Are Small LSPs Doomed?

Markets do tend to change over time. Translation industry prognosticators should be listened to with a healthy degree of skepticism. These are two statements that can both be true.

We read the translation industry trade press with interest, and sometimes with amusement. Market predictions from writers (who presumably are paid to … well write just about anything) and translation industry “experts”, lead us to be somehow more confident of the future for smaller translation companies. The latest technical solutions in search of a need, and market predictions that run counter to basic marketing principles that have stood the test of time, do not support predictions that small translation operations will cease to exist anytime soon.

On the contrary small translation companies have perhaps the best opportunities to adapt to market changes and rapidly identify ways to favorably differentiate in the midst of change. If their approach to differentiation is driven by the needs of actual consumers of translation services (the only ones whose opinions really matter) then they stand a good chance to not only survive but to thrive.

This is our view. Are we correct? Time will tell.