Category: Blog

The Voices in the Room: Why Language Access Matters

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

There’s clarity that only comes when you’re in the room.

On March 25, we attended the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) briefing, Language Access for Individuals with Limited English Proficiency. We had read the agenda. We had seen the talking points. But nothing prepared us for the raw honesty of the testimony shared. For those who only watched the livestream, it is hard to convey how charged, human, and deeply personal the testimony felt in that room.

We didn’t testify—we were there to listen. As leaders in language operations and technology, we felt a responsibility to bear witness, reflect on what it means for our industry, and ask how we can do more.

As we sat listening, one thing was undeniably clear: Language access isn’t a nice-to-have or a bureaucratic box to check. It’s a public safety imperative. A moral obligation. And yes, a business issue.

 

A Personal Reflection: Clare

For me, it was deeply personal. I’m relatively new to the language access world—but I’m not new to what it feels like to be in a room where language is a barrier to belonging. As I sat, notebook in hand, memories came flooding back of the neighborhood I grew up in, where neighbors didn’t always share a language but shared everything else: meals, rides, childcare, laughter. I thought of my mom, who often stepped in to interpret for our neighbor, Aritza. She helped her navigate everything from coordinating with city maintenance workers to communicating with healthcare providers and law enforcement.

At the time, I saw it simply as neighborly support. But sitting in the hearing, I understood it differently. The burden of trying to make your world understandable without the right tools and support suddenly felt much heavier. Especially when I heard story after story of children interpreting for their parents in emergencies or translating complex forms at school. The emotional toll and the responsibility are too much for anyone, let alone a child.

As Ms. Tran reminded us during her testimony, “Interpreting is a specialized skill—one that requires training, accuracy, and cultural sensitivity. It’s not something you can ask someone to do just because they happen to speak the language.”

 

A Personal Reflection: Gilbert

From a basic accessibility lens, this is a failure to understand fundamental needs and requirements. If we’re not delivering the message clearly, consistently, and equitably, then we’re not solving the problem—we’re compounding it.

Poor design in communication isn’t just frustrating, it doesn’t just cost money; it’s dangerous. If you don’t build language access into civic interfaces from the start, you’re designing for failure. It’s not enough to simply translate a message. We have to deliver it in a way that is clear, unambiguous, in context, and accessible, whether that’s a posted evacuation plan, a courtroom proceeding, or a parent-teacher meeting. Language access isn’t a bolt-on feature. It has to be part of the blueprint. The consequences of mislabelling something are universally bad, and all languages and people deserve it; the collective costs are far outweighed by the modest investment in language access. It’s an investment in the community–we heard repeatedly that it’s not just about speaking their language, but in understanding their story. True access comes when communities shape the message, not just receive it.

It also struck me how often the children as interpreters came up—not just as witnesses to their parents’ struggle, but as participants, carrying burdens they should never have to bear. It’s a sign of quiet desperation when a child becomes a system’s last line of defense.

 

Stories of Barriers, Advocacy, and Solutions

 

When Translation Isn’t Enough: The Call for Meaningful Access

Mr. Lynip, a teacher and advocate in Richland School District in Columbia, South Carolina, spoke not just about tools or technology—but about the gap between communication and comprehension. And how students suffer when families are unheard.

He challenged the Commission to take seriously a term in its own mission statement: meaningful access.

“It’s not just a matter of having translated or interpreted materials. Parental voice has to be meaningful. It has to be loud enough for us to hear.”

Bryan Lynip, ESL Teacher at Richland School District One

He shared real stories of students:

  • A student delayed for over a year in receiving educational testing because the family couldn’t navigate the system.
  • A child who missed two weeks of school—not because of illness or truancy, but because her family didn’t know that having a scheduled vaccination appointment was enough to attend.
  • A young girl placed in fourth grade against her mother’s wishes—only to discover later that the child had missed the first two years of school entirely.

These weren’t translation problems. They were listening problems. Design problems. System problems.

However, Mr. Lynip also offered hope, pointing to local innovations like Healthy Learners, a program that eliminates healthcare access barriers by transporting students directly to appointments. He called for more intentional collaboration—across hospitals, schools, civic groups—to remove friction points and build systems where families are seen, heard, and served.

 

“She’s Only Nine Years Old”

Ms. Tran, an attorney at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, shared her personal story and professional perspective.

As the child of Cambodian refugees, she often served as an interpreter for her parents in legal, medical, and emergency settings. One memory stood out:

“A police officer entered my family’s restaurant and asked my mother to interpret for a man outside. She explained she couldn’t leave the counter—she was the only one working. The officer pointed at me and said, ‘Well, what about her?’ My mother, in disbelief, replied, ‘No, she’s only nine years old.’”

Chi-Ser Tran, Supervising Attorney at Community Legal Services

Ms. Tran wasn’t forced to go outside that night—but she recalled many times she did interpret as a child, witnessing situations she never should have been part of.

“This experience is not atypical for children of people with limited English proficiency. It is still happening today.”

Chi-Ser Tran, Supervising Attorney at Community Legal Services

Professionally, Ms. Tran now leads language access advocacy work and represents individuals with disabilities navigating Social Security. She shared the ways in which inconsistent, unreliable interpretation services can derail an already difficult process—like the story of her client Kay, who was forced to testify in English due to audio issues with her Vietnamese interpreter. The hearing had already taken six months to schedule. Kay complied rather than risk another delay.

“The failure to provide reliable interpretation services resulted in wasted time and resources, and placed an undue burden on K—adding frustration and anxiety to an already stressful process.”

Chi-Ser Tran, Supervising Attorney at Community Legal Services

Ms. Tran’s message was clear: this is not a one-off. These are recurring systemic failures. Her recommendations emphasized the need for stronger legal protections, faster complaint resolution, and the kind of enforcement that makes civil rights real.

 

A Personal Mission, Made Professional

Ms. Muñoz, a compliance officer at DHR Health, didn’t just talk about policy—she talked about people. And she brought her whole self to the room.

“This is personal… My commitment to serving my community has been a lifelong hobby.”

Elizabeth Muñoz, Compliance Officer at DHR Health

Raised along the U.S.–Mexico border, Ms. Muñoz shared her journey—interpreting for families in her community, supporting students with disabilities, and now overseeing ADA and language access services for a healthcare system that serves nearly 2 million people.

She spoke not only about the emotional weight of language access, but about the practical infrastructure her team has put in place—bilingual staff, in-house interpreters, proficiency assessments, community education, and multi-tiered language support. Spanish-language services are built into their staffing model and budget planning.

“Language access is a fundamental part of delivering quality healthcare. Effective communication empowers patients to make informed decisions—improving both outcomes and overall well-being.”

Elizabeth Muñoz, Compliance Officer at DHR Health

Even in a region where Spanish is dominant, Ms. Muñoz emphasized the importance of preparing for less common languages and continually expanding access tools. Her testimony was a reminder that doing this work right takes intention, empathy, and investment. And when done right—it works.

 

“They Don’t Just Translate Words. They Save Lives.”

Ms. de la Iglesia, Director of Language and Accessibility Services at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, has spent nearly two decades working at the intersection of language and care. But her testimony started with something more personal:

“As an immigrant to this country 25 years ago—without language—I experienced firsthand what it is and how it feels.”

Silvina de la Iglesia, Director of Language and Accessibility Services at Mount Sinai Health System

At Mount Sinai, her team supports patients speaking over 800 languages. Her integrated, multi-modal approach includes in-person interpreters, phone and video services, embedded technology, and written translations.

“Interpreters are critical. They don’t just translate words. They save lives.”

Silvina de la Iglesia, Director of Language and Accessibility Services at Mount Sinai Health System

She spoke of interpreters facilitating surgeries, transplants, and end-of-life conversations. Despite the ongoing challenges—especially for rare languages and patients with disabilities—her message was clear:

“This work speaks to our shared humanity—and our belief that every person deserves to be heard, in their own language, in their own moment.”

