Partner management at a company specializing in content internationalization involves much more than simply finding qualified linguists. In addition to technical expertise, quality, availability, and price – identity verification, data protection, information security, and the responsible use of AI are increasingly coming into focus.
Identity verification as an integral part of the onboarding process
Gemino offers content internationalization in approximately 50 languages. To that end, we work with freelancers from all over the world. The credentials and certificates we come across in the selection process are correspondingly diverse – ranging from university degrees to training certificates from a wide variety of countries. But not every certificate or freelancer profile is genuine. Cases of job applications using fake identities are on the rise.
But what’s the underlying business model? Fraudsters could be trying to go through the onboarding process at as many companies as possible, so they can start taking on jobs. The translations are then generated using AI, without the necessary language skills or qualifications. If the fraud is discovered only after payment has been made, it can be financially rewarding – especially if several companies are involved.
That is why our partner management team relies on an external service provider for semi-automated identity verification even before the technical review takes place. During this process, identification documents are checked for authenticity, photos are compared, and signs of falsifications are investigated.
Compliance and responsibility in the supply chain
After a successful onboarding process, we formalize our partnership in a contract: At Gemino, confidentiality agreements and framework agreements govern how client data and confidential information are handled. In addition, we must take our clients’ requirements into account – for example, by only using translation technologies that have been approved by them.
Similarly, ESG criteria (environmental, social, governance) are becoming increasingly important. Once a year, we ask our regular linguists to complete a self-assessment form on relevant ESG topics. In doing so, we take different living and working conditions into account and strive for a realistic, responsible assessment.
Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work together
AI and machine translation are changing the demands placed on our partners. In addition to linguistic excellence – tech savviness, an understanding of processes, and the responsible use of technology are becoming increasingly important. Those working in partner management must support these changes and clearly communicate new ways of working.
At the same time, reliability, on-time delivery, and communication remain essential. The price must also be seen in context: Low remuneration can quickly become a cost driver due to extensive post-processing and additional coordination efforts.
From a pool of freelancers to a resilient network
Today, professional partner management encompasses many tasks: Verifying identities and qualifications, ensuring compliance, supporting technological change, and reconciling economic interests. At Gemino, our work also involves quarterly supplier evaluations and close collaboration with our project management and quality assurance departments.
What matters isn’t how many contacts we have in our freelancer database, but who we can rely on
A resilient network is built up through careful selection, clear processes, ongoing support, and long-term relationships.
For our clients, success is reflected in high-quality linguistic services that are delivered reliably, on time, and in accordance with the agreed-upon terms. The fact that this involves significantly more work today than it did a few years ago makes modern partner management a key success factor for companies in the field of content internationalization.
This text is based on an technical article by Christine Schwartz-Ebrahimi, Head of Partner Management.