Why partnerships matter: Ways GlobalLink collaborations simplify multilingual content delivery

Global brands succeed when every touchpoint — product pages, support articles, videos, and social posts — feels like it was made for the local market. Keeping content accurate, on brand, and in sync across numerous languages requires more than a simple translation tool. It takes a network of partners who understand both the technology and the real-world challenges of global business.

That was the focus of a recent conversation between the VP of Global Strategic Alliances Nick Panagopoulos, who heads TransPerfect’s GlobalLink partner program, and Imran Sadiq, VP Technology Solutions at TransPerfect. 

Closing the gap between software and implementation in translation technology 

In the early days of marketing technology, software companies built great applications and left implementation to agencies and consultancies. As Nick noted in the webinar, when those parties are siloed, “neither side is going to be successful.” This led vendors to certify system integrators and share code and documentation so everyone could deliver a consistent experience. Partner programs emerged from that need: they give integrators access to code, training, and clear lines of communication so customers enjoy seamless experiences.

Building a partnership program around customer success

TransPerfect’s role is different from most software vendors. We not only provide translation services; we deliver the entire GlobalLink technology stack. More than 6,000 companies rely on it, which means an update from a vendor or any misstep from a new system integrator affects us and our customers. Our partner program exists to prevent those disruptions. 

We work with software providers ahead of releases to avoid breaking changes, and we train integrators so they feel confident working with GlobalLink instead of inflating quotes to cover unknowns. This approach is rooted in our history. TransPerfect started as a language services company, then built translation technology and eventually a full localization platform. Developing a partner ecosystem was a natural next step, and another way to meet our clients’ needs end-to-end.

Turning integrators and industry networks into translation technology innovators 

In today’s market, a single firm might be a digital agency, a consultancy, and an integrator all at once. They become one of the first to discover new tools and workflows that need translation support, and that’s where GlobalLink steps in. Expanding into new markets and serving global audiences introduces complexity for even the world’s leading brands, and GlobalLink proactively works with partners to offer innovative translation solutions.

For instance, a biopharmaceutical company saved €38 million and reclaimed 600 days previously lost to manual workflows; a software provider saw a 166% lift in engagement within localized markets; and an international coffee brand achieved 47% faster turnaround across 45 countries. These examples demonstrate how GlobalLink empowers organizations to dramatically increase efficiency, reduce costs, and drive stronger results in global markets.

Partners also help us build industry-specific ecosystems. Many software vendors now bundle technologies for particular verticals, such as digital experience stacks centered on platforms like Webflow. GlobalLink plugs into these ecosystems to support multilingual content workflows, enabling teams to manage and deploy localized content directly within their existing Webflow environment. Grouping partners by industry ensures that marketers, digital teams, and compliance stakeholders get a cohesive solution rather than a patchwork of disconnected tools.

Choosing partners and navigating translation technology in the AI era

Deciding where to invest our engineering resources is a balancing act. Analyst reports such as Forrester’s Wave and Gartner’s Magic Quadrant help us identify platforms gaining traction, while client requests highlight emerging needs. If a system exposes an API, we can usually support it through middleware, direct connections, or packaged connectors. And when we choose not to build a productized integration, we provide documentation and self-service tools so customers can do it themselves.

Artificial intelligence is part of nearly every technology discussion right now. We’ve been using AI and machine learning techniques in localization for more than a decade. Successful programs that incorporate AI and machine learning share three traits:

• Clear goals
• A framework for controlling the model
• A specialist with a human-in-the-loop role

The challenge today is that each MarTech platform embeds its own language model. Some vendors build proprietary AI, others integrate OpenAI or AWS Bedrock. Without governance, these initiatives produce inconsistent results; many fail because they lack defined objectives and oversight. 

GlobalLink for Webflow acts as a clearinghouse. It lets teams define preferred terminology, prompts the model accordingly, and stores every approved phrase in a translation memory. Human reviewers can adjust the output, and the system reuses those edits across channels. That reduces hallucinations, avoids per-use fees, and keeps your brand voice under your control.