Silvina de la Iglesia, Director of Language and Accessibility Services at Mount Sinai Health System

 

Designing for Dignity: Native Language Access

Ms. Allison Neswood, Senior Staff Attorney at the Native American Rights Fund and citizen of the Navajo Nation, reminded us that language access is not one-size-fits-all.
Many Native languages are unwritten, have multiple dialects, or lack direct translations for complex concepts. That demands more than forms—it demands partnership.

“When my community members need to speak about something personal or important, they shift back into Navajo.”

Allison Neswood, Senior Staff Attorney at the Native American Rights Fund

She urged the Commission to build systems that reflect cultural understanding, designed in collaboration with Native communities—not just for accuracy, but for dignity. Her testimony reinforced something we’ve heard across many communities:

“Language access isn’t just a service—it’s a signal of respect.”

Allison Neswood, Senior Staff Attorney at the Native American Rights Fund

 

The Business Case: Often Overlooked

Lack of language access doesn’t just harm individuals. It breaks systems. 

It increases risk. It drives up costs. It slows emergency response. It adds friction to every interaction.

At the briefing, Dr. Bill Rivers, a linguist and national leader in language access policy, laid out the real-world operational gaps that persist—especially at the local level. While legal protections are in place, implementation is inconsistent. Schools, healthcare systems, and municipal agencies are often overwhelmed, under-resourced, and facing a patchwork of languages spoken by small populations. 

“This isn’t just about refraining from discrimination—Language access is much more like provision of access under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It requires proactive action. We have to do something. That means extending resources, investing in infrastructure, and doing the hard work of designing for access.”

Bill Rivers, Language Legislation Expert

That “something” means building access into the design of our systems—not bolting it on as an afterthought. It means recognizing that miscommunication isn’t just inefficient—it can create risk, delays, and breakdowns in service delivery.

The industry has the capacity to meet the need—350+ languages, 24/7, often in under two minutes. But systems must be in place to take advantage of it. Without that infrastructure, even the best language providers can’t close the gap.

The reality is that when language isn’t a given, communication must be intentional.

That’s the work we do every day—creating access on purpose. And in a moment like this, when responsibility for language access is increasingly shifting to state and local levels, our role becomes even more vital.

We’re not just enabling compliance. We’re helping systems work—efficiently, equitably, and safely.

 

The Call Forward

We didn’t just walk away with notes. We brought the stories back to our teams, to our clients, and to our company roadmap.

We’re working with school districts, hospitals, and public agencies to build solutions that don’t just comply—they connect.

We’re building systems that reduce risk, improve trust, and reach people in the language they understand.

We’re not waiting on a perfect policy. We’re moving with clarity and urgency.

Because this work doesn’t belong to one party, one agency, or one industry. It belongs to all of us.

We’ll be listening. And we’ll keep building what’s next.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights briefing highlighted the real-world impact of language barriers across education, healthcare, and public services. For educators, these challenges are especially pressing. If you’re an educator located in the DMV area, join us at our second annual Language Access Symposium to explore solutions, share experiences, and collaborate on building more inclusive schools where every student and family is heard. Among others, you’ll hear from Mark Byrne, Jason Velasco, and Bill Rivers on the future of language access in K-12 education.

The Role of Language Access in Crisis Response: Lessons from the Field

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

When crises are unfolding, language barriers can be deadly. Without timely communication and comprehension, at-risk and crisis-affected populations can experience worse outcomes, and humanitarian teams are inhibited from responding comprehensively to real-time needs.

For these reasons and more, language access plays a critical role in crisis response. Nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in diverse regions rely on humanitarian interpreters, cultural mediators, and translators to bridge communication differences, navigate cultural nuances, and act with sensitivity and professionalism. Here is how the essential (but often invisible) work of linguists directly supports capacity-building for teams operating in the field, along with lessons learned to enhance future crisis response.

 

How Language Access Acts as a Capacity-Building Tool in Crisis Response

To quote Translators without Borders: “Information in the wrong language is useless.” Effective communication, whether proactive, timely, or post-event, is the foundation of crisis response, enabling teams to act in accordance with priorities. When accurate communication is not accessible as a result of language barriers, a higher rate of fatalities, suffering, damages, and other harms is likely to occur. Language access supports the purpose of crisis response by providing the means to disseminate information, in the right languages, to save lives and protect human dignity.

Language access also aids capacity-building by empowering the people on the ground to gain a more comprehensive situational understanding, track statuses, and share actionable updates with headquarters for fundraising and mobilization. Language access enables more efficient and effective direct services delivery to aid affected communities and partner with other response agencies. Finally, language access allows field teams to identify when they need to pivot out or adapt their response approach.

For example, as it fights to maintain its independence, Ukraine has garnered broad support from the international community, and its population has suffered greatly. Humanitarian interpreters and cultural mediators from around the world have been called upon to bridge communication. CLEAR Global, an international leader that facilitates global communication, offers a toolkit to align field workers with the resources they need to communicate with Ukrainians impacted by violence.

One key finding from the toolkit is Ukraine’s broad multilingualism. According to Ukraine’s 2001 census, 20 languages are spoken within its borders. It is well known that at least one third of Ukraine’s population speaks Russian, but populations that often go overlooked include an estimated 150,000 to 400,000 Roma, who may speak Romani as a first language. Thousands more speak Crimean Tatar, Bulgarian, or Hungarian. Without this important data, aid programs may fail to reach some of Ukraine’s most vulnerable communities.

It serves as an important reminder to pursue demographic data to aid in decision-making about field staffing and language access. In many cases, high-conflict zones will affect marginalized populations who speak minority languages. While up-to-date census information is not always readily available in these situations, field teams can source real-time feedback to identify the appropriate language access resources for a given situation, leveraging virtual interpreters and mediators to bridge needs in the interim.

 

What Does Crisis Response Look Like without Language Access?

When crisis teams operate without the support of expert linguists that reflect a region’s diverse linguistic makeup, the reach and potential for impact are lessened. In this context, humanitarian teams would be operating based on a diminished understanding of the populations they intend to serve and support. This can be damaging to credibility and halt trust-building efforts.

Life-saving information, including medical care, trauma counseling, food distribution events, pop-up shelters, and relocation services may not reach the vulnerable groups who would benefit most. Additionally, authorities and watch groups would be limited in their access to witness testimony, which is detrimental to defending human rights or prosecuting perpetrators down the line.

Community interpreters play an important role to bridge needs when trained linguists are not available. That said, for privacy and professionalism’s sake, there are use cases where trained third parties can offer enhanced support, particularly in trauma-informed cases.

 

Interpreting and Translation as Harm Reduction

Trauma shuts people down. Information on war crimes and human rights attacks, such as mass killings, forced labor, child soldier enlistment, child marriage, and sexual violence, is hard to ascertain even in the best of conditions. Trauma-informed interpreting is essential in these cases and must be grounded in cultural understanding, nuance, and sensitivity. Interpreters must act in accordance with international law and local culture, navigating the very real fears of social, financial, or legal repercussions for reporting crimes. Gaining (and retaining) trust is essential.

This is why working with local humanitarian-trained linguists, whenever possible, makes a difference. This approach also contributes to harm reduction by avoiding unnecessary retraumatization due to poor communication or non-adherence to trauma-informed interpreting norms. Field teams landing in a new context may lack cultural understanding, and communities may rightfully be wary of outsiders. Local cultural mediators not only support credibility, but they also can help local citizens reach a better mutual understanding of a humanitarian field team’s presence and purpose, which can help enhance trust with crisis-affected communities.

When local linguists are not available, as is sometimes the case, be sure your approach meets affected populations on a peer level. To build credibility, responders that effectively and swiftly bridge language gaps are better positioned to earn trust by those affected by the crisis, by local authorities leading response, and by governmental, intergovernmental, or partner NGO agencies. Doing so can save more lives and begin the healing process sooner. 

 

Where Has Language Access Made a Difference in Crisis Response?

