Every year, we ask interpreters to share their experiences with us through our satisfaction survey. In fact, conducting surveys is one of the most important ways we keep track of interpreter well-being and learn how we’re doing as a partner and 71% of respondents see surveys like this as a sign of a responsible operator that genuinely listens and develops services based on collected feedback.
This year, 343 interpreters took the time to respond — thank you to each of you who shared your thoughts! The results gave us a clear picture of what interpreters value most about working with Youpret, as well as the concerns that matter most to them. In this blog, we’ll highlight the three services interpreters appreciate the most, their concerns, and interpreters’ perspective on responsibility.
The three services that interpreters appreciate the most:
1. Satisfaction with customer service 88%
Youpret customer service is one of the services that always takes the highest popularity among our interpreters and clients! This is important for us because our in-house customer service team is the first place where interpreters and clients interact with our office team. In the survey, our customer service team was pointed out with features like available, responsive and friendly staff that makes it easy for everyone to reach us and get their problems solved. You can read more about our customer service in this blog post.
The results of the survey show that the interpreters are specifically highly satisfied with customer service availability (89%), matters related to changes and cancellations (85%), and getting help in problem situations (80%). It is noteworthy that the dissatisfaction level is almost close to zero with 1.5% on average.
Below you can see some of the comments made by interpreters anonymously
“I want to praise Youper's customer service. I was very satisfied with how quickly and kindly I received help. The customer service was professional.”
“Very polite and helpful employees. In my opinion, perfect customer service. I want to thank you for the polite and wonderful service and assistance.”
“Customer service is always really good”
2. Satisfaction with Youpret mobile application 85%
Youpret mobile app is one the strengths of our services. The mobile app is developed and updated by our in-house developers. Some of the reasons behind interpreter satisfaction are application functionality and features (88%), user-friendliness (86%), interpretation monthly summaries (81%). Interpreter satisfaction with the app shows that the app is highly effective, and this was also recognized when Youpret app won the 2024 KotoTeko award by the Finnish Refugee Council. The app helps make interpretation services accessible, smooth, and cost-efficient for the most vulnerable people in society.
Below you can see some of the comments made by interpreters anonymously
“The best interpretation app I've ever seen.”
“It's quite easy to use and very clear. A good app.”
“The app's functionality exceeded my expectations. The app's continuous development is also good👌”
3. Satisfaction with handling payments on time 83%
One of the things that our interpreters value the most is the reliability of our payment process. In fact, 83% of the respondents are happy with how payments are handled on time and precisely. This may sound like a simple thing, but in the freelance world, delayed or inconsistent payments are unfortunately common and we avoid them.
Moreover, our smooth and trustworthy payment system is supported by transparency of the fees which is not common in the industry but our interpreters always see the amount the client has paid and the amount they receive. This strengthens satisfaction and it reflects our commitment to fairness and responsibility.
“The invoicing system is excellent!” (anonymous interpreter)
“One of the good things regarding our system is that interpreters don’t have to send invoices themselves. They can choose one of our invoicing partners, so payments are handled smoothly without extra work from interpreters’ side.” (Erja Jaala, invoicing specialist, Youpret)
Responsibility and impact - insights from the survey
At Youpret, we believe it’s important to understand the impact we have—not just on our clients, but also on the interpreters who make our work possible. Listening to their experiences helps us see where we’re doing well and where we can do better.
One of the strongest messages from our recent survey is clear: 92% of interpreters value working with companies that act responsibly. But what does “responsible” mean to interpreters? To interpreters, responsibility means being treated fairly and respectfully (85%), having responsive and respectful customer service (74%), and being asked for feedback through regular surveys (71%).
Among the various reasons interpreters would recommend us—such as high-quality customer service and a user-friendly mobile app. Actually, 45% said they would recommend Youpret specifically because of how we treat interpreters.
Another result that stood out is that 70% of interpreters working through Youpret feel they use their skills to benefit society. That’s a powerful reminder that interpreting isn’t just about language—it’s about making a positive difference. And it shows how business, too, can be a force for good.
For us, responsibility comes down to transparency and fairness. We want to build a meaningful relationship with interpreters, to keep communication open, and to make sure respect is at the center of everything we do. Interpreters add real value to society, and we want to reflect that in the way we work with them every day.
Interpreters’ concerns reflected from the survey
The survey also highlighted some understandable concerns from interpreters. Most of these challenges are linked to the wider interpreting market in Finland—factors that no single company can change on its own. But we hope that by raising awareness and highlighting the importance of interpretation services in society we can influence the current situation. The raised issues matter to us, because they directly affect interpreter well-being.
