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Comactiva's Role in the Transformation of the Language Industry

Picture of Linda Gårdlöv Linda Gårdlöv May 2, 2025 7:15:00 AM

Language services

Comactiva's Role in the Transformation of the Language Industry

The translation industry, or language industry as we call it, has undergone a major transformation over the past two years. The pace of change is not going to slow down, and at Comactiva we are actively working to deliver the latest and most modern solutions to our customers.

The journey from being a traditional translation agency to becoming a modern, fast-paced language partner with a strong focus on modern language technology has not been easy. With almost 30 years of experience as a traditional translation agency, we've had to unravel old truths and curiously relearn much of what was previously taken for granted.

Greater Responsibility in a Broader Role

It all started with a simple question, how can we create even more value for our customers in a rapidly changing world where AI is taking a prominent role?

We looked at our organization, our competences, our business model and the way we work.

A key insight was the role that our project managers have had for all these years. In a modern work process, they do so much more than manage translation projects.

They take responsibility for quality, process and automation, integrations and ensuring the right language technology is implemented to meet requirements such as budget and lead times.

The new name of the role is Localization Success Manager, a title that reflects broader skills and responsibilities.

At Comactiva, we work with language technology providers such as Phrase, DeepL and Lokalise. We are objective and always recommend the technology that is best suited to the content type and process.

Shift in Mindset Paves a New Way

Change is not just about new technologies. For an industry full of academics, language lovers and culture enthusiasts, it has required a whole new mindset and approach to what we actually deliver to customers.

Historically, the language industry has focused on words. The number of words translated by humans has almost exclusively been the basis for pricing.

At Comactiva, we saw early on that the value of the number of words translated would decrease and that customers' needs would instead focus on properly integrated AI technology, quality assurance processes, localization and language consulting.

Nowadays, we always listen to our clients' goals and purpose of the content to be translated. Our Localization Success Managers recommend the most appropriate language technology, translation and validation process, resulting in long-term client relationships that future-proof delivery.

We Believe in Human Expertise Combined with Modern Technology

Human expertise still plays an important role. We have worked hard to train and support our network of around 200 language experts in the transformation.

This has meant a change in approach for many language professionals, sometimes difficult, but necessary. With new tools and ways of working, we have built a global team that is fit for the future.

We also take responsibility for educating our customers. Through webinars, workshops and continuous dialog with customers, we continue to develop together.

New Pricing Model Reflecting Technological Developments

We have moved away from traditional pricing based on word count. Instead, we charge for the amount of data processed through our language technology. Using AI technology, possible contextual errors are identified and flagged to a language expert who does the necessary processing. We charge for the language expert's time by the hour.

For strategic work, language data curation or other Localization Success Management services, we charge by the hour or, in cases where recurring work is required on a monthly basis, we can arrange a monthly rate. We call it Localization Success On Demand, reflecting the strategic role we are given by some clients.

We are here to be a language partner, offering insights and solutions that make a real difference.

Change - the New Normal

Our transformation is far from over. We will continue to build a stronger and more sustainable business, ready to meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's customers.

At Comactiva, we no longer see language as just words. We see opportunities to build bridges into new markets faster, new opportunities for companies to grow, create new relationships and succeed globally with their communication.