In conflict zones, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Ukraine, interviewing women and children or others about human rights abuses requires culturally sensitive, effective interpreting. This approach allows crisis responders to ascertain what happened, gather defensible evidence, prepare a response, and bring perpetrators to justice. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague needs these carefully secured and preserved testimonies to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Language access is essential for local crises, too. The 2025 Los Angeles wildfires demonstrated an urgent need for better multilingual disaster communications. A recent study led by UCLA and the AAPI Equity Alliance found that more than 12,000 Asian Americans with limited English proficiency resided in Los Angeles County’s four evacuation zones. However, most evacuation alerts and recovery programs were provided in English and Spanish only.

 

Lessons Learned: Improving Language Access for Future Crisis Response

With the threat of future disasters looming large, the AAPI Equity Alliance is calling on LA County to expand multilingual disaster preparedness, with an emphasis on Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and the dozens of other Asian languages spoken in the region. Globally, as migration driven by climate change and conflict causes widespread displacement, relief agencies will need to factor in language access to enhance the effectiveness of relocation support efforts.

When the next pandemic or epidemic breaks out, deploying effective public health communications in all spoken languages will be key to avoiding contamination and saving lives. We learned key lessons this decade and the last. For example, health authorities responding to the most recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa disseminated hygiene, vaccination, and treatment information via written and oral communications in French, and later, an international form of Swahili. It was a missed opportunity to reach rural districts in their regional dialects and curb the outbreak sooner, as many communities did not understand this live-saving messaging.

Technology provides an opening to address these key learnings and enhance preparedness. Through our experiences in the field, PGLS has witnessed firsthand that commercial language technology may not work for humanitarian use cases. Current models are not necessarily available in the right variants for crisis-affected communities, rarely account for how second-language speakers use contact languages in real life, and may not be adopted due to varying tech literacy rates. More localization of the solutions must be done.

Data, inclusion of minority language speakers, and coordination with local resources can maximize the effectiveness of crisis response tech. By aligning humanitarian organizations, marginalized language speakers, and language technologists, PGLS is bringing advanced solutions to the field, including a language identifier and an on-demand translation tool for humanitarian missions.

In addition to providing scalable, tech-driven language solutions that adapt to the evolving needs of vulnerable populations, PGLS also spearheads a training program, Piedmont Academy. As part of our nonprofit foundation, PGLS Cares, Piedmont Academy embodies our human-first philosophy by empowering local interpreters and translators to handle language needs in large-scale operations. With talent and tech combined, we can improve the effectiveness of relief efforts while respecting the linguistic and cultural identity of impacted populations.

Learn more about how PGLS supports our nonprofit/NGO partners with language access services, and join us on LinkedIn to keep the conversation going.

Developing Effective Curricula for English Learner Students with Jose Torres

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

The Language Access Lectern | a Piedmont Global Podcast | Episode 5

Comprehensive language access is about more than interpreting services. Teachers play a crucial role in developing tailored curricula for English Learner (EL) students. K-12 Language Access Consultant Mark Byrne spoke with Jose Torres of Baltimore City Public Schools about the importance of role models in the classroom and educational materials that meet the unique needs of secondary English learners. 

You can listen to episode 5 of the Language Access Lectern here. Keep reading for a recap of Mark and Jose’s engaging conversation, which emphasizes the power of innovation in education.

 

Answering the Call to Serve English Learner Students

Mark: What brought you to this point in your career as an educator and advocate for English Learner students?

Jose: I’m from a migrant family. My parents and siblings all used to travel as farm workers, tomato pickers, or line pickers for whatever was in season. There were eight of us, and all of my siblings were born in different states. I guess it was instilled in me as a child that you go where the need is.

I’m a teacher and have spent well over two decades working with English learners. I’m originally from South Florida, where the predominant language is Spanish. I moved to Baltimore in 2006 because there was a demand for bilingual instructors like myself. I started working in the refugee centers and community college.

Mark: That’s a very courageous thing to do, to put yourself where you’re needed.

Jose: As the youngest of eight, my mother instilled in me from a young age that I had to finish high school and get an education. I like to tell my students my story and show that I came up in a similar situation as they did. You can do something more, but you need an education—don’t throw this opportunity away, because there is a bigger world out there.

Mark: Sometimes, we take opportunities for granted, so it’s great to hear how your family has pushed you forward. Now, you’re taking those same lessons and applying them to your students.

Jose: Back to why I moved here. I think our students from a predominantly Hispanic population need to see people in teachers’ positions because there’s that whole adage about seeing somebody who resembles me in leadership. More importantly, building those relationships with the students, and not just making it about your race or skin color, can help them make the best of their opportunities.

Mark: Self-belief is a big part of that. If you don’t believe in yourself, you’ll have a hard time running through the wall that’s blocking you.

Jose: When you don’t have much growing up, you have to make use of what is around you. I try to tell students that maybe there are financial struggles at home, parents are at work a lot, but what do you have around you? Homework assignments, projects… Don’t turn away from that. Build on them and get something out of it. When you’re older, you’ll be able to put that in your toolbox. Language acquisition is a tremendous tool.

 

Writing a Textbook to Meet the Needs of English Learners

Mark: Talk to me about what inspired you to put pen to paper and build a textbook to support language acquisition for English Learners.

Jose: Working in refugee centers and the community college, I was around students who resembled my parents. I saw how they would struggle, and the books we used were inadequate. I’m putting it very kindly. I remember asking the director of the college where I worked, can you get us better books? Because these books are—and I don’t mean to sound rude—but they are no good. They’re not serving the language skills these students need at the very basic level.

He kind of joked about it, saying if you don’t like these books, then make your own. Well, be careful who you say that to. I went home, thought about it…and you know what? Maybe I will write my own book.

I reached out to an old professor for advice and started experimenting. It turns out, when teaching adults phonics and the accompanying image is aimed for children, it is somewhat insulting. I started grabbing different images and noticed adult students becoming more engaged. Then, I started collecting data and linking it to assessment scores. Sure enough, when we compared those numbers with the sample groups, we could see a difference. The college was sold on it, saying I had solved one of the big issues they faced. Then, I presented it and received an achievement grant to publish and print it.

Mark: How many were you able to print at the start? What does the business of textbook publishing look like?

Jose: I showed the prototype, then the college bought hundreds of copies.

 

Adapting to Virtual Learning with EL Students

Mark: How many versions of the textbook have you produced over the years?

Jose: The first edition came out in 2016. We were riding on that for a few years, and then the pandemic hit. Everything stopped, and everything hit rock bottom. As instructors, we had to evolve what we were doing when school went virtual.

Mark: Education was certainly impacted by the pandemic. Do you think there are silver linings from the experience with COVID-19, or do you think or is that was lost time?

Jose: Remember what I was telling you earlier? When I was a kid, I had to make use of what I had. This is an ongoing theme that I share with my students. Having to rely on virtual classes and doing things online changed the game. The first edition book, which was great for its run, did not fit into this new online world, so I had to create a second edition that goes with virtual learning.

I decided to create a video component that goes with it. All the major activities in this textbook have video components with individual QR codes on the pages. So, if a student is going to practice pronunciation, a sentence, or a conversation, they use their smartphones, and the QR code takes them right to the video. Teachers don’t have to sit there and try to find a website or a link; they can just use that QR code.

Students can practice independently at home. A student might hit snags, and they feel like the whole class is leaving them behind. Now, with these QR codes, they don’t have to feel like they’re falling behind. They can always go back and keep working on things.

This second edition came out in 2024, so it took me about two or three years to put it together.

Mark: What would be the most inspiring piece of feedback you’ve gotten over the years?

Jose: Teachers using the book say it’s refreshing to work with materials created by a teacher who’s actually using their own stuff. A lot of times, as teachers, we get handed these books and materials from higher-ups who probably haven’t sniffed a classroom in 20 years. I’m just a working teacher in the classroom every single day, so when I hear that from other teachers, it’s nice to know. 

 

Listen, watch, and subscribe to The Language Access Lectern on YouTube and piedmontglobal.com. Learn more about interpreting, translation, and K-12 language access planning services from Piedmont Global.

