Category: Energy & Utilities

The Importance of Manufacturing Translation Services for Technical Documentation

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

With margins under a magnifying glass and workforce retention a top priority, services that enhance performance efficiency and workforce engagement, such as generative AI and manufacturing translation services, will play a critical role in 2025 and onward. Efficiency, safety, quality, and other core metrics are in focus, and most leading manufacturers plan to make significant investments in these areas, especially through technology-led solutions.

When integrating new processes and technology, language barriers add to the complexity. High-quality translation—of technical manuals, plant documentation, training videos, and other operational documents—presents an opportunity to bridge this divide. With advanced technology-powered language services, you can attract, train, and motivate a linguistically diverse workforce for optimal performance. Here’s how you can take advantage. 

 

How Manufacturing Translation Services Advance Production Efficiency, Compliance, and Safety

When advancing efficiency goals, optimizing existing practices can make all the difference. For example, replacing generic or machine-only manufacturing documentation translations with professional-grade translations can improve accuracy, leading to better comprehension and increased efficiency. 

Accuracy of translated content also matters to compliance, especially in regulated industries, such as pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals. For example, as manufacturers face increased scrutiny of products sold in the European Union, documenting such factors as carbon emissions, energy usage, product ingredients and formulas, and other attributes has become an increasingly important (and regulated) practice. If executed poorly, the penalties can be steep, and language barriers are unlikely to be an acceptable excuse.  

Finally, manufacturing translation services support better safety outcomes. Among stateside employers, statistics show that Latino workers experience a job fatality rate that is 24 percent higher than the national average. Accidents and downtime are costly, and the harm to individual health and well-being can be irreparable. 

While the factors contributing to this outcome may vary, one tactic to help improve workplace conditions is consistency in communications. High-quality translations support a more thorough understanding of operational manuals and safety guidelines, ensuring workers receive equal opportunities to succeed and thrive at work. 

 

Generative AI in Manufacturing

Generative AI will also inevitably play a role in scaling production quality and efficiency. According to Deloitte’s 2024 Future of the Digital Customer Experience survey, 55 percent of product manufacturers already use generative AI as part of an overall digital transformation strategy. More than 40 percent plan to increase their investment in gen AI over the next three years.

Among its many applications, generative AI in manufacturing has led to significant, cost-saving innovations related to predictive maintenance, route design, supply chain optimization, and much more. Similarly, gen AI is transforming the language service provider (LSP) industry’s value proposition. Large language models enhance the translation quality of complex, context-sensitive content, creating opportunities for consolidated, global partnerships that deliver optimized technical manual translation and other training content at scale.

Investments in advanced technology like gen AI must come hand-in-hand with investments in personnel training to maximize impact. Human supervision of data structuring, AI output quality control, and other tech-driven operations remains essential. 

 

Engaging Diverse Workforces with Language Services

The digital transformation of manufacturing has as much to do with workforce engagement as it does production. Since employee turnover remains a top concern this year, per a 2024 National Association of Manufacturers survey of member companies, leaders are seeking ways to overcome the curse of frequent turnover. If your workforce is linguistically diverse, manufacturing translation services (including highly efficient, technology-led solutions) can assist with enhancing communication and engagement.

A strategic effort to bridge language barriers can help staff feel valued and heard, encouraging and empowering individuals to do their best work. Plus, when companies invest meaningfully in their employees over the long term, they are more likely to receive positive word-of-mouth referrals that enhance employer brand perceptions. It is difficult to track attribution, but investments in a positive workplace reputation can not only help attract high quality employees, but retain them, too.

 

Top Benefits of Manufacturing Translation Services

In summary, manufacturing translation services offer the following benefits in 2025:  

  1. Employee engagement: Remote interpretation services offer significant cost savings while providing employees with what they need to communicate and comprehend essential safety information. Affirming interpreted messaging with translated, localized training materials and safety instructions will enhance compliance and comprehension.
  2. Increased capacity: Technical manual translation and other training content can help drum up additional productivity without overtaxing budgets.
  3. Volume discounts for consolidated partnerships: When considering a comprehensive partnership across the organization, leading LSPs can often provide a volume discount. This financial benefit also leads to increased quality and consistency, as a manufacturer can count on its LSP leveraging the same translation memory for content, regardless of plant location.

 

Develop Your Manufacturing Translation Services Partnership

Don’t allow your investments in technical manuals and plant documentation to stop short of reaching your multilingual staff. When language barriers are present, and those responsible for high-volume tasks have a limited English-speaking proficiency, technical manual and plant documentation translation creates the opportunity for all employees to contribute effectively, leading to better overall production efficiency.

