How Does Remote Interpreting Work?

Remote interpreting allows communication between different groups of people who do not speak the same language, especially when speakers or interpreters are unable to travel to the site, urgency of the request, lack of local interpreters, or because the location is difficult to reach. Requests for this type of service have increased tenfold since the pandemic started, and most businesses will continue to use remote interpreting post-pandemic as they have learned to appreciate the benefits of remote interpreting services delivery.  

In this blog post, Bromberg & Associates details the key aspects of remote interpreting, outlining the main points to keep in mind.

First of all, note that remote interpreting can be used for almost any type of event: a company video conference, a business meeting, a seminar for a multilingual audience, a medical appointment, a court hearing, an interview, and so on.  

1. What are the advantages of remote interpreting?

To begin with, it is noteworthy that remote interpreting was practiced long before the arrival of COVID-19 and its related travel restrictions. Previously, remote interpreting professionals and companies were already benefiting from it, because:  

• Interpreters are not required to travel. All of the heavy and complex equipment that is normally used specifically in simultaneous interpreting at events is not required. Interpreters can work from home or from a nearby secure hub where booths and television screens are specifically set up for their work. When it comes to consecutive interpreting, saving time on travel equally benefits all parties involved: interpreters can do more assignments without having to drive and sit in traffic, while clients and consumers can obtain more language access with expanded pool of interpreters  

• This type of interpreting is less costly because transportation, lodging, and onsite Simultaneous Interpreting equipment rental are not required. Therefore, the bill will be lower.   

• Many interpreters prefer remote interpreting because it enables them to do everything from home and leverage their time accordingly. Of course, it all depends on the professional’s point of view, as some interpreters still prefer to go to the location.  

• If you have an urgent need, you can find specialists right away. Remote interpreting is a perfect solution in an emergency, because it eliminates travel times as well as the complex logistical organization of on-site events. This also ensures greater adaptability! So, if your onsite interpreting team has cancelled on you a week before an important event, seek help remotely! Of course, we hope you won’t find yourself in this predicament in the first place by securing services through Bromberg.  

• You have a larger pool of professionals to choose from because interpreters can work from anywhere in the world.   

• More people are likely to participate. If an event requiring interpretation occurs at a particular location, it may be difficult to include your foreign subsidiaries or even folks from the other coast in the US, for example. With access to remote interpreting, anyone, regardless of location, can follow the event and interact effectively.  

2. What are the drawbacks of remote interpreting?  

However, there are still challenging aspects that come with some processes.  

 Remote interpreting can present a few complications:  

• The setup must be dependable and properly configured. It is difficult to predict an internet outage or platform server failure, so having redundancies in place is essential. Furthermore, ensuring that all connections are properly made is critical to achieving perfect audio and visual quality.  

• Interpreters must work in a quiet setting. This is not always the case at home, for a variety of reasons – noisy neighbors, street construction…

3. What remote interpreting platforms are used?  

Several remote interpreting platforms are available, where speakers, participants and interpreters can connect to take part in the event virtually.  

You can carry out an interpreting assignment, for example, via video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Skype, Teams, and so on. Other platforms are strictly dedicated to remote interpreting, although they cost more, since their main focus is to provide true Remote simultaneous Interpreting technology and enhanced UX.  

All of these platforms contain built-in collaboration tools, i.e., multiple screen sharing, chat rooms and multiple display modes. Participants can also change their listening language based on preferences.  

Bromberg & Associates has been providing remote interpreting services for many years. Our clients and attendees have always been pleased with the service. Indeed, this type of interpretation is highly valued – and, depending on the circumstances, is even preferred to onsite interpreting because of the convenience and flexibility, as well as the lower cost compared to face-to-face interpreting. Let’s chat if you have an event coming up and you’d like to explore your options.