One of the main concerns raised in the survey was the decrease in both the number and the fee of interpreting assignments. To put this into context, it helps to look at the bigger picture. Recent administrative reforms in Finland are reshaping how interpreting is commissioned, organised, and valued.
As of January 2025, TE offices (public Employment and Economic Development Offices) have been abolished, and their services shifted to municipalities as part of the broader TE2024 reform. TE Offices had often been major clients for interpreting. Now, municipalities, if large enough, need to launch their own tendering processes for interpretation services. We will actively be participating in new tendering processes. If municipalities are smaller and have less interpreting needs, they can rely on their own interpreting service providers or in-house interpreting services that bypass open competition.
On top of this, reception centres are also being closed and their services will be transferred to municipalities alike. Migri has announced that 18 centres will shut down by the end of 2025, with 8 more closing in early 2026. Despite the changes our mission is clear: by actively participating in available tendering competitions, we aim to secure new contracts and keep the flow of assignments steady. At the moment the number of assignments is getting back to the period before abolishment of TE offices.
At the same time, while municipalities are given new responsibilities regarding integration service, the budgets for integration services, including interpreting, are being cut. For example, the government cut integration compensation paid by the state to municipalities and welfare areas by 58 million euros and the state planned to save just over 3 million euros on interpretation costs (read more). The budget cuts not only ends here but this September the state has decided to cut 30 million euros more on integration services for the next year (read more). This means that municipalities now carry greater responsibility but with less funding. These cuts potentially affect the fees for interpretation services: in today’s competitive tendering environment, companies often face a choice between lowering their fees or being left out of the competition altogether.
The interpreting market is changing, but change also brings opportunities. While some assignments are decreasing, new needs are emerging in municipalities as well as in the private sector and organizations such as legal firms, associations, unions etc.
Moreover, one thing is clear: interpreting is still one of the most powerful tools for integration. Our interpreting services make sure that newcomers don’t face unnecessary misunderstandings or risks when visiting a doctor, talking to a teacher, or dealing with public authorities.
At the same time, it helps public authorities work more efficiently and avoid confusion when precise communication is critical. And beyond being useful, interpreting is also a legal right—a safeguard that ensures equal access to services, no matter what language you speak.
What’s next: our plans in action
The survey result gave us insights and direction. Based on what we heard, here are some of the steps we’re planning to strengthen our collaboration with interpreters:
We keep listening. Regular surveys and open dialogue help us understand interpreter experiences and shape our next steps. Olga Muukkonen, our Interpretation and Training Specialist, will also host the next online meeting for interpreters in November to discuss survey findings and current trends in the Finnish interpreting market.
We keep improving. From our customer service to our mobile app, we want to make interpreting smoother, easier, and more rewarding. The Youpret app will continue to be upgraded to stay reliable, user-friendly, and efficient.
We keep supporting interpreters. We are creating a dedicated team focused solely on interpreter support, rather than combining interpreter and client inquiries.
We will keep communicating. To keep interpreters in the loop, we’re introducing a “News” section in the Youpret app. The section will have updates on the interpreting market and the latest news from our business.
We keep growing opportunities. We will actively participate in public tenderings and expand our reach to private-sector clients to create more assignments.
We keep learning together. We have hosted an on-site training in Helsinki on October 10th with the theme “Ensuring the Quality of Interpretations.” In addition, a new course will be added to Youpret Academy: Sustainability for interpreters.
We keep influencing. We continue to engage with municipal decision-makers and those responsible for public tendering to ensure that quality and sustainability are valued alongside price when evaluating service providers.
More information
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If you are interested to order interpretations from us and work with a responsible and high quality service provider contact Sales Coordinator Vertti vertti.kypara@youpret.com
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We are arranging an online meeting for our interpreter network on November 13! The meeting will cover, among other things, changes in the interpreting industry and their impact on interpreters’ work.
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If you want to know more about our responsibility strategy at Youpret contact Sustainability Coordinator Aida at aida.jodeiri@youpret.com
Author
Aida Jodeiri
aida.jodeiri@youpret.com
LinkedIn
Sustainability Coordinator
Aida has a master's degree in Environmental Policy and Law from the University of Eastern Finland and her first master's degree is in human rights law. At Youpret, she has focused on topics related to sustainability and sustainability reporting as well as interpreters and customer satisfaction surveys. In her free time, Aida likes to dance and play badminton.