Innovation in Language Services: Acquisitions, Value Chain Consolidation, and the Influence of AI

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

Language service providers (LSPs) are adapting to the rapid changes in the market driven by the advent of large language models (LLMs) and the increasing commoditization of language tools beyond Google Translate. Natural language processing and Machine Translation (MT) have both seen explosive growth in the last five years, with ChatGPT-like products becoming increasingly mainstream and integrated into mainstream authoring tools, search engines, and even consumers’ phones. Technology that was standardized by a few cloud providers just a few years ago is now able to be built by smaller teams and specialized to solve specific customer needs. While the increased sophistication of LLMs had initially raised doubts, LSP industry growth now hinges on the capacity for these tools to transform the value chain.

As a result, our industry is at a turning point. Due to significant fragmentation, the top 100 LSPs account for just 20.5 percent of the industry, per Nimdzi. There is ample opportunity for consolidation. Nimdzi maintains its prediction that the LSP market will sustain a CAGR of seven percent, achieving a $95.3 billion valuation by 2028. Growth is expected to remain concentrated among the business models enjoying the highest demand: interpreting-focused firms, media localization, and those embracing tech-first solutions. Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity reflects these trends.

Given the fragmentation of the market, especially in key regions such as Africa, there is a slower than expected growth rate for providing services to a growing population and economic powerhouse. It’s not just one location, but it’s indicative of how the scattered allocation of resources in the 19th century language services model persists to this very day. With the advent of new technologies, many locales can leap-frog over the gradual and procedural advance and go straight to large language models and newer methods without the decades of investment and millions of dollars of cost.

Here are our top observations about the continued transformation of the LSP value chain, driven by AI and M&A activity.

 

Mergers, Acquisitions, and Funding

In 2025 and onward, the language services industry will continue to trend towards consolidation. According to Slator, the leading categories of acquisition transactions in recent years involve media localization, interpreting, and sign language accessibility services. What’s driving these purchases is the strategic expansion of in-house capabilities in the areas of increasing demand.

In-house capabilities are increasingly favored over a contracted services model. To compete, LSPs must be able to pitch more comprehensive services and maintain control over end-product consistency and costs.

With increasing merger and acquisition activity, especially among tech-first business models, the LSPs that embrace advanced solutions are positioned to thrive in the next decade. Buyers face intense cost competition. They demand agile operations and choose partners offering wider work scopes and stronger contracts. Through this strategy, technology cannot supplant the value provided by third-party LSPs, particularly when the tools can be bespoke to industries or even individual, large-volume clients.

 

Tech-Driven Advancements to the LSP Business Model

Generative AI has accelerated the possibilities for language services by increasing volume, capacity, and speed. The challenge is how to leverage these advancements in such a way that does not cannibalize our industry’s value proposition.

For example, large buyers have experimented with developing or purchasing MT tools that bypass LSP involvement. Between 2017 and 2018, Netflix launched Hermes, a content localization platform that onboarded freelance linguists to address the growing demand for global streaming. Netflix ultimately returned to working with its language service partners and closed the platform after just one year, but disintermediation remains a core challenge to language services.

 

Evolving the Value Chain through M&A

From procurement to consolidation: acquisitions are transforming the value chain to bring greater consistency and value to the end customer. By expanding in-house capabilities in media, interpretation, accessibility, and other high-growth areas, LSPs can leverage vertical integration strategy to present a richer offering to existing and new clients.

This industry has been historically slow to adapt. However, large buyers with the capacity to invest in large-scale tools continue asking themselves whether they can fulfill their language service needs internally. High-tech LSPs are the players poised to overcome this tangible threat by offering better and faster AI-driven solutions and more agility in an evolving space. Be it by buying technology or building it in house—see Amazon Web Services and Meta —there are significant investments at play that are not always external products. At many locations, making your own technical stack is an option; albeit one with technical and language difficulties.

There are some risks to this strategy. LSPs and buyers must avoid the pitfalls of buying companies and their technology without understanding capabilities, culture, and core competencies. There is the possibility of acquiring technical debt, unsupportable requirements, or proprietary talent and techniques that do not gel with the acquiring company’s approach.

 

Evolving the LSP Supply Chain

Evolutions in language services are much more nuanced than a race to the bottom on price. On the contrary, the conversation is largely centered on a reevaluation of supply chain management through the lens of M&A strategy. A, as well as the cost of doing business. Does it make more sense to outsource or buy and build in-house?

The LSPs that will thrive in this new era are streamlining their supply chains, reducing costs & overhead, and allocating resources to proprietary AI and advanced technology that elevate the value proposition for the end customer. The key differentiator for these tech-forward LSPs is adaptability, with the tacit understanding that the value chain must be transformed in order to sustain growth.

At Piedmont Global, we are leveraging our expertise and working with researchers to develop new and better ways to serve our customers, so they can reach their audiences, communicate across boundaries, and thrive.

Follow Piedmont Global on LinkedIn for more insights and to join the conversation.

Certified Medical Interpreters vs. AI Translation: What Hospitals Need to Know

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

Before language access was standard practice, limited-English proficient (LEP) patients were found to have longer hospital stays than English-speaking peers who underwent similar procedures and surgeries. Today, language access supports timelier care and more equivalent outcomes. As hospitals continue to drive improvements for LEP patients, can emerging tools such as AI translation be used to bridge communication differences?

AI exhibits significant potential to impact the changing landscape of patient care. In some applications, such as in medical and pharmaceutical research, AI has already led to positive outcomes. However, this technology also has its limitations and remains far from supplanting the role of physicians and nurses in diagnostics and treatment.

The same is true for certified medical interpreters. When evaluating AI tools for language access in a hospital setting, administrators have to weigh the ethics and the possibility of risk. There are a few use cases where AI can offer a scaled solution for language access, particularly when translation services are needed. This does not mean AI is equivalent to the capabilities of human-powered language services, especially for sensitive, confidential conversations with providers.

According to our assessment, certified medical interpreters for hospitals will remain irreplaceable for the foreseeable future. Here’s why.

 

Healthcare AI: Opportunities and Limitations

AI in healthcare presents opportunities to help patients on a larger scale. At the same time, these tools are in their early stages and may introduce new variables that are not well-controlled. Where and when is this emerging tech appropriate for use in a patient-facing setting?

Healthcare administrators are already using AI to streamline repetitive, high-volume tasks, such as billing, insurance, scheduling, and compliance assessments, so long as tools meet HIPAA and privacy requirements. Public health researchers have leveraged AI successfully to screen patient data for early detection or risk factors of certain cancers. Clinicians are increasingly finding value in AI tools that surface data and trends that might go overlooked, which can be useful when making diagnostic and treatment decisions. In drug research and development, AI also has shown promise for identifying new therapy targets and flagging possible adverse interactions.

With these exciting advancements in mind, it is important to consider AI’s limitations. Not enough randomized clinical trials have been conducted to validate the applications of this emerging technology in clinical practice. Further, independent research has found widespread biases towards ethnic and racial minorities in training data, algorithms, and the design of AI tools, which would create more harm than good if replicated on a mass scale. This reality underscores the importance of caution when introducing AI tools into healthcare. Clinicians must remain the primary decision-makers about diagnosis and treatment.

 

Certified Medical Interpreters vs. AI in Healthcare: The Use Case Matters

These insights about healthcare AI can be applied to the context of language access in patient care. Technology has aided in the expansion of language access in hospitals, primarily through virtual remote interpreting (VRI), where LEP patients can see and listen to their interpreter through a device, and the interpreter can see and hear both the provider and patient. By connecting in minutes rather than waiting for an on-site interpreter to become available, more patients and languages are served. AI-powered, human-supervised translation can also be leveraged effectively to benefit patients, especially for scaled, repeated projects, such as translating consent forms, patient summaries, and other important documents.

