How Virtual Assistants Can Assist with Translation Services

Meeting the Demand for Multilingual Business Communication

In today’s global economy, businesses of all sizes must communicate across languages. Companies routinely publish content in multiple languages for international customers, partners, and employees. Research shows the payoff is enormous: firms that market in a customer’s native language are 3.5 times more likely to close a sale, and 73% of consumers prefer information in their own language. Translation isn’t a luxury – it’s a strategic necessity. Indeed, the translation industry is booming (expected to grow ~7% annually through 2026) and new AI-powered tools are accelerating this trend. One market analysis predicts the global machine-translation market will grow by USD 1.23 billion (15.9% CAGR) from 2024–2028 as demand for content localization surges.

This rising demand creates a real challenge: how can busy executives and entrepreneurs keep up with multilingual communication? Hiring multiple in-house translators is often cost-prohibitive and inflexible. Virtual assistants (VAs) offer an agile solution. A multilingual VA can translate documents, websites, and messages to help your content resonate internationally. Their language skills break down barriers and enable smooth cross-cultural engagement, making global outreach faster and more cost-effective. In practice, a skilled VA becomes an invaluable part of your team for bridging language gaps.

How Virtual Assistants Support Translation and Localization

Virtual assistants can handle a wide array of translation and localization tasks. For example, a dedicated VA with the right language skills can translate business documents and emails between languages, ensuring accuracy and nuance. They can coordinate with professional translators or interpreters, sending documents to certified agencies and integrating the final translations back into your workflow.

Here are some key tasks a multilingual VA can manage:

• Document & Email Translation: VAs can translate contracts, proposals, reports, and email correspondence into target languages. This ensures that paperwork and client communications are clear and culturally appropriate.
  
  
• Website & Content Localization: They can localize websites and marketing materials by translating text and adapting content to local contexts. For example, updating a website’s pages (.fr, .es, .jp domains or subdirectories) with translated copy and SEO keywords builds local credibility. (In technical terms, “localization” means translating and tailoring content for a specific region.)
  
  
• Video Subtitling & Transcription: VAs can generate subtitles or captions for video content, often using AI tools to transcribe and translate audio. This lets your webinars, trainings, or marketing videos reach non-English-speaking audiences with minimal delay.
  
  
• Proofreading & Quality Control: After an initial translation (machine or human), a VA can proofread and edit the output. They catch grammar issues and cultural nuances to ensure the final text reads naturally and aligns with your brand tone.
  
  
• Multilingual Content Calendar Management: VAs can maintain a content schedule in multiple languages. They coordinate publishing blog posts, newsletters, and social media updates for each target market, ensuring consistent outreach and avoiding overlaps or missed deadlines.
  
  

By delegating these tasks to a VA, companies get professional translation support without lifting a finger. The VA handles the details – even working with glossaries or translation memories if needed – so you can focus on strategy while the VA maintains linguistic accuracy and consistency.

MySigrid Virtual Assistants for Global Clients

MySigrid’s executive assistants specialize in integration with global teams. Each MySigrid client is paired with a dedicated VA who is set up as if they were a direct employee. That means your VA gets a local phone number, company-branded email address, and access to your calendar and inbox. This seamless integration allows the VA to proactively manage tasks: for example, drafting a bilingual project proposal and then emailing it to overseas stakeholders, or scheduling a multilingual video conference on your behalf.

In practical terms, a MySigrid VA can handle projects like preparing multilingual proposals and reports, arranging simultaneous interpretation or subtitles for international webinars, and liaising with external localization vendors. They’ll ensure your presentations, training materials, or product documentation are translated and ready for each market. MySigrid’s 24/7 support model is a bonus: clients report that “because of the time difference, tasks are already solved when I arrive at the office in the morning”. In other words, your multilingual projects proceed around-the-clock.

MySigrid’s infrastructure also boosts quality. Every assistant receives bi-weekly training and works within a task management app, ensuring nothing is missed and preferred terminology is used consistently. Whether it’s booking a three-way call with an interpreter, coordinating a last-minute document translation, or sending out marketing assets in multiple languages, MySigrid’s virtual assistants act as your in-house language hub.

Virtual Assistant vs. In-House Translator

When deciding how to handle translation needs, compare hiring a VA (or VA service) versus an in-house translator or interpreter. Key differences include:

• Cost & Flexibility: An in-house translator requires a fixed salary plus benefits, office space, and training. According to one analysis, hiring a full-time translator means budgeting for HR, workspace, and overhead. In contrast, VAs (especially through a service) are typically paid only for actual work done. You can scale support up or down per project or hourly rates. MySigrid, for example, offers flexible hourly plans with no long-term employment contracts. This “pay-as-you-go” model saves money because there’s no idle salary expense and no need to equip an office.
  
  
• Language Coverage: An in-house hire usually covers one language pair. Hiring multiple in-house translators for every needed language is expensive and impractical. By contrast, a VA service gives access to a global talent pool. You can find a VA fluent in any combination (Spanish-English, Mandarin-English, French-English, etc.) to match your markets. This diversity means you don’t have to recruit in every language; you simply request the skills you need.
  
