Meet the Pride: Ayla A.

Tell us about your role at Lionbridge.

I'm an Account Manager on the enterprise team. I support a dedicated book of accounts and serve as a trusted partner to my customers. 

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I enjoy building strong relationships with my customers and working closely with them to understand their goals, help navigate their language needs, and ensure their Lionbridge experience is smooth from the time I’m introduced. My goal is to make the process as seamless as possible and help my customers succeed. That could involve solving challenges, answering questions, or finding ways to improve the overall partnership. I like being the person they come to for:

• Feedback on ideas for internal processes
• Guidance on best approaches
• Info on AI and tech advances

What does a typical workday look like for you?

No two days are exactly the same, which is one of the things I enjoy most about my role. My days are centered around building strong partnerships with my customers, understanding their long-term goals, and finding opportunities to help them grow. My focus is on creating value beyond individual projects. This could include:

• Customer check-in calls
• Meeting new stakeholders
• Leading business reviews
• Identifying new solutions
• Connecting customers with the right internal experts

How did you come to this work? What was your career progression?

One of our talented recruiters found me on LinkedIn and reached out. I had never heard of localization or language services. However, I was intrigued by how much it impacts every industry worldwide. I was hired at Lionbridge as a Customer Success Manager, joining as employee #2 to the new team. I helped support the new CSM function.

My work started as broad coverage for a variety of needs, from becoming a Freeway expert to providing CSM support to all our Geofluent (now SmartMT) customers. We covered everything customers needed. That role evolved into direct account customer support on smaller accounts. This evolution led to an Inside Sales role, which eventually shifted to Enterprise account support.

How long have you been at Lionbridge?

Almost 8 years. Some days I can't believe it’s been that long.

How have you seen the company evolve over that period of time?

Over the years, I've seen Lionbridge continue to evolve alongside our customers’ changing needs. Technology and customer needs have changed, and we've continued to expand our solutions. Lionbridge fully embraces AI and automation, finding new ways to help organizations connect with global audiences. It's been exciting to be part of a company that’s always innovating and continues to deliver value to our customers.

How have you evolved over your time at Lionbridge?

Throughout my nearly eight years at Lionbridge, I have evolved from a reactive support resource into a strategic business partner.  Each role has given me a broader perspective on the customer journey and strengthened my ability to support customers in different ways. Early on, my focus was on customer satisfaction and operational excellence. My time in Inside Sales strengthened my ability to build relationships and deliver great customer experience. Today, I combine those experiences to serve as a trusted partner. I focus on:

• Solving immediate challenges
• Anticipating customer needs
• Aligning Lionbridge solutions to their long-term objectives
• Serving as a trusted advisor who drives customer success and business growth

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Outside of work, I'm a mama to two busy kids (ages 3.5 and 1.5) and one furry pup. We spend a lot of time outdoors. We go camping, swim at the beach and pool, or explore new playgrounds in the area. My wife and I love to cook together and try to find new recipes our kids will (hopefully!) try. I was also a rugby player-turned-coach for much of my post-college life. I’m still an avid fan when I have free time.