How Sufio benefits from localizing their app with Alconost
Key takeaways in 30 seconds
For Sufio, a Slovakia-based developer of an invoicing app for Shopify store owners, Alconost provides localization services from English to German and French.
Alconost helped Sufio out when they were seeking a localization vendor to continue with their app localization via Crowdin, a cloud-based localization platform they had been using for years.
Alconost has strong control over localization consistency, implementing updates into the existing localization legacy seamlessly and fine-tuning the latter simultaneously.
"The communication with Alconost has always been smooth, the delivery is speedy, and the results are flawless and consistent. When the translators notice something janky in the original text, they get back to us and ask us to double-check it. I like that Alconost's translators think about what they're translating. They don't just blindly process what we give them."
Sufio Michael Kasarda, Technical writer
What Sufio is
Sufio is a professional invoicing solution for Shopify store owners that automatically creates and sends invoices for orders placed via their stores.
The company was founded in 2011 in Slovakia as a side project of its founder, Norbert Ordog. At the time, Norbert was selling craft beer through his online store and was looking for an invoicing app. Since none of the existing solutions worked for Slovakia, he created Sufio.
Now, Sufio is a fully-fledged company that develops the top-rated Shopify invoicing app. It supports thousands of Shopify merchants by automatically creating and sending invoices from orders in the Shopify store. And because they're professionals, the Sufio team switched from obsessing over beer to obsessing over coffee, with different grinders, brewing methods, etc. There are even several roasteries that use their invoicing solution!
What Alconost does for Sufio
Alconost provides services to Sufio, localizing the company's website and the user interface of their invoicing app for Shopify in French and German. In addition, Alconost localizes app documentation (user manuals) and blog articles for Sufio.
Michael's responsibility at Sufio is to put all the information Sufio's customers need into documentation and user manuals. Thanks to Michael, merchants that use Sufio have all the instructions on operating and customizing the app. Michael enriches original strings with screenshots and elaborations on the context when submitting translation tasks. It simplifies the job on Alconost's side and is a valuable contribution to ensuring the translations' accuracy.
"My first technical writing jobs were brochures about heating thermostats and firefighter trucks. I didn't even know that what I did back then was tech writing," Michael remembers.
However, the commitment to quality and care at Sufio won him over.
"It's a pleasure to work for a company that truly puts the customer first and cares for quality. Many say something similar, but it's a daily reality here at Sufio," Michael says.
Sufio's localization history
Localization routine
Sufio localizes its website, app, and invoices themselves. The website and the app are available in 3 languages, while the invoices are available in over 30 languages. To translate invoices, Sufio partners with local accountants, ensuring that every term complies with each country's legislation. The Sufio team partners with a localization service provider for the rest of its content.
Sufio's previous localization partner was unable to keep supporting them. The Sufio team started to seek a new vendor that would seamlessly take up their localization routine using the technical solution they had become accustomed to. Another important criterion was the vendor's ability to take the localization legacy into account to maintain consistency. Sufio's search led them to Alconost.
"There wasn't anything wrong with our previous vendor's translations. But it wasn't until after we started working with Alconost that we realized they put in the extra effort and how pleasant the experience is. The communication, the speed of delivery, and the way they review the source text. We definitely noticed an improvement with Alconost."
"With our previous vendor, we established the localization workflow in Crowdin and found it perfectly suitable for our development workflow. We prefer to stay within the same localization environment even when changing vendors."
Focus on consistency
"We wanted our new vendor to take into account as seriously as possible the localization legacy, that is, the way specific terms had been translated before. Our app helps Shopify store owners with such a delicate thing as accounting, where any discrepancies are the last thing they need."
Works independently
"I add plenty of screenshots and context clarifications when preparing our content for localization, and it seems wonderful to me that translators study it mindfully and take literally every comment into account. This results in an accurate translation without losing time."
"We were initially looking for a smooth and seamless vendor change. But what we got with Alconost was much more than just that," Michael said.
Content & features
Recent work
One of the recent pieces of content Sufio localized with Alconost was strings related to improving Sufio's app feature for sending and tracking e-mails.
In addition to creating invoices, Sufio also automatically sends them to customers. Thanks to the recent update, merchants can better understand which e-mails were delivered and which are still pending and thencustomize the templates.
Spotlighted feature
With the Automated EU VAT Exemption feature, Sufio helps e-commerce sellers save time on managing their routine.
Sufio captures the EU VAT number of a specific customer and validates it via the EU's official service. Sufio automatically applies a deduction at checkout if the customer is eligible for VAT exemption. This way, Shopify store owners don't have to adjust the invoice manually to meet this core legal requirement.
Benefits explained
"Our users can customize their workflows, i.e., creating and sending documents. For instance, they can set up the Sufio app to send invoices to specific customer groups, such as the warehouse, the company's billing department, or a specific accountant.
Sufio is flexible and can be adapted to specific needs because there are so many use cases," Michael says.
You can learn more about the app from this video courtesy of Sufio:
An inside look from a localization manager
"Working with Sufio is nice and easy. I greatly appreciate that they recognize the importance of a glossary and answer translators' questions promptly, comprehensively, and often even before they ask! The Sufio team has such a great approach to the localization process and a clear understanding of it! On top of that, their comments and screenshots contribute significantly to the speed and quality of the localization process. We're as happy with them as they are with us!" Lisa says. — Lisa Gluhova, Alconost's localization project manager
Fun facts
1
Sufio is the second-oldest and best-rated invoicing app for Shopify, with over 450 5-star reviews as of the time of writing. Its users state, "It's recommended for those seeking an efficient invoicing solution."
2
Sufio's office is located in an old heating plant in Bratislava, Slovakia. Recently renovated, this building is now a part of Bratislava's hippest district, where the latest trends and the brightest minds intertwine.
3
The Sufio team adores meeting merchants in person to build warm relationships with them. When visiting offline meet-ups for sellers, you can get an eco-friendly branded souvenir from the Sufio team!
Alconost Inc. helps IT companies reach foreign markets using localization, video production, multilingual marketing, and superb online tools to simplify the routine.
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