When communicating with LEP patients, however, the role of certified medical interpreters cannot be replaced with AI tools. The precision, cultural competence, and sensitivity required of medical interpreting exceed AI’s capabilities. If providers have to rely on an imperfect AI tool for conversations with LEP patients, particularly considering AI cannot pick up on non-verbal cues, they become exposed to risk. Missing information from a patient’s history, medication list, or current symptoms may lead to misdiagnosis, adverse outcomes, exposure to malpractice or discrimination lawsuits, or even HIPAA violations if the technology is not compliant.

When integrating new technology into patient care, the use case matters. Just because AI can surface data about patient cases does not mean it should be relied on for diagnoses. Similarly, AI-powered voice interpreting tools may be able to facilitate superficial understanding in low-stakes situations, but that does not mean they are ready to supplant the nuance, capabilities, and judgment of trained interpreters. The risk of errors—and the impact of those errors—are simply too high. Your language access plan should identify clear boundaries for when the use of these tools is permitted or prohibited.

 

Hospital Risk Management: Evaluating AI Tools for Language Access

When creating a hospital language access plan, the role of risk management is to assess and mitigate liability, whether through compliance with non-discrimination laws or ensuring providers are able to communicate effectively with patients. For example, most language access plans already prohibit using patients’ family members as interpreters due to most providers’ inability to assess whether information is being relayed accurately. Also, many LEP patients may be hesitant to share private medical information with family members or friends, especially considering adults who may rely on their children to interpret for them.

Most AI tools will raise red flags with risk management, and for good reason. AI algorithms process large volumes of data to produce the deep insights the technology promises. If the platform is not HIPAA-compliant, ensuring that patient data is not processed outside of the hospital’s data environment, risk management cannot allow it.

Additionally, there is the issue of transparency. A significant challenge is the black-box nature of many AI algorithms. AI models are more likely to make an error, rather than identify they do not know something with certainty, further compounding the challenge. Healthcare providers and risk management professionals alike often struggle to understand how these systems reach their conclusions, leading to hesitancy in trusting and implementing AI-driven recommendations.

If you intend to incorporate AI tools into your language access plan, working with a HIPAA-informed partner can help drive success. Ideally, your partner will strike a balance with investments in emerging technology that are advancing hospital language access capabilities while remaining transparent about the limits of its applications to patient care. They should also be able to provide solutions that align with HIPAA requirements.

 

Evolving Your Hospital’s Language Access Plan

The National Health Law Program analyzed medical malpractice claims involving language barriers that may have led to patient harm. Across 35 claims, insurance carriers paid a collective $2,289,000 in damages or settlements and $2,793,800 in legal fees. The group estimates language access issues comprise 2.5 percent of malpractice lawsuits. This cost far exceeds the expense of investing in language access services, especially considering the efficiencies of video remote interpreting (VRI).

Your language access plan likely already accounts for the risks associated with malpractice lawsuits. Does it also provide strategies to address the risks introduced by AI?

Piedmont Global can help evolve your hospital’s language access plan. Through a consultative approach, our hands-on team can help you identify care gaps in the LEP patient journey, assess and mitigate risk, and clarify technology’s role in language access. You can count on our world-class team of translators and interpreters to handle healthcare-related content with sensitivity, accuracy, and cultural awareness. In over 200 languages and regional varieties, we facilitate patient-provider communication in their preferred language remotely, over-the-phone, over video, and on-site so they can understand and make informed decisions about their care.

Contact us today to learn more, and download our free eBook to create a language access plan for your hospital.

Measuring Success in K-12 Language Access: A Conversation with Mireya Pérez

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

The Language Access Lectern | a Piedmont Global Podcast | Episode 4

As English learner (EL) student populations continue to grow, language access remains an urgent need in K-12 classrooms. In conversation with Mireya Pérez, the interpreting services coordinator for Arlington Public Schools and founder of the Brand the Interpreter podcast, Language Access Consultant Mark Byrne unpacks how schools can improve coordination to help EL students catch up to their peers.

You can listen to the full episode here. Keep reading for a recap of Mark and Mireya’s insightful conversation, which was originally broadcast on Brand the Interpreter.

 

Finding Your “Why” as a Language Access Advocate

Mark: I grew up in a relatively low-income family and struggled a bit when growing up. We didn’t have a lot of opportunities to travel. When I had the opportunity to put myself through college, as part of the mission at Holy Cross, I did a cultural immersion program and found myself in Peru. It made me appreciate the sacrifices that my family made for me. After the immersion program, my language skills were sharper. Mostly, I returned with a sense of gratitude, appreciation, and respect for people and cultures.

Mireya: How did these experiences get you started with language access?

Mark: Nothing really makes me feel as good as I do about positioning language services in a K-12 setting. Language companies across the United States—and globally—don’t focus on K-12 schools as much as they should. Schools get left behind in terms of developing solutions. It’s a great opportunity to advocate for families, multilingual students, school staff, and the interpreters that we work with.

Mireya: When individuals hear language access, they may think about public education and interpreters. We know there is a lot more involved, so I’d like to hear what you are observing, the gaps you’re noticing, and your experiences with language access in schools right now.

Mark: When we talk about language access in schools, it’s about not only expanding the service itself but expanding the knowledge behind the work. As somebody who struggled with their own education, who sat through disciplinary and special education hearings and outplacements, when it became clear you’re not going to be able to make it through the school year, I remember sitting through those meetings not processing what was happening. I’ve sat in that seat and know what it feels like. But I’m also very fortunate in not having a language gap. I had to take remedial math classes, and still went on to earn my four-year diploma and a Master’s degree after that.

When you start thinking about the experience that multilingual families have in the special education realm, engagement is so important. My family was there at all those meetings advocating on my behalf. They got me through to the next level. When there is a language gap, it can be difficult for families to advocate for their students. It’s difficult for the school staff to understand what’s happening at home. At the end of the day, we want to help as educators.

Mireya: What else brought you to this field?

Mark: Another thing that shaped my foundation, understanding of the K-12 space, and how I view language access stems from my experience working with student data at a research and analytics firm. It gave me unique insight into how school leaders think about education and the achievement gaps across different student groups. When you look at multilingual families, you see that very few of them are achieving the student growth rates that their peers are. If we don’t grow those multilingual learners at an accelerated rate, those achievement gaps will continue to exist for years and years.

The business of schools is academic return on investment. It’s not about dollars invested for financial return, like you would think about in a business setting. It’s about dollars invested for student growth.

As I think about the language services space and how we position it, we need to bring resources, training, and an understanding of why we use these services to the end users. We also need to share that story with school leadership, school boards, leaders in the community, and stakeholders and share the impact that language services can make in a K-12 setting.

 

Identifying Gaps in K-12 Language Access

Mireya: In education, there are different layers of administration, and most or all of them are involved in the conversation surrounding language access. In many school districts, for example, language access is fragmented. You’ve got one piece being worked on in one department, and then you’ve got another piece of language access being worked on in a different department. In many situations, those departments don’t speak to one another. 

There are unique school districts with superintendents and board members who understand language access and all its complexities, but it’s very rare. It’s a unicorn. What have you seen in your current role in the education field and having conversations with school leadership?

Mark: I do think there is a lot of curiosity about technology, and always a focus on compliance around state and federal legislation. But language access is not equal in all 50 states. I think there’s a lot more that we can do in schools to support our multilingual families: being more considerate of tools and putting together a comprehensive plan around language access are important.

Schools have a strategic plan, and it relates to growth and buildings and creating different services within the district, but language access is (almost) never a component of that strategic plan. What you mentioned to me was that different departments are disconnected from the work they’re doing to support language access across schools, and that’s part of the conversation that I’m trying to bridge.

If the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand’s doing, then we’re going to have a hard time helping students achieve as much success as they could possibly have. That’s true whether they’re a multilingual family or if they’re a family or student who is Deaf or hard of hearing.

 

Measuring Success in K-12 Language Access

Mireya: How can someone that potentially does not understand language access make the connection to how it needs to work — and its value?

