Having an interpreting service is one of the best ways to communicate effectively beyond borders.
For one, interpreting services allow professionals and organizations to deliver real-time translations from anywhere in the world. Other than that, a good interpreter helps promote deeper understanding and better accessibility across diverse audiences.
Here is what you should know about choosing the best interpreting service for your needs.
Determine Your Basic Interpreting Service Needs
First, check for interpreting services that handle projects like yours. If your project or event falls under these categories, you need the services of a trusted interpreter:
Conferences
Court proceedings
International business meetings
Presentations and lectures
Training and seminars
Media broadcasts
Tours
As a rule of thumb, live and on-demand events need interpreters because they need real-time translations.
Types of Interpreting Services
Next, you must understand the appropriate interpreting service for your needs. Some interpreting services entail physical presence, while others need remote collaboration tools. There are also events that need specialized experts, such as multilingual and sign-language interpreters.
Ideally, your translation provider should have a portfolio of interpreting services to suit a range of settings.
Let’s look at some of the most common interpreting services:
- Simultaneous interpreting: The interpreter translates in real-time as the speaker is talking.
- Consecutive interpreting: Interpreters wait for the speaker to pause before providing the translation.
- Over-the-phone interpreting (OPI): The remote interpreter translates via mobile.
- Video remote interpreting (VRI): These are interpreting services via video conference.
- Remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI): Interpreters provide real-time translation of speech from one language to another remotely using specialized technology.
- Sign language interpreting: Interpreters translate between sign language and spoken or written language.
The first step to choosing the best interpreting service is to understand the context of your event and the type of service you need. In doing so, you can better identify translation providers with the resources and experience in similar settings.
Reputable translation companies like Elite Translations offer interpreting services appropriate for various settings. Additionally, we have industry-grade tools and equipment to aid our interpreters in their work.
We handle over 150 languages and dialects around the world. Plus, we have a broad network of interpreters with extensive knowledge of different industries.
Research Interpreting Service Providers
Interpreting Service Credentials
Professional certifications and accreditations prove that an individual has the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform a specific job or role.
Accredited certifications are more valuable because they meet industry standards. Furthermore, these credentials prove that prestigious organizations have recognized the interpreting service’s ability to deliver quality work.
Interpreter Professionalism, Experience, and Expertise
At its core, the interpreter’s role is to mediate conversations between speakers of different languages. So, the interpreter must convey the intended message accurately and respectfully.
A good interpreting service must have:
- Track record: There is strong evidence of successful assignments in similar settings.
- Knowledge: Interpreters have a deep understanding of the cultural context and technical terminology.
- Ethics: They maintain confidentiality and avoid personal biases when translating.
- Communication skills: Interpreters have active listening, quick thinking, and effective communication in general.
To properly assess your interpreting service, check their portfolio and web reviews. Even better, see if your interpreting service has a good reputation in your industry!
Check Their Logistics and Support Options
When narrowing down your choices for an interpreting service, check how they handle logistics and contingency planning. The best service providers can think on their feet and do what it takes for the project to push through.
In a nutshell, here is what your interpreting service should have:
- A system for scheduling and providing enough interpreters.
- Functioning equipment, such as soundproof booths, microphones, and headphones.
- Responsiveness and adaptability. How quick are they to solve problems and accommodate last-minute changes?
- Troubleshooting capacity. Do they have backup plans and support staff in case of equipment issues, connectivity problems, or emergencies?
At Elite Translations, we are all problem-solvers. We understand that events are not always foolproof. Thus, we have solutions in place to safeguard the success of your project.
We aim to be responsive and adaptable at all times. To achieve this, we provide technical support and troubleshooting capabilities whenever possible.
Assess Their Pricing for Interpreting Services
For you to get the best value out of your money, make sure to work with providers that maintain transparency and fairness in pricing.
Usually, interpreting services price their services based on:
- Language pair complexity. Common languages like French and Spanish are often more affordable than languages with fewer speakers.
- Interpreter expertise. Certified and experienced interpreters (i.e., healthcare and law specialists), can charge higher rates.
- Travel expenses. Travel costs (i.e, mileage, accommodation, and food) can expand the total cost of the interpreting service. For remote or international assignments, rates may go higher.
- Duration and multilingual options. Longer assignments, or multilingual requirements, can impact the cost.
- Urgency. Urgent requests may come with an added price tag.
Value-Based Pricing
Elite Translations has a value-based pricing model customized for each client’s needs.
Before our clients work with us, we ask them to fill out a form to get a free quote. We do this to ensure clear, comprehensive, and transparent pricing—no hidden costs!
Review Their Client Relationship Culture
The final step to choosing the best interpreting service is arguably the most crucial. Essentially, you need to understand how much they value customer service.
Your interpreting service provider must be proactive in building a collaborative relationship. In other words, they foster effective communication long after the project ends.
Moreover, the interpreting service should be open to ongoing feedback and continuous improvement. They understand the importance of refining their services and staying up-to-date with the latest technologies and best practices.
Lastly, reputable interpreting services should value long-term customer engagement. This means maximizing resources to provide the best experience from start to finish—and long after that.
Best Interpreting Service in Philippines
Beyond service delivery, we at Elite Translations strive to be your partners and problem-solvers.
With our team of expert interpreters, we ensure that clients receive accurate, reliable, and culturally sensitive interpretations for every need. We go above and beyond to deliver exceptional results that exceed client expectations.
As a trusted translation company in the Philippines, we strive toward quality and full transparency. To take it further, we aim for continuous improvement and leverage the latest technologies in our arsenal. We do this to provide quality services and keep your data safe long after the project ends.
Want to know more about our interpreting services and translation offerings? Contact us now or get a free quote!
