Are you familiar with simultaneous and consecutive interpreters?
Your answer may be a resounding yes, and you might even think of the number of times you have worked with them and the good results already achieved.
But it is also likely that you have never worked with them because you did not know about their existence.
Whether it is one or the other, in this post we would like to tell you about these services and how they can support your company’s growth.
What are simultaneous and consecutive interpreters?
Although they may seem to be two remarkably similar concepts, they do differ. What they have in common is that these are the two most in-demand interpreting services on the market.
What should be pointed out is that in interpreting, the message is communicated through speech, while the translator uses writing.
Simultaneous interpreters oversee transmitting the words of a speaker or presenter into another language as soon as they are formulated.
Traditionally, they are seated in soundproof booths listening to someone talking there and then. Those listening, hear these interpreters through headphones.
A consecutive interpreter, on the other hand, is someone who starts speaking once the other speaker has finished his or her train of thought.
Interpreters have strong memory skills and develop their own note-taking techniques.If you compare consecutive to simultaneous interpreting, this would be a more classical approach, although does has proven to be of great value in one-to-one meetings or negotiations, or during telephone conferences in court.
A big change in 2020…
But before talking about its benefits, it is necessary to digress as everything has changed dramatically today.
With the restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic and the impossibility of travelling, online events are increasingly in demand, and the key figure of online simultaneous or consecutive interpreter has appeared.
Online conferences, webinars, or meetings via videoconferencing services such as Zoom, Webex, Google Meet are practically everywhere. In all of them, you need interpreters who can work with professionals who can adapt to all time zones.
A very good example to explain this is the meeting that Cadena 100 organised with Per Gessle, singer and guitarist of the duo Roxette, and some privileged fans. The role of the consecutive interpreter was key. The role of the consecutive interpreter was key here.
Besides gaining in flexibility compared to face-to-face interpreting or the fact that there are no limits on the number of participants or languages, with these online interpreters you are reducing your costs, as there are no expenses for food and lodging.
There are even studies that highlight the fact that remote interpreting services are essential for people with limited English — during COVID-19 and beyond
This consecutive simultaneous online interpreting is proving to be a winning bet for any company looking to grow.
In addition to the possibilities offered by online interpreting, let us tell you some reasons why you will benefit from the services of interpreters.
The benefits
1. It makes communication between people of different languages easier
In our previous post we talked about the importance of internationalising your content. Point 1 is related to this.
On many occasions you will need your scripts to be translated into several languages.
You may be holding a press conference, or even making an important announcement or meeting, either in person or online, with partners or allies in other languages. In these cases you will always need simultaneous or consecutive interpreters to get your message across with optimum quality.
You will manage to break down the language barrier, so that people who speak different languages will be able to understand each other without missing any information.
2. Quality events
This is a point linked to the visibility and image of your company. When deciding to internationalise an event, it is advisable to take this step towards including interpreting services.
You will be gaining the trust of your clients and notice that they will feel more at ease and the feedback you will receive will be particularly important.
In addition, by having them on board, you will be promoting networking, which can benefit your company in terms of business opportunities and image enhancement.
3. Adaptation to modern times
Meetings must go hand in hand with the society in which you live. We are talking about a society in which communication is instantaneous.
And nowadays it is linked to immediacy. We send emails or a WhatsApp anywhere in the world and we get an immediate response.
At your events you have to offer the same thing, and that is what interpreters provide you with.
You cannot expect to enter new markets with your own event, without offering what is happening instantly and dynamically, and in all the required languages.
And as we have already mentioned, even more so if you intend to do it using some of the new tools for webinars, videoconferences, or meetings. In these cases, offering simultaneous or consecutive remote interpreting services will help you grow in many ways.
4. Makes it easy for attendees to participate
If you are looking for international guests at your events or meetings, you must make it easy for them.
On the one hand, you need them to be an active part of the activity, but at the same time, offer them a comfortable environment to participate in the events you are organising.
Whether you are trying to gain notoriety or for networking purposes, you need to make your guests feel at ease. Hiring simultaneous or consecutive interpreting services will make them feel at home.
5. Profitability
When you organise events, you are thinking about the profitability you can have as a company. No question about it.
And by profitability we are not just talking about the mere fact of the profits you can make, but also the cost savings achieved.
And when talking about costs, simultaneous and consecutive interpreters will not pose a problem.
On many occasions and depending on the length or languages of the service, it is very likely that you will only need one or two interpreters.
Moreover, these are services with simple technical equipment, so the price is always in line, especially if what we are talking about is consecutive interpreting.
And if it is simultaneous interpreting, whether online, remote, or digital, the savings on meals and hotels will be quite significant.
Concluding…
If your goal is to internationalise your company and take another step forward in your growth, sooner or later you will need to rely on an interpreting service to handle all aspects of your company’s communication at events and meetings. If these cannot be held physically, these services can be provided 100% remotely online through the already mentioned online meeting platforms.
With countless benefits, the performance you get out of them will be even greater.
It is a fast, effective service and a great solution when hosting all kinds of international events.
Looking for an interpreting service for your company?