, and that's it. But in front of me I had around 30 different models to choose from; and all of them were navy blue! In each section there was a description of each jeans that made it special, the difference of the cut, the size of the waist, the length of the leg ... it was incredible! an endless list of models!
Skinny, Super Skinny, Slim, Wide Leg, Taper, Athletic, Bootcut, Relaxed … and the list of models goes on and on!
It was very difficult to choose, it was a true paradox of choice, and in our G-localization world. I feel also totally overwhelmed from time to time; for example…. when choosing a language service provider! (LSP). Because the number of LSP we have to choose from is much wider than the number of jeans that I had yesterday to choose from! and the problem is not only the number, in fact, the problem is what criteria to choose. Because ... there is a wide variety of prices and services.
“In the modern world, we tend to think more choice is better, but there can be problems with excessive choice: Decisions become less likely and paralyses the ability to make a decision, possibly leading to choosing the easy option (default) or not making the decision at all. We may also be less satisfied with our choice and unsure we made the right choice”
In the case of jeans at least the prices I saw yesterday were similar to each other. However, when we look for an LSP for our next project, the prices are very, very different from each other. The question then that I ask myself is:
- How to choose an LSP when the price differences can be so different for the "same" service?
- What categories can I evaluate to determine which would be my perfect travel companion?
Choosing an LSP is harder than choosing a new pair of jeans. Translation is not an obvious or quick process, nor is it an easy one. It involves invaluable human resources, technological solutions, and communication workflows. LSPs come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and flavors, each bringing something different to the table.And there just too many! Any guess how many? Well, according to a CSA report dated in 2013 … there are as many LSPs as 27000! OMG, that’s a lot of “jeans” to choose from!
But, do not worry! To help you navigate in this ocean full of fish that means choosing an LSP, I have prepared the following summary. In the attached infographic, you can find 4 categories with different questions that can help us to choose our partner for our journey.
Click HERE to download the infographic "The best questions to choose an LSP"
I hope this information is useful and you can choose the "jeans" that best suit your body (aka project 😃)
Have a wonderful week!
@yolocalizo
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