Have you ever felt frustrated with booking an interpreter?
Avoid any future frustrations by booking with us and by following these simple steps!
1. Always book as early as possible. Qualified and affordable interpreters get booked early and may not be available for last minute assignments or may charge extra “last minute” fees. Also, keep in mind that there is a finite number of local interpreters, and obtaining an interpreter from another area will incur additional travel fees. There is also always the possibility that no interpreters will be available and your event would have to be rescheduled.
2. Interpretation in a highly cognitive task that requires the interpreter to be consistently alert. To ensure accuracy, the interpreter needs to take breaks at least every 2 hours, more often if the interpretation occurs in simultaneous mode or is highly advanced linguistically.
3. There is always a complex interplay between price and quality. The cheapest priced services will most likely provide underqualified interpreters so always inquire about the qualifications before you book. Ideally, the best interpreters are those with qualifications in the specific setting for which they are needed. For example, a highly experienced legal interpreter may not be the right choice for a conference or medical setting. Note that prices will also vary by geographical location, type of assignment, type of interpretation mode, and language requested.
4. Interpreters are not walking encyclopedias. Many assignments require preparation and review of subject-specific terminology so providing the interpreter with the necessary information beforehand can increase the accuracy of the renditions.
5. Conveying the correct language and/or dialect is critical to receive quality interpretation. Do not assume that because a client is from a certain country or region that they speak a certain language. For example, a Mandarin interpreter would most likely not be able to interpret many of the other numerous Chinese languages. Just as someone from Mexico doesn’t necessarily speak Spanish (Mexico is home also to many speakers of a variety of native languages, many who do not speak Spanish).
6. The interpreter can only interpret one voice at a time. Ensuring that multiple people do no speak over each other will raise the quality of the interpretation. Also, in most settings, wait until the interpreter has completed speaking before speaking again. Rushing through will only lead to confusion and inaccuracies.
