Post on 07-Apr-2018
AMWAY CASE STUDY
Amway partners with Rubric to localize multimedia training collateral to successfully upskill staff around the globe.Amway is one of the world’s leading direct selling businesses, operating in more than 100 countries, enabling over three million
entrepreneurs to grow their own businesses. In order to train their Account Managers in various different markets, Amway needed
to translate and localize their web- based and instructor- led training collateral in order to ensure that the company’s SAM (Strategic
Account Management) strategy was communicated in a clear, consistent and professional manner.
Thanks to Rubric’s localization expertise and proactive project management, Amway was able to provide multimedia training collateral to Account Managers in six international markets.
We worked with Amway to translate and localize a range of training
collateral consisting of e -learning and instructor- led training content
and supporting materials. The project included the translation,
engineering and testing of both instructor -led and web- based
training content including voice-overs and assessments; the
subtitling of video content; and localization of training reinforcement
content. This considerable undertaking entailed the translation of
over 250,000 words (that’s a quarter of a million) into six languages:
Simplified Chinese, Latin Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Thai, and
Russian.
Rubric ensured success through superior project management:
PlanningKey to providing Amway with a superior end result, was
gaining an in- depth understanding of their requirements. We
then adapted the localization process accordingly in order to
meet these needs. Together with the Amway stakeholders,
we determined the most efficient and effective processes,
methodology and technology to use on the project. This involved
identifying potential issues, risks, bottlenecks and conflicts, and
then applying our experience and expertise to mitigate these as
effectively as possible.
Identifying and implementing the most effective methods of communication was key.
This influenced all aspects of the planning stage, and included:
• ●Setting up and facilitating regular channels of communication
and reporting with teams based in the UK, US, China, Thailand,
Korea, Japan, Russia and Mexico
• Selecting translators who were located in the same city as the
Amway team to allow in- person communication
An emphasis on effective communication between all stakeholders thanks to strategic project management meant all content was
localized within deadline as required by each market.
• Translating instructions and guidelines into the native
languages of the various review teams in order to facilitate a
successful review.
SchedulingIn order to ensure that all deadlines were met, we worked
backwards from the predetermined launch date of each market’s
training. Taking the current workload of the Amway team, as well
as national holidays into account, we determined an appropriate
schedule for both the translation and review of the material
for each market. In order to ensure linguistic consistency, the
number of translators needed was minimized while still allowing
for peaks and troughs in workload.
Bearing in mind that last minute changes are part and parcel
of any translation process, we applied our past experience in
dealing with unforeseen issues to effectively plan for changes to
the scope of work, technical challenges, additional hand -offs, and
alterations to the markets’ schedules.
Risk and issue management
Proactive project management is the first step to a streamlined
translation process. By pinpointing potential roadblocks – like
unrealistic launch dates and content that was not translation-
ready – and then monitoring them continually, we were able to
address these issues as and when they arose. A crucial part of
mitigating and addressing these issues was being able to work
together with the Amway team to identify the most appropriate
solution that met their needs.
Stakeholder management
Relationships – and the quality thereof – play a vital role in the
success of any localization or translation endeavor. Amway has
various stakeholders at different levels and from different sub-
organizations (one of which was their World Headquarters in
Michigan). Therefore, it was key that we understood the role each
stakeholder played in the project, their definition of a successful
localization process, and the best way to go about engaging them.
Past experience has taught us that collaboration and buy- in from
all parties is key. As such, we involved all interested parties, and
identified and adopted the most effective lines of communication
with them. For example, the reviewers were heavily involved in
the translator selection process, as well as the compilation of
terminology and over- arching brand management. In order to
achieve this, regular, personal contact was key. Importantly,
in-market stakeholders were more than satisfied with the content
and the overall process.
“I was thoroughly impressed with Rubric’s commitment to quality, speed, and communication. Rubric is a phenomenal partner for Amway, and the value they offer goes way beyond
translation. They were a critical linchpin in the successful early adoption of the SAM training, a vital growth strategy for our company. Rubric’s greatest strengths are communication & project management, global reach, attention to detail, responsiveness to feedback, and commitment to
partnership. Thank you Rubric for making this a great experience!”
– Anne Stawiski
VISIT RUBRIC