{"id":70678,"date":"2023-11-27T16:34:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T15:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/?post_type=case-study&p=70678"},"modified":"2025-11-05T22:00:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T21:00:17","slug":"what3words","status":"publish","type":"case-study","link":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/customers\/what3words\/","title":{"rendered":"When Words Matter: Phrase Helps what3words Address the World in Any Language"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"what3words<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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what3words<\/a> launched in 2013 to make it easier for people to find places and get help particularly when in an emergency. Many places in the world, such as rural areas and parks, lack a conventional street address. So what3words divided the world into 3-meter squares and assigned each square its own unique three-word identifier to help people find and share precise locations.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People and businesses around the world now use what3words for deliveries and logistics, emergency services, and outdoor activities. The London-based company has scaled from four languages to 60 as it expanded quickly. what3words now operates across the globe in almost every continent. \u201cRight from the very beginning, one of the main ambitions of the company was that we wanted to become the global standard for addressing,\u201d said Jamie Brown, Chief Languages Services Officer at what3words. \u201cGiven our product literally involves words, translations aren\u2019t only to help people to use the product; it is literally the product itself.\u201d The company now employs nearly 160 people, with a language team that has three full-time employees and close relationships with nearly 100 freelance translators, including roughly 15 lead linguists in key languages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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CHALLENGE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

what3words\u2019 journey from manual localization to seamless global expansion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When what3words launched in the UK, it operated primarily in English as it built out its product. When the company began to expand to other countries and languages, its languages team oversaw all linguistic research for product development, and its localization needs were restricted to the marketing department and outsourced to an agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the company launched additional languages and developed new technologies such as speech and optical character recognition, it needed to localize all supporting assets. This included consumer acquisition marketing assets, press releases, product user interfaces for the app, customer support FAQs, email templates, and marketing materials. The languages team took over localization and built the function from scratch.

what3words knew it wanted to move away from a translation agency model, as well as its reliance on Google Sheets and, Google Docs. It needed a solution that could efficiently support and accelerate the growing company\u2019s localization processes as it continues expansion into new markets and language<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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“It was all pretty manual for a while. And then, the bigger the volume, the more languages we got, the more time-consuming it was, from an administrative point of view, to update our app.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jamie<\/figure>\nJamie Brown<\/strong>, Chief Languages Services Officer, what3words<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Beach<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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SOLUTION<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Phrase became what3words\u2019 game-changer in global localization<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

what3words chose Phrase Strings as its localization management platform for its product localization. The company transitioned from using Google Sheets and Google Docs which it was using for most of its marketing needs when it was pretty low volume. \u201cAs the volume and languages increased we brought marketing content into Phrase, which is working well,\u201d Jamie said.<\/strong>

The what3words team uses the collaborative design tool Figma as part of its product design process. The Figma plugin with Phrase Strings allows translators to easily preview designs and understand the user journey, ensuring the translated content works in context for a more efficient and seamless end-to-end process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The measurable impact of Phrase on what3word\u2019s business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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25%<\/p>\n\n\n\n

time saved on administrative tasks<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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60+<\/p>\n\n\n\n

languages processed through Phrase<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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10hrs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

saved per app<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Why Phrase?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

what3words was on a mission to find the ideal platform to manage translations and localization for over 60 languages\u2014a task that, if done manually, could easily turn chaotic. \u201cAttempting to manually handle the translation and localization of so many languages would be a recipe for disaster,\u201d remarked Jamie. \u201cWithout Phrase, we would have found ourselves allocating a significant chunk of our budget just on administration\u2014endlessly copying and pasting. With such a vast number of languages, streamlining this administrative aspect becomes critical.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before settling on Phrase, what3words evaluated several localization technologies to help scale its localization function.

Jamie reflected on this, stating, \u201cPhrase was tailor-made for our specific needs, especially concerning product translation app strings, which was our primary administrative challenge.\u201d<\/strong>
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“We explored multiple localization solutions, but Phrase emerged as the indisputable frontrunner.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jamie<\/figure>\nJamie Brown<\/strong>, Chief Languages Services Officer, what3words<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cIn terms of launching a new language version in the app, this now takes roughly five to six weeks to complete a \u2018launch pack\u2019 with 1,000 strings for each new language\u201d stated Jamie, \u201cThe newly-onboarded translator benefits from both context screenshots and being able to view previous questions from translators\/replies from the what3words languages\/product teams on the content in each string. This really helps speed up the process and ensures it runs smoothly and efficiently.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Canal<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Benefits<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\"Increase<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Faster time to market<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy leveraging Phrase Strings, what3words enjoys significant time savings. This is estimated to be around 10 hours of administrative time per app \u2013 by eliminating the manual nature of its localization processes and automating the workflow,\u201d Jamie advised. <\/strong>The Figma integration has significantly improved collaboration by providing more context in the briefs and communication between product teams and translators, leading to quicker product updates and the ability to launch in multiple languages simultaneously.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Increased market penetration<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Phrase allows the product teams to provide thorough localization briefs with more context either through commentary and screenshots to translation strings through a Figma integration. Translators can also link to projects via Figma for crucial visibility into the user journey. This ensures higher translation accuracy and relevance. As a result, products and services resonate better with local audiences, leading to increased adoption rates in new markets and regions and boosting market share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Data-driven business decisions<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Phrase provides the ability to quickly scan and compare translations particularly languages with more than one UI translation, such as UK and US English and European and Brazilian Portuguese. This offers insights into how different markets might perceive the product and can help inform broader business strategies, from marketing campaigns to product development.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Cost savings<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