  
• Broader Skill Set: Unlike a pure translator, a VA often brings additional administrative and tech skills. A VA can not only translate a report but also schedule the related international meetings, manage translation memory tools, and format the final document. This versatility means fewer hand-offs and faster turnaround for bilingual projects.
  
  
• Productivity & Support: Many VAs (including MySigrid assistants) provide backup coverage and extended hours. You gain almost 24/7 support, which in-house staff can’t match. One MySigrid CEO noted that overnight assistance allowed him to wake up to completed tasks. This around-the-clock model can dramatically speed up global projects.
  
  

In short, virtual assistants offer lower cost, greater flexibility, and wider language access than hiring in-house. They enable scaling your translation efforts on demand.

Integrating AI-Powered Translation Tools

Modern VAs don’t translate by hand alone – they leverage AI tools to work faster. For instance, DeepL Translator is an AI-powered service that delivers “accurate translations for documents, images, speech, and text” in over 30 languages. (See image below: an English sentence and its Japanese translation done by DeepL.) VAs often input client text into DeepL or Google Translate to get a first-draft translation almost instantly. They may also use GPT-powered assistants (like ChatGPT) to generate or refine multilingual text.

Figure: DeepL’s AI-powered translator interface showing an English sentence and its Japanese translation (supports 30+ languages). VAs use tools like these to jump-start translation, then apply human review.

AI greatly speeds up routine work. For example, a language service provider notes that ChatGPT can dramatically cut time spent on paperwork – one study found routine document tasks were reduced by ~40% with AI assistance. In practice, a VA might ask an AI tool to translate an email, then spend a few minutes polishing the result. However, AI has limits: ChatGPT and similar models “do not possess the in-depth cultural or linguistic knowledge to provide accurate translations” on their own. This is why the VA’s expertise is crucial. The VA combines machine speed with human judgment, correcting any contextual errors and ensuring the translation fits the audience’s cultural norms.

By smartly combining AI and human skill, VAs create a scalable workflow. They use computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools and glossaries to increase consistency. In fact, CAT software is designed to “increase productivity, foster consistency, [and] increase translation quality” while saving time and money. A savvy VA will implement translation memories and terminology databases so that common phrases need translating only once. In short, AI and CAT tools let your VA handle larger volumes of multilingual content with speed, while the human touch guarantees accuracy.

Boosting Executive Productivity with Multilingual VAs

For busy leaders, delegating translation tasks to a VA frees up valuable time. Instead of juggling multilingual emails or rushing to interpret documents, executives can focus on core strategy while their VA handles the details. A multilingual VA essentially becomes a personal liaison for international communication. They can represent you with foreign-language clients, draft cross-border meeting agendas, or prepare travel itineraries in local languages.

Crucially, a VA’s global mindset ensures your operations never slow down. With MySigrid’s model, for example, clients have reported waking to completed tasks after hours because “the 24-hour backup team” handled urgent jobs overnight. This means no more late-night emails just to accommodate time zones. And because the VA manages your calendar, you avoid double-booking or missing international deadlines. Over time, this reliability translates into higher productivity: managers can make decisions faster when all materials are already translated and ready.

Having a VA also helps maintain a consistent global brand. By communicating in customers’ own languages, you build trust and open new markets more smoothly. Clients feel heard when you send them native-language brochures or newsletters. And your employees overseas see that your company respects their culture and language. In sum, a multilingual VA is not just a translator – they are a productivity multiplier for executives operating on the global stage.

Best Practices for Hiring a VA for Translation Services

When bringing a VA on board for language work, follow these guidelines:

• Assess language skills carefully: Verify the VA’s proficiency in each language you need. Ask for writing samples or test translations in advance. If possible, conduct a brief interview in the target language to gauge fluency. (Some clients even require language certifications or references.)
  
  
• Define clear workflows: Explain exactly what types of documents or content need translation and set quality expectations. Use project management tools (like Trello or Asana) to assign tasks and deadlines. Establish review steps: for example, the VA drafts with AI assistance, then you or a colleague reviews the final draft.
  
  
• Leverage the right tools: Equip your VA with CAT software and translation memory if you have recurring content. These tools (using translation databases) will speed up work and keep terminology consistent. Also use shared platforms – for example, Google Workspace (Docs/Sheets) for collaborative editing, Slack or Teams for real-time chat, and Zoom or Calendly for scheduling multilingual meetings. (Slack and Trello are popular for remote coordination.)
  
  
• Maintain a bilingual content calendar: Plan content for each language in advance. The VA can track social media posts, newsletters, and blog entries in various languages on one calendar to ensure even global coverage.
  
  
• Regular feedback and training: Provide glossaries, style guides, and feedback on drafts. Periodically review translations together to refine style. A short weekly call can align priorities and let the VA clarify any cultural nuances.
  
  

By building a structured process and using collaborative tools, your VA can translate more effectively and integrate smoothly into your team. The combination of human oversight and technology ensures high-quality multilingual output.

Ready to expand your reach and save time on translation tasks? MySigrid’s team of dedicated virtual assistants can handle multilingual communication for you. Visit MySigrid’s website to learn about our tailored VA plans, connect with Paul Østergaard on LinkedIn for expert insights, or book a consultation to discuss how a MySigrid assistant can streamline your global business communications.