Mark: Academic return on investment is an important component for school leaders to understand. Measuring and quantifying how an investment is impacting students is critical. We need to understand what students can get out of it by taking a look at the data.

Also, when you’re thinking about the role of an interpreter, one of the most important things that we’re trying to do, especially within a special education setting, is establish credibility and trust with the family. As you start talking about outplacement services for families to react to and perhaps allow their students to take advantage of the best of what your district has to offer, you will need to get buy-in from that family. A conversation in broken English is not allowing them to have meaningful participation in their child’s education.

Often, school leaders like to think about the output instead of the impact. They’re concerned with lost time, as you might think about in a manufacturing setting. But when there’s a language barrier between a family and staff, that’s lost time right there.

Say a director at a school district has a family coming in and can’t figure out how to converse with them, and they’re sitting there while the director is trying to figure out a solution; that’s lost time. Consider how many EL students you have across your district and how many interactions they have, and then you start to realize how much lost time can exist and what an incredible bottleneck that is. I only bring this up to reinforce the importance of having a strategic language access plan to train and articulate the who, how, and why of servicing these families. 

Eager to learn more? Listen, watch, and subscribe to The Language Access Lectern on YouTube and piedmontglobal.com. Discover how Piedmont Global approaches interpreting, translation, and K-12 language access planning services here.

Property & Casualty Insurance: Best Practices for Serving LEP Policyholders

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

Of the nearly 30 million Americans identifying as limited-English proficient (LEP), 39 percent are homeowners, per Fannie Mae, and 28.7 percent regularly drive to work, per the 2023 American Community Survey. Whether you advertise to LEP policyholders or not, insurers can expect to work with customers who speak languages other than English at home and may require additional support to communicate effectively.

Claims are complex: ensuring the requirements and details are understood is paramount to success. By ensuring language access services are embedded within claims and customer service workflows, property and casualty insurers have an opportunity to convert and retain a larger share of the LEP market.

Which best practices differentiate P&C insurers from competitors that overlook this particular customer segment? We’ve rounded up actionable tips to level up multilingual service delivery, with the aim of enhancing productivity metrics and sustaining long-term policyholder retention.

 

Best Practices for Multilingual Claims Processing

While most policyholders chase lower costs when switching to a new insurer, a positive experience with claims can deter attrition. Clear communication could make all the difference, particularly when dealing with language barriers.

The United States LEP population continues to rise, exceeding more than 80 percent growth since 1990. Multilingualism has and will persist as a defining factor of American society, and the insurers who engage these customer segments effectively will be poised for growth.

A separate, climate-driven reality is the increased frequency, severity, and cleanup costs of natural disasters. Reviewing which years saw the largest number of natural disasters (where damages per disaster exceeded $1 billion) reveals that nine occurred in the last ten years. In response, claims adjusters have been expected to increase their velocity, while productivity and customer satisfaction metrics remain under a microscope. Streamlined processes allow these teams to work as diligently and efficiently as possible.

Considering these external factors will continue influencing the policyholder market, the following best practices offer insights to help teams optimize workflows during high volume periods and improve multilingual client service. 

 

Best Practice #1: Map the Claims Process for LEP Policyholders

According to SQM Group, an acceptable average wait time for customer service is 2 minutes or less. Policyholders value their time, and they expect process optimization from established companies.

With that in mind, your company has likely already mapped the claims process for continuous evaluation and improvement. However, does your team have a process map for LEP policyholders that also explains how to deploy language services? By identifying each contact point during the process and aligning it with a language access resource, claims adjusters will know how to act faster and more effectively when on the line with an LEP policyholder. 

 

Best Practice #2: Train Claims and Field Adjusters on Language Access

If claims adjusters and managers don’t know which questions to ask or how to access an over-the-phone (OPI) interpreter, their inquiries from multilingual policyholders will inevitably be more challenging to resolve. By helping adjusters immediately identify if a policyholder needs language access and how to take swift action to get an interpreter on the line, the first notice of loss (FNOL) and follow-up calls can proceed with greater ease.

Similarly, when field adjusters assess damages in person, equipping them with video-enabled devices for virtual remote interpreting (VRI) can enhance comprehension and ensure a swifter, more accurate resolution.

 

Best Practice #3: Create AHT Metrics for Multilingual Claims

Interpreting increases call times. If phone calls with LEP policyholders are measured by the same average handle time (AHT) standard as English-only calls, you might inadvertently foster an environment that disincentivizes agents to provide optimal service to multilingual customers.

Creating AHT metrics specific to LEP claims counters this effect, allowing not only for optimal service, but opportunities to make process improvements.

 

Best Practices for Multilingual Customer Service in P&C Insurance

According to TechTarget, the first call resolution (FCR) rate reveals much about a call center’s performance. If a customer’s needs frequently cannot be resolved at the first point of contact, your call center’s operational efficiency might be lower than it could be. An FCR below 75% indicates room for improvement.

Trained customer service representatives can deploy language services faster, reducing the need for repeat calls, abandoned inquiries, or extra time spent on the line with multilingual policyholders. Here are two key steps you can take to facilitate greater efficiency. 

 

Best Practice #4: Invest in a Multilingual Self-Service Library

Check the trends: which languages other than English do your customers primarily speak? Once the number of customers speaking Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, French, Hmong, or other regionally specific languages reaches critical mass, it might be worth investing in translations of your self-service customer service library.

An efficient way to translate your library is to work with a language service provider specializing in insurance content. Better yet, you can count on maximum efficiency and value if they use AI-powered, linguist-supervised processes.

 

Best Practice #5: Train Call Center Agents on Language Access

Small changes that are broadly propagated can have a major impact on productivity and efficiency. For example, if language access resources are not readily available, or customer service agents have not received sufficient training, remedying this can support higher rates of first–call resolution. Ensuring agents know how to deploy language services and providing them with chat-based and phone-based options for language support can and will move the needle.

 

Interpretation Services for P&C Insurance Companies

Often overlooked and underserved, the LEP policyholder landscape offers significant opportunities for new customer acquisition. However, to attract and retain these new customers, insurers must come prepared with a comprehensive language access plan to achieve uninterrupted service delivery when a claim or inquiry occurs.

Piedmont Global works with enterprise, mid-market, and small P&C insurance companies to elevate multilingual policyholder service, satisfaction, and retention. As your strategic partner, our services help insurers differentiate their offering and provide optimal service through: 

  • Translations, including policy documents, marketing content, chat-based support content, certified documents for court cases, and more 

Are you ready to capture a greater share of the multilingual policyholder market? Schedule a call with one of our experts today.

Humor, Culture, and Streaming: How Comedy Translation and Localization Shape Culture Worldwide

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

As a complex phenomenon that every society shares—but creates and experiences differently—humor is among the most difficult content for translators to adapt successfully into other languages.

What makes the task of translating comedy so challenging? In addition to a required fluency in the source and target languages, the linguist must possess a deep working knowledge of how audiences perceive, understand, and enjoy humor. Writing jokes comes with a particular set of rules and skills, where comedic impact, context, and nuance must take precedence over the specificity of the source text. The end result may have a completely different meaning, but ultimately what matters most is fidelity to the characters, context, and audience.

The process of adapting translations to align with local preferences and culture is known as localization. Since exported comedy content is rendered culturally relevant through localization, there is no global standard governing the creative decisions that shape a translated comedy project. As a result, a significant degree of variance can exist due to the decisions of different linguists.

Additionally, just because linguists can skillfully translate romantic comedies and sitcoms does not mean they are equipped for dark humor, standup, parody, or other comedic forms. In all, measuring success can be difficult.

With the steep rise in global streaming services and the demand for content in local languages, comedy localization has become a competitive and coveted offering. Let’s review how the top streaming services are tackling this challenge to satisfy their growing global subscribership.

Rising Demand for Comedy Localization

Only in the last decade has the demand for comedy localization become so urgent. About 101 of Netflix’s 300 million subscribers are located in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world. Amazon Prime counts on an estimated 200 million subscribers worldwide, of which approximately 88 million live outside the United States. By 2029, subscription video on demand (SVOD) is predicted to reach 1.8 billion global subscribers.

