Most of today’s organizations know that an interpreting service helps people from different countries and cultures work together.
It is very important to be able to understand each other, so interpreting services come in and help people communicate when they don’t speak the same language.
The interpreting industry is changing fast, with new ways to do things and new technologies. Let’s talk about these changes and how to find the best interpreting services for your needs.
Understanding the Interpreting Service’s Role
Unlike text-based translation services, an interpreting service involves the oral rendering of a message from one language to another.
Interpreting plays a crucial role in a wide range of settings, including:
Business meetings and conferences: Interpreting services allow participants to communicate agreements effectively.
Healthcare settings: Interpreters ensure that patients can communicate with doctors and nurses so they can better understand diagnoses and treatments.
Legal proceedings: Interpeters help defendants, witnesses, and other parties to fully participate and understand the process.
Community services: They help people access education, social services, and other public resources using different languages.
However, accessing quality interpreting services can present challenges for both individuals and organizations. These challenges include:
Finding interpreters with the necessary language skills, subject matter expertise, and professional certification.
Arranging for an interpreter to be physically present at a specific time and location, especially for unexpected or emergency situations.
Agreeing with the cost of on-site interpreting.
Ensuring confidentiality and data security when using interpreting services, especially remotely.
To overcome these challenges, organizations are shifting to innovative interpreting solutions like remote interpreting via video or phone, on-demand services, and AI-powered language assistance tools.
These developments allow providers to deliver a more accessible, affordable, and effective interpreting service.
Emerging Trends in Interpreting Services
Remote Interpreting is Becoming More Common
Instead of having an interpreter physically present, remote interpreting allows interpreting to be done over video or phone.
This has some great benefits:
- Cheaper: There’s no need to pay for travel or a physical location.
- Accessible: Interpreters can work from anywhere and be available on-demand.
- Easy and effective: Video conferencing and online platforms are easy enough to navigate.
Remote interpreting became more popular at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is especially true with the boom of remote events such as online meetings and hybrid conferences.
In fact, the Nimdzi Interpreting Index found that over-the-phone (OPI), video remote (VRI), and remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI) accounted for a cumulative market share of 95% in 2022.
While the numbers dipped to 49% in 2023, it is clear that remote interpreting is here to stay.
AI and Machine Learning are Being Used More
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies are being used in interpreting in a couple of ways:
- AI can automatically translate speech between languages in real-time.
- AI can help interpret, but it can’t fully replace human interpreters yet. Interpreters still need to use their judgment and understanding of culture.
While AI has changed the game for translations in general, humans are undoubtedly the secret sauce for an effective interpreting service.
This is something that we at Elite Translations understand completely. We understand the full potential of our interpreters and the unique value they bring to the table.
Interpreters are Specializing and Getting Certified
Interpreters are becoming increasingly focused on becoming experts in specific fields.
More interpreters specialize in areas like healthcare, law, business, or technical topics. Generally, this helps them understand the unique words and concepts in those fields.
In addition, certification programs are becoming more important. Certifications show an interpreter is qualified and follows industry standards.
Moreover, rules and standards for interpreters are changing. So, service providers must ensure they deliver high-quality interpreting services.
This is why, at Elite Translations, we make sure our interpreters are also experts in their respective fields. After all, you would want a language expert who knows what they are talking about!
How Interpreting Service Delivery Is Changing
On-Demand and On-Site Interpreting Service
Interpreting services are now offering more flexible options.
On-demand interpreting can be accessed quickly, even in urgent situations like medical emergencies. You can get an interpreter right away through mobile apps or online platforms.
That said, on-site interpreting is still important for in-person meetings. The only difference is that it is easier to arrange through online booking systems.
Interpreting Service Teams and Language Banks
Interpreting services are using collaborative approaches to make sure they have interpreters for all the languages needed.
Teams of interpreters work together, with each one handling a different language, to help with multilingual events.
Additionally, language banks are networks of interpreters that can be called on to find the right language skills for each job.
New Interpreting Technologies
Advances in technology are improving interpreting services in several ways.
- Special devices like wireless headsets allow interpreters to work discreetly at conferences and meetings.
- Translation apps can provide quick, rough translations to supplement professional interpreting.
- Automated speech recognition and machine translation are being used to make interpreters more efficient.
What This Means for Choosing a Reliable Interpreting Service
We have already learned about the trends and innovations in the interpreting space, but what does this mean for your search?
Well, the answer is simple. A reliable interpreting service must be aware of these trends and effectively keep up. They must know how to blend innovation with tried-and-tested industry best practices.
Further, make sure to vet the interpreting service based on the following:
Qualifications and certifications of the interpreters, such as professional accreditation and specialized training.
Language proficiency and subject-matter expertise of the interpreters in the relevant fields.
Availability, responsiveness, and reliability of the interpreting service provider to meet your needs.
Pricing and cost-effectiveness of the services offered.
Data privacy and security measures in place to protect confidential information.
Carefully evaluating these aspects will help you choose the most qualified and dependable interpreting service. To explore these points further, you can check out this post.
Effective, Innovative, and Human-Centric Interpreting Service
Elite Translations has spent years in the game of translation and localization. From in-person interpreting to virtual interpreting, we have seen it all. With each project, we give it all we have—and we are known for doing it well.
We have a strong radar for the latest industry trends, making sure that our services are befitting the 21st century and beyond. With this, though, we still understand that humans will never go out of style.
We incorporate the latest developments in our work, but we make sure to put humans front and center.
Our roster of professionals has been carefully vetted and trained so they can provide the best service that your organization deserves. Beyond quality, they promote open communication, customer trust, and data security at all times.
Interested in our interpreting service and other language offerings? Contact us now to get a FREE quote.