Ready to build your comprehensive manufacturing translation services partnership? Piedmont Global offers translation, localization, and interpreting solutions for global manufacturing enterprises in over 200 languages and regional varieties. 

Read our eBook and contact Piedmont Global to learn more. 

8 Tips for Utilities to Choose the Right Language Services Provider

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

Utilities must balance safety, cost-effectiveness, and energy efficiency in their daily operations. Partnering with a Strategic Globalization Organization (SGO) who shares these values is crucial. This collaboration can develop a multilingual communications program that drives organizational growth, enhances service delivery, and allows utilities to embrace the latest energy trends with exceptional transparency.

Choosing the right partner and adopting a strategic approach to language access are key to meeting regulations and achieving business goals. Here are some tips for selecting the right provider:

 

1. Evaluate the Partner’s Background and Experience in the Utilities Sector

When selecting a language services provider, consider their industry expertise, knowledge of state and federal energy regulations, and commitment to environmentally-friendly initiatives. A provider well-versed in these areas ensures compliance, offers innovative solutions, and contributes to sustainability.

Piedmont Global has extensive experience providing language solutions to utility companies such as Washington Gas, Dominion Energy, and Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC), as well as government agencies and other commercial clients. We also recognize and value sustainability in the sector.

 

2. Consider the Partner’s Ability to Accommodate the Languages Spoken in Your Territory

Inquire about the SGO’s cultural competence in working inclusively and sensitively with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) communities. This includes their experience in effective communication, understanding cultural nuances, and providing accessible language services.

Piedmont Global frequently hires linguists who are local to the communities we serve. As a full-service SGO, we offer diverse, customizable solutions in over 200 languages and dialects. Our experts are trained in the nuances of the utilities sector and are embedded in various service territories.

 

3. Review the SGO’s Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) Processes

These processes may involve everything from vetting and training staff to proofreading multilingual content and ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Effective management ensures that the provider delivers high-quality, culturally appropriate services that meet the diverse needs of LEP communities.

Piedmont Global operates with a robust ISO 9001:2015 Certified Quality Management System (QMS) that exceeds both ISO and ASTM International standards for the provision of language services. Our pool of 5,000+ language professionals are trained in this and continually honor these standards.

 

4. Assess the SGO’s Commitment to Data Security Since Not all Technologies are Created Equal

From translation requests to document management services, compliance, security, and efficiency are essential. This ensures that operations are streamlined, sensitive information is safeguarded, and services are delivered promptly and accurately.

Piedmont Global takes customer privacy and data security seriously. We proudly offer NIST 800-171-compliant network infrastructure, distribute non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to all personnel, and facilitate annual security refresher trainings.

 

5. Evaluate the Partner’s Ability to Ensure Timely Communication During Critical Situations

Multilingual communications must be immediate (especially in emergency or extreme weather situations). For example, during a hurricane, providing real-time updates in multiple languages ensures that all residents, including those with limited English proficiency, receive crucial information to stay safe and take necessary precautions.

Piedmont Global can accommodate fast turnarounds and offer language services in real-time. We work as efficiently as possible – and leverage technology as needed – to serve clients.

 

6. Consider if the SGO Can Provide Cost-Effective Language Solutions

Multilingual communications must be cost-effective and deliver measurable ROI, even for smaller utilities with tighter operating budgets. Investing in efficient language services ensures broad reach in multilingual markets and justifies the investment through clear, quantifiable benefits such as improved customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Piedmont Global offers a high return on investment, with translation and interpretation work that can save lives – and reduce the need for emergency services – in the energy sector.

 

7. Assess if the SGO Understands the Specific Needs of the Energy Utilities Industry

Multilingual communications must be tailored to the energy utilities industry. This ensures that technical terms and industry-specific information are accurately conveyed, enabling all customers to understand their energy usage, billing, and available services regardless of their language proficiency.

Piedmont Global has a deep understanding of the sector’s evolution and core variances, from regional differences to the operational nuances of different utility providers.

 

8. Determine if the SGO Project Management Capabilities Ensure Customized and Accurate Communication

Multilingual communications must be clear, accurate, and personalized. This improves customer satisfaction, builds trust, and improves engagement, all while meeting regulatory requirements and fostering inclusivity.

Piedmont Global offers client-centric project management and delivery, with a dedicated project manager assigned to each energy utility client. This promotes a customized approach.

 

Ensure Language Access With Piedmont Global

Piedmont Global is a leading provider of translation, interpretation, and language training solutions in over 200 languages and regional varieties. In emergencies or extreme weather situations, multilingual communications must be immediate. Piedmont Global can accommodate fast turnarounds and provide real-time solutions. We work efficiently and leverage technology to serve clients effectively. Contact our team to explore how our language services, tools, resources, and expertise can help energy utilities achieve their language access goals.