The explosion of global SVOD content has placed a spotlight on the fast-growing field of media localization. With the rise of new technologies that support large-scale translation, such as machine translation (MT) and generative AI, linguistically diverse audiences have questions about how streaming services localize content, whether through subtitles (subbing) or replacement audio in the target language (dubbing), to land jokes effectively. How much tech involvement is appropriate to balance scalability and comedic impact?

Machine Translation and Comedy Subtitling

Netflix released some fascinating data in 2023. TV streamers collectively watched over 93 billion hours of Netflix in the first half of 2023. With 4,500 of its shows available globally, Netflix stated its top-watched languages were English, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Arabic, and Russian.

To localize this many shows, the scalability of subtitling is a crucial factor. At the same time, giving up creative license to a third party can be of concern to comedians and show creators who want to maintain ownership over their work. Tech integration is inevitable, but the finished product has to be guided by many experienced, trusted experts.

Machine translation is one such tool that brings speed and scale to translation services through linguistic databases and algorithms. Of course, MT processes have their limits and cannot fully grasp context, idiomatic language, and cultural nuances. This is especially true for comedic content, where jokes and expressions are grounded in collective experiences, situational awareness, historical references, and irreverence.

Machine translation post-editing (MTPE) is a human-led process where linguists review and refine machine-translated text to secure a closer alignment with the source material. In, the case of comedy subtitling, while MT may be used to kick off the project, MTPE, creative consultations, and additional interventions are required to achieve a high-quality finished product.

Without this important work, global viewers may struggle to connect with the content. At the same time, if subtitling is poorly executed, viewers may also become frustrated and lose interest. Netflix, Prime Video, and other global streamers must walk a fine line between investing in quality and leveraging scale to develop and delight their audiences.

The Evolving Role of AI in Comedy Dubbing

Some streamers prefer to watch dubbed content, as it allows them to focus on the action instead of reading the subtitles. For the professionals responsible for generating dubs, the process often comes with significant constraints to protect the viewer’s experience. The aim is to match dubbed voices to the original actors’ lip movements as closely as possible to minimize distractions to the viewing experience. However, these constraints can result in greater context loss compared to subtitling.

Historically, dubbing has counted on interpreters with a voice-acting background. In comedy, where delivery, timing, and intonation can determine whether a joke lands or falls flat, choices here can be as important as decisions made about the script itself.

Today, technology interventions powered by generative AI are challenging the industry with new opportunities and ethical dilemmas. For example, YouTube recently rolled out automated dubbing from English into French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish, plus “experimental languages that might contain errors.” However, users noted the voices sounded robotic and unnatural, sometimes selecting voices that did not represent the original speaker. YouTube has acknowledged that the tool is still in its early stages.

Media and Comedy Localization: Shaping Global Culture

It is fascinating to consider the impacts that media localization and comedy translation can have on global culture.

Decisions about whether to localize a joke or maintain fidelity to the original joke depend on a number of factors. In sketch comedy shows such as Saturday Night Live, where the storyline tends to be topical to current events, it might not make sense to localize the content, even if it is not particularly relevant in the target audience’s location. The linguists have to trust that SNL watchers outside the United States have a vested interest in American politics and popular culture.

In popular sitcoms that feature an emphasis on wit, wordplay, and identity-based humor, the task of localization is even more difficult. Famously, Seinfeld has been one of the more challenging television shows to localize in select markets for this reason. One-to-one translations of the jokes simply do not make sense in other languages, and the reliance on wordplay made adaptation without recasting the long-running character arcs a significant undertaking.

The philosophical question can come down to understanding the particulars of specific target audiences. Are viewers tuning into a foreign show in the interest of a new and authentic cultural experience? Or, do they expect to enjoy comedy realigned to their tastes? Viewers may be smart enough to recognize “bad” translations and dubs, but they also can tell when their local preferences have been recognized. This effort goes a long way.

Decisions made here have an impact on profits by way of views, subscriber growth, and retention. At the same time, these creative decisions also have the potential to generate fandoms, buzz, loyalty, and cultural affinities. As linguists and consumers of streaming content, we at PGLS will continue observing how streaming houses continue to push boundaries and strike a delicate balance between authenticity, feasibility, and audience satisfaction.

Language and Localization: How to Convert and Retain Global Consumers with Localized Content

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

Today’s leading brand marketing teams are increasingly asked to engage global audiences more effectively. It is in their interest to find the most accessible opportunities that align with budgetary requirements and can scale effectively. As digital communication and e-commerce have reduced the barriers to reaching global audiences, authentic and culturally attuned content is key to improving performance and should top the list of considerations.

In an era of noisy feeds and infinite scrolling, brands are up against a significant amount of competition in the attention economy. What drives customer engagement in your region may not translate into another culture. Translating ideas and repurposing existing concepts one-to-one is not the way to stand out.

A survey by CSA Research asked English-as-a-second-language (ESL) consumers in Brazil, China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, and Sweden to comment on shopping experiences in English. More than nine out of ten indicated they were much less likely to consider buying a product if it was neither presented in their native language nor adapted to their local preferences. One in six survey respondents would never consider investing in software if it was not offered in their native language.

 

Do these results surprise you?

Plenty of marketers still assume that campaigns and merchandising in English will work for the 1.46 billion people who speak English worldwide. This theory works when language and concepts rely on simple, universal themes. However, with only a fraction of these 1.46 billion people speaking English as their first language, and few campaigns clearing the bar for simplicity, failing to localize content could mean losing out on customers and engagement.

Individuals are more emotionally engaged when interacting with content in their native language. Why? Because familiarity and comfort significantly impact consumer decision-making. Translation and other language services can help bridge the language divide, but this is only the beginning of the process. To improve global reach and performance, brands need to go further, bringing localization into the global go-to-market planning process earlier.

Effective localization adapts translations to convey cultural references, idioms, design sensibilities, humor, and tone. When attempting to reach international markets, remember that translation is only the starting point, and that localization is the key differentiator to help you achieve your objectives.

 

What Role Does Language Play in Consumer Behavior?

Before we explore the applications of localization in global marketing and merchandising, let’s explore why language is such an important indicator of consumer behavior.  

Language shapes how individuals process and perceive information. When applied to a marketing context, language shapes consumers’ emotional connections with brands. Consider the impact if a consumer does not benefit from the ease and access provided by content in their native language. One can extrapolate the challenges to eliciting a comparable emotional response.  

For limited-English-speaking audiences, localization reduces the barriers to building a connection to and affinity for brands. This is true even if they have a working knowledge of the language.

 

How Localization Drives Consumer Engagement

Translation is part of the effort to connect with international customers, but localization is even more expansive. Localization enables brands to reflect locally held beliefs, traditions, context, current events, restrictions, faux pas, and humor.  

Getting localization right signals to audiences that brands understand them. Brands perceived to be culturally aware tend to foster deeper emotional connections with their audiences, translating into greater, more enduring customer loyalty.  

Reporting over one billion in revenue in 2024, the cosmetic brand e.l.f., a New York-based company, is currently sold in 18 countries. e.l.f. recently launched a localized campaign called “e.l.f. von zehn” (eleven out of ten) that unites the brand’s commitment to quality with German consumers’ preferences for highly rated products. As a play on words, this campaign could only work for German-speaking audiences. Its success comes directly from a well-considered localization strategy, demonstrating the value of elevating local culture through partnerships with localization experts. 

Getting culture and localization wrong can be disastrous to engagement, sales, and retention metrics. You would not base your domestic marketing strategy on assumptions; the same must be true for international campaigns. Insufficient local market research or (sometimes) reliance on one-to-one translations of English-language materials can alienate audiences and lead to wasted investments. It is important to gain a thorough understanding of your audience’s culture and language, with the help of trusted market localization experts, to deliver relevant and engaging content that leads to increased sales and conversion.

