Have you ever wondered if you're making the most of your interpreter services? Do you need help with how to harness the full potential of interpreters for your organisation? This guide is here to shed light on the importance of effective collaboration with interpreters and provide insights on optimising your interactions with our services.
Across our website, we have explained the significant impact that a professional interpreter can have on enhancing client relationships (we recommend reading about our recent success stories: "How Interpreting Enhances Professional and Corporate Experiences at Khin Family Services" and "West Sussex County Council’s Ofsted Report Mentions High-Quality Interpreting Services by Vandu Languages"), and how both private and public sector organisations can benefit from hiring professionally trained interpreters.
Nonetheless, drawing from our extensive experience of delivering interpreting services for over two decades, we've recognised that businesses and organisations may not always be fully equipped to implement the best and most cost-efficient practices when working with an interpreter.
Why is the role of an interpreter important?
An interpreter plays a determining role as a communication bridge between your organisation and its clientele. Professionally trained interpreters excel in breaking down cultural barriers, ensuring seamless information exchange and encouraging a deeper understanding of ideas.
Imagine having a trained interpreter who not only speaks the language but understands the nuances of your industry!
Mitigating Misconceptions
In the realm of interpreting, misconceptions can undermine the relationship between your organisation and the interpreters involved. Common misconceptions include:
Universal Fluency: Assuming that interpreters have universal fluency in all languages, overlooking the specialities required for various domains and contexts.
Interpretation vs. Translation: Confusing interpretation (oral) with translation (written) and not understanding the distinct skills and processes involved in each.
Literal Translation: Expecting a word-for-word translation, disregarding the need for conveying the intended meaning in a culturally appropriate and contextually relevant manner.
Omnipresence of Bilingualism: Assuming that bilingual individuals can serve as interpreters, overlooking the specialised training and skills necessary for professional interpreting.
Complete Mediation: Believing that interpreters only translate words, neglecting their role in mediating understanding, emotions, and non-verbal cues.
These misconceptions within an organisation can deeply influence service expectations.
Realising the Value of Effective Collaboration with Interpreters
Performing effectively in the presence of an interpreter offers several advantages to a company:
- Cost Effectiveness: Knowledge of best practices in interpreter collaboration ensures optimal use of resources. This prevents unnecessary expenditure on miscommunications or inadequate utilisation of interpreting services.
- Professionalism: Demonstrating proficiency in working with interpreters reflects professionalism and a commitment to facilitating inclusive communication. This enhances the company's credibility, allowing a space of trust with diverse stakeholders.
- Global Reach and Multiculturalism: Competence in working with interpreters allows companies to reach a broader, more diverse audience. This is particularly valuable for businesses aiming to expand into international markets or companies that must engage with a multicultural clientele.
- Inclusivity and Diversity: Recognising the significance of interpreters promotes an inclusive workplace culture. It shows respect for diversity by accommodating employees, clients, and partners who speak different languages, contributing to a sense of belonging and equality.
A Training Opportunity with Vandu Languages
Vandu Languages offers a short, collaborative training session to provide information about how to use interpreters in the most efficient, cost-effective and productive way possible. We go over best practices for face-to-face and remote interpreting, how to book interpreters on our system, as well as cancellation procedures and other relevant policies.
You can ask for more details by emailing us at info@vandu.co.uk or calling us at 01273 473986.
Learning Objectives
Participants in this training session will acquire the following key takeaways for application in their workplace:
Learn about why interpreters are needed
What each person's role is in an interpreting appointment
Best practices when working with an interpreter
Cost efficiency and cancellation procedure
Pros and cons of onsite/remote interpreting
How to manage your appointments via our booking system
What People Say About Us
We have delivered this workshop to well-known organisations such as the Royal Sussex County Council (RSCC) and Wealden District Council. These are some of the comments that they have shared with us:
“It gave me a real appreciation for the expertise of interpreters. I found the tips on how best to work with them really helpful and a good refresher. Very practical and usable tips, thank you!”
Amy A, RSCH
“Much more interesting and involved than I was expecting. I can now appreciate how very important the role is and would not hesitate to engage with yourselves in the future.”
Irene R, Housing & Property Service Wealden
“Good length of time, good balance between explaining the context, skill and importance of interpreters (from a perspective of an interpreter) as well as practical user guide”
Maddie D, RSCH
Details
The training session is one hour in duration and is free of cost for local public sector organisations.
Book A Spot With Us!
If you seek further information about this workshop, or if you would like to book a training session for your team, please feel free to contact us at info@vandu.co.uk or call us at 01273 473986.