what3words estimates each app update done through Phrase saves around 1-2 days of internal administrative costs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Consistent global branding<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Phrase helps to maintain linguistic consistency across languages enhancing global brand perception, creating a trustworthy and cohesive image that resonates with customers worldwide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Reduced customer support costs<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

With clearer and more culturally relevant translations, users of what3words face fewer challenges in understanding and navigating the app. This improves the customer experience and satisfaction and reduces the burden on customer support teams.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Enhanced cross-functional collaboration<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By improving communication between product teams and translators, other departments within what3words can also gain insights and align their strategies accordingly. This cohesive approach can lead to better cross-selling, upselling, and marketing campaign success in different regions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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CONCLUSION<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From local to global: How Phrase supported what3words\u2019 ambition to be every translator\u2019s first choice!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phrase enabled what3words\u2019 languages team to scale its localization function, slash administrative time and costs, and improve the user experience for its portfolio of freelance translators. This in turn helped speed up its global expansion plans while delivering a superior customer experience.

That last piece is key. \u201cWe\u2019re always striving to be our freelance translators\u2019 \u2018favorite client,\u2019\u201d Jamie said.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means supporting translators as best as the company can, by giving them what they need to do their jobs effectively: great communication and critical context. Besides a superior user experience, Phrase also offers a minimal learning curve, since many translators already work with the tool, leading to faster onboarding times for new what3words translators.

\u201cIt works both ways, because if you\u2019re your freelancer\u2019s favorite client, they\u2019re more likely to drop something else to help you out at the last minute if you have an urgent request,\u201d Jamie said. \u201cPhrase is part of being our translators\u2019 favorite client.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"City<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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What3Words<\/a> explored multiple localization solutions, but Phrase emerged as the indisputable frontrunner. Thanks to Phrase we have more control over our timelines. The languages team turns around a localization request in about a week, and this is never in doubt.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\"Photo\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\tJamie Brown\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tChief Languages Services Officer at what3words\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Ready to get started?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reach a wider audience and build deeper connections today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Book a demo<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
See pricing<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

what3words scaled global growth, expanding from 4 to 60 languages while improving efficiency and consistency across markets. The company reduced administrative time by 25 percent and saved up to 10 hours per app through automation and better collaboration. With Phrase, what3words accelerated language launches, improved translator experience, and strengthened its mission to make precise location sharing accessible to everyone, everywhere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":71094,"parent":0,"template":"case-study-refresh","case-study-tag":[116],"class_list":["post-70678","case-study","type-case-study","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"landing_page":[],"search_content_type":"Customer story","image":false,"copy":"","link":{"title":"","url":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/customers\/what3words\/","target":""},"case_study_logo":{"ID":70704,"id":70704,"title":"what3words-logo","filename":"what3words-logo.png","filesize":5269,"url":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/what3words-logo.png","link":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/?attachment_id=70704","alt":"what3words logo | Phrase","author":"6","description":"","caption":"","name":"what3words-logo","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":70703,"date":"2023-11-23 09:51:00","modified":"2023-11-23 09:51:12","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":337,"height":132,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/what3words-logo-150x132.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":132,"medium":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/what3words-logo-300x118.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":118,"medium_large":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/what3words-logo.png","medium_large-width":337,"medium_large-height":132,"large":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/what3words-logo.png","large-width":337,"large-height":132,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/what3words-logo.png","1536x1536-width":337,"1536x1536-height":132,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/what3words-logo.png","2048x2048-width":337,"2048x2048-height":132},"html":"\"what3words"},"header_video_type":"none"},"taxonomies":[{"term_id":116,"name":"Technology","slug":"technology","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":116,"taxonomy":"case-study-tag","description":"","parent":109,"count":25,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case-study\/70678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case-study"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/case-study"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case-study\/70678\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":126479,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case-study\/70678\/revisions\/126479"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71094"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"case-study-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case-study-tag?post=70678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}