 

Impact of Localization on Sales and Conversion Rates

Brands that invest in knowledge of local customs, idiomatic expressions, and societal values are rewarded with elevated trust and loyalty. Studies on neurocognitive processing support this claim, showing that the brain is more efficient at decoding familiar linguistic patterns. This heightened engagement is likely due to the cognitive ease of processing information in one’s native language.

For this reason, localization can also be a strategic investment in higher sales and conversion rates. According to Stripe, customers may abandon purchases when the checkout process is confusing. CSA Research has also consistently found that consumers in non-English-speaking regions are almost always more likely to complete a purchase when product information is available in their local language. To avoid this common pitfall, localizing your checkout workflow can improve sales and conversion rates by reducing unnecessary friction points in the customer journey.

 

Increase Marketing ROI with Localization

For global brands, the return on investment in localization is clear. Not only does localized marketing lead to increased brand recognition and trust, but it also drives significant improvements in sales conversions. Companies that fail to localize their marketing strategies are missing out on substantial growth opportunities, particularly in non-English-speaking regions, suggesting that brands should prioritize localization in their global expansion efforts.

Brands should not overlook this strong link between localization and long-term performance outcomes. For global brands, localization is not just a marketing tactic but a critical strategy for building trust, loyalty, and long-term growth in international markets. Customers who engage with localized content are more likely to become repeat buyers and advocates for the brand. This loyalty is tied to the emotional connection that localization fosters and the sense of respect and understanding that consumers feel when brands invest in culturally relevant communication. The correlation between localization and long-term retention is especially important for businesses looking to build lasting customer relationships in emerging markets, where brand loyalty can lead to sustained growth.

Learn more about localization from a Piedmont Global expert: contact a language access consultant today.

4 Trends for Global Go-to-Market Planning in 2025

Posted on by Piedmont Global Marketing

Are you getting ready to launch a new product in more than one country? If so, global go-to-market (GTM) planning is on the agenda. Launching new products is already complex when preparing for one market, let alone many. Introduce differences in language, cultural values, and preferences, and the challenge multiplies.

Whether your brand is a small startup or an established small/medium-sized business (SMB), global GTM planning must incorporate localization as a foundational process. Localization builds a durable link between your headquarters and your global customers, enabling you to connect with new audiences authentically and maximize buzz, growth, and profitability.

All too often, localization enters the picture after a GTM strategy has been set.

This common mistake can lead to delays, lackluster launches, and failure to achieve stickiness. You can avoid these pitfalls by bringing on localization experts earlier into the process who can help you weed out mistakes long before they become disruptive. Localization experts contribute significant value by elevating brand identity and product messaging beyond one-to-one translation into a context that resonates with clearly defined, linguistically diverse audience segments.

As we review some of the most exciting and impactful trends in global go-to-market planning in 2025, we will also consider how and where localization fits into the picture. The following opportunities are proven to build awareness, desire, and demand. When combined with strategic localization, you can achieve positive cultural impact in every target market you wish to reach. 

 

Trend #1: Create Legitimacy with Native Content

In 2024, U.S. adults between 18 and 24 spent 186 minutes scrolling daily. For adults 65 and older, that average was 102 minutes. Social media remains among the highest-performing (albeit expensive) channels for reaching your ideal audiences. While beating the algorithms can feel like a moving target, one format continues to rise to the surface: native content.

Marketers are always looking for the perfect channel, message, and aesthetic alignment to drive impact. In the case of global GTM planning, that impact ultimately should lead to sales, so brand campaigns ought to be complemented with engaging, informative calls to action. This is precisely where native content shines. Native content often strives to answer the “what, how, and why” through a consumer lens, providing a relatable, low-friction pathway to purchase.

Strategic GTM leaders must push back against the conventional wisdom that marketing content needs to be flawlessly presented 100 percent of the time. While native video may require storyboarding, basic staging, and competent talent, it does not require elevated videography, studio lighting, or professional actors. Why? The “realer,” the better—it’s all about blending in.

Most scrollers do not appreciate their feed experience being interrupted, and the majority of user-generated content on social media is not created with sophisticated production resources. Overly polished ads can, ironically, become an eyesore, and it is all too easy for users to move on to the next post or video. You should still produce brand campaigns with refined creative and messaging, but consider how native content can reinforce your brand strategy.

Localization tip: Targeting native content to reach customers with specific attributes, including language spoken, requires authenticity. If featuring talent, they should be local. Consider creating content that speaks to the themes, expressions, sentiments, and other cultural identity markers unique to each global audience segment. One-to-one translations may not land as effectively or miss opportunities to capitalize on local trends aligning with your brand and customers. 

 

Trend #2: Localize Your Influencer Strategy

If the production value of social media content exists on a spectrum, with user-created content on one end and studio creative on the other, influencer-produced content falls somewhere in between. Influencer marketing offers a credible endorsement from a trusted voice, which ideally unlocks a new pool of potential customers.

In an era of noisy feeds and split-second decision-making, there is little downside to tapping into a curated corner of the internet where your target audiences are opting to spend their time. The barrier to entry, for most, is price. While the global influencer market reached an estimated valuation of $24 billion in 2024, much of this figure comes from the millions of micro-influencers with 150,000 or fewer loyal followers.

Micro-influencers do not necessarily translate to micro budgets, as many have invested time and resources into creating valuable content that keeps their users happy. Their engagement rates tend to skew higher, leading to overperforming click-through rates compared to brand-hosted sponsored content. Depending on their track record with other high-quality brands, you ought to be able to find partnership opportunities that fit your budget and expand your reach. 

Localization tip: A localized marketing expert can help you identify regional influencers with proven engagement in your niche. Some micro-influencers may offer a more approachable pricing scheme and can advise on the culture and values of their followers to ensure your messaging will resonate.

 

Trend #3: Persuade with Independent Research

According to Google, 53 percent of shoppers research products online before purchasing, and this may be undercounted. If you aren’t already sourcing original, third party-verified research to reinforce your product story, 2025 may be the year to start. 

Where data science, thought leadership, and marketing converge, an independent research study is an invaluable asset to a go-to-market strategy. Adding a research component to your GTM plan is not something to jump into hastily, and there are ethical and legal considerations to put first. However, if executed correctly, research can pack a powerful punch to campaign results by capturing interest, establishing trust, and driving sales. Without this asset, you run the risk of shoppers visiting competitor websites to find the answers they seek. 

How you conduct independent research will vary based on industry. A skincare brand may host a clinical trial to test product efficacy. A B2B organization may run a consumer research study to provide clients with valuable insights for their businesses. Use a reputable, independent agency should facilitate the process and certify the results, and plan for six months to a year for the project lifecycle.

Localization tip: When launching in more than one country, your product’s unique value proposition may need to be tweaked. Consulting with in-market experts in the discovery phase will help ensure the scope of product research examines the benefits, attributes, or themes that local markets are likely to find useful.

 

Trend #4: Close the Deal with Localized AI Chatbots

In 2023, 44 percent of shoppers used chatbots to ask questions while considering a purchase. Eighty-two percent of customers indicated they prefer interfacing with chatbots over waiting for a representative. 

Investments in awareness and engagement strategies should be matched with investments in lead nurture and conversion. An expertly deployed AI chatbot can make a difference by providing streamlined access to common pre-purchase questions about product attributes, reviews, shipping and returns, and other relevant information.  

Alignment with sales and customer service can increase the mileage of your chatbot. It should also be trained to connect customers with product FAQs, account and subscription management information, and other post-purchase advocacy content that support satisfaction and retention.

Localization tip: Since people are more likely to make a purchase in the language they are comfortable with, train your chatbot to offer multilingual workflows. Your global customers will thank you.

 

Localize Your Go-to-Market Plan with Piedmont Global

From website, campaign, and chatbot content translation to brand, product, and marketing localization, Piedmont Global brings cutting-edge expertise to drive global growth. Reach out to a team member to learn about our innovative localization, translation, and interpreting solutions for enterprises, SMBs, and startups.