5 Steps to Building a Language Access Plan in the Energy Sector

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

The energy sector is constantly evolving—structurally, environmentally, and demographically. In the United States, approximately 3,000 electric utility companies deliver power to over 140 million customers each year. Over 68 million U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home and 29.6 million of these people have limited English proficiency (LEP).

Though utility providers value consumer experience, far too many overlook their non-English-speaking clientele. When resources and information are unavailable in a person’s spoken language, the customer struggles to read the provider’s website or communicate with a call center agent. As a result, problems around loyalty, engagement, and safety ensue.

Language access plans are integral to serving LEP communities—allowing utility companies to support their members, prioritize consumer welfare, and adequately communicate with all of their customers.

 

How to Develop Your Language Access Plan

Designing a language access plan requires careful coordination. Utilities should take the following steps to build their own:

 

1. Plan Carefully

Start by evaluating your current language access capabilities. An expert language access consultant can help evaluate your needs. If you don’t currently have a program or plan in place, identify the need based on the language requirements of the people within your service territory.

Think about the size of your energy utility, the market you serve, and the events you experience in your region. For example, providers in Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, the Carolinas, and Georgia will need to integrate hurricane season into their language access plans. Providers always have the option to survey their community to assess demand.

Piedmont Global has extensive experience providing language solutions to utility companies like Washington Gas, Dominion Energy, and Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC), as well as government agencies and other commercial clients. We deeply understand the sector’s evolution and core differences, including regional variations and the operational nuances of various utility providers.

 

2. Develop Localized Translation and Interpretation Services

Utility companies are more likely to reach new customers by offering translation, interpretation, and similar language access services. Consider the language needs of your primary market. The City of Minneapolis, for example, identified Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Vietnamese, Amharic, Lao, and Oromo as core languages in its 2015 Language Access Plan.

Interpretation: This is crucial for utility call centers when non-English-speaking consumers call about billing, energy plans, or emergencies. Call centers with language interpretation services see 35.67% higher FCR rates. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) offers free interpreter services for public hearings, presentations, and meetings.

Translation: Utilities must provide key documents and materials—including invoices, service notices, and safety insights with contact numbers for drilling or digging—in the languages spoken by LEP communities within their service territory. These translated materials must be free and readily available.

Localization: Energy utilities should localize all digital content, including websites, software, and user documentation. Why does this matter? A 2020 CSA Research survey found that 76% of shoppers prefer to buy from websites available in their native language. Shopping for an energy utility company is no different.

 

3. Train Staff to Support Consumers With LEP

Energy utilities can incentivize bilingual staff to work for their organization. Consider partnering with a designated language service provider (LSP) to improve training and support consumers with low English proficiency.

An LSP offers specialized training programs for your staff, equipping them with the skills needed to better serve diverse populations. This collaboration enhances customer satisfaction, ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, and bolsters the utility’s reputation for inclusivity and accessibility.

 

4. Roll Out Your Multilingual Communication Strategy

Carefully consider the timeframes, milestones, and stakeholders involved in this process.  Prioritize targeted outreach to connect with LEP customers who will benefit most from multilingual language access. Localized SMS notifications, and partnerships with government agencies, are equally effective marketing techniques.

It is crucial to roll out a thorough and effective program rather than rushing the process. Consumer safety, transparency, and access to the energy grid are paramount. This ensures that all customers, regardless of language proficiency, have the information they need to stay safe, understand their utility services, and fully participate in the benefits provided by the energy grid.

 

5. Focus on Continuous Improvement

Utilities should plan to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their language access programs. To do this, utilities may choose to collect feedback (from consumers and stakeholders), examine customer multilingual usage data, and conduct annual surveys to pinpoint areas for improvement.

Staying up-to-date on demographic changes in the service territory is essential. By monitoring shifts in the population, language services can be adjusted to meet the needs of the LEP populations being served. This proactive approach ensures that services remain relevant and effective, accommodating any new language needs that may arise as demographics evolve.

 

Ensure Language Access With Piedmont Global

A well-designed language access plan enables consumers with low English proficiency to communicate with customer support, ask questions confidently, and safely navigate outages and emergencies.

Piedmont Global is a leading provider of translation, interpretation, and language training solutions in over 200 languages and regional varieties. In emergencies or extreme weather situations, multilingual communications must be immediate. Piedmont Global can accommodate fast turnarounds and provide real-time solutions. We work efficiently and leverage technology to serve clients effectively. Contact our team to explore how our tools, resources, and expertise can help energy utilities achieve their language access goals.