Breakthrough of remote interpreting
Customer's Guide to remote interpreting
What are the benefits of remote interpreting? What should be taken into account before, during, and after remote interpreting? Download the free Customer's Guide and discover the benefits of remote interpreting today!
Remote interpreting became mainstream in many European countries, a shift accelerated by the Covid pandemic. By 2023, 86% of interpreting for the City of Helsinki was conducted remotely (Slator, 2023), demonstrating strong public sector preference for remote solutions in Finland. Also, Finnish customers can save up to 40% when using remote interpreter services compared to traditional on-site interpreting (Ericsson Industry Lab, 2024).
We have created a Customer’s Guide to help our customers make the most of remote interpreting services. The Customer’s Guide is meant for everyone who may need interpreters’ help in their work — for example, when serving international clients at hospitals, employment services, schools, and day cares, or when handling legal matters. The Guide focuses on remote interpreting, giving practical tips on how to order a remote interpreter smoothly.
Why choose remote interpretation instead of on-site?
When you choose remote interpretation, the selection of language pairs is bigger because the interpreters from further distance can be reachBred. This makes it more probable to find an interpreter who does not have a conflict of interests and is not disqualified.
Remote interpretation makes it possible to contact an interpreter immediately. Instant interpretation is needed, for example, in emergency situations where there is no common language and it is crucial to contact an interpreter as quickly as possible.
However, the biggest advantages of remote interpreting are its eco-friendliness and the removal of travel. From the interpreter’s perspective, it also allows them to handle more assignments each day since there’s no time lost commuting.
When is an on-site interpreter needed?
Even though remote interpreting has largely replaced traditional on-site interpreting, there are situations where having an interpreter present is still necessary. For example, formal or ceremonial events, negotiations involving several participants, and appointments where moving between different locations makes remote interpreting impractical. In addition, situations that involve giving visual instructions are often easier to interpret on-site than over the phone. In some cases, video interpreting can also be a good alternative for these types of situations.
In addition, in large-scale events and conferences it is still the best practice to work with on-site interpreters when needing simultaneous interpretation. More commonly simultaneous interpreting is done with equipment and a separate booth for interpreting. However, another form of simultaneous interpretation is chuchotage, whispered interpreting, performed on-site when there are only a few people who need interpreting. Whispered interpretation can also be suitable for example if a guided tour needs to be interpreted.
Read more about remote interpreting and download the Customer’s Guide here: