As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, interpretation has become necessary for businesses. Breaking language barriers is paramount in strengthening your globalization strategy if you are to communicate effectively with your audiences who speak a different language.
Moreover, when not all the participants are located in the same room, video remote interpretation (VRI) becomes a viable option because you can connect with an interpreter through a video link or an online video remote interpretation platform. The upside is that you get quality interpretation services in real-time and on-demand.
Benefits of Using VRI
Most business leaders view video remote interpreting services as too expensive to consider. However, with technological advancements coupled with an increase in service providers, the service has become competitively priced. Nevertheless, VRI is helping businesses fulfill their interpretation needs to stay afloat in these most challenging times with the current need for social distancing.
Video remote interpretation is already in use in practically every industry, from financial organizations connecting with overseas clients to manufacturers and educational institutions using VRI to support their conferences and lectures.
Medical and legal organizations are pioneering the application of VRI in their daily operations. However, businesses of all sizes are starting to recognize the value of video remote interpreting.
Only in the healthcare industry does video remote interpretation have the potential to enhance patients’ outcomes, reduce risks, lower medical costs, and lessen the liability of hospitals and payers.
At both locations, VRI uses video conferencing equipment. The interpreter, who usually works in a call center, uses a headset to listen to what the hearing person is saying. The translator then signs everything uttered into a web camera as the hearing person speaks. The translator can see and hear the response of a deaf person when they respond through their webcam.
The person who is deaf and the one who is hearing can converse as if the interpreter were present in the room. Several interpreting agencies offer VRI on a fee-for-service basis; fees vary depending on whether an interpreter is needed right away or is planned ahead of time.
How Does Video Remote Interpretation Save You Money?
It eliminates travel & accommodation costs
- Let’s say you are a motivational speaker who travels the world delivering speeches to different audiences. You would need to book your flight and pay for accommodation wherever you go, which doesn’t come cheap in most cases. If you travel with your own interpreters, the costs add up since you have to cater for their travel and accommodation.
- Suppose you are in a business that needs interpretation services, such as a hospital catering to international patients. In that case, on-site interpreters will have to travel across town to come to you, and you can bet that they will add the gas cost and drive time to your invoice.
- Interpreting remotely eliminates the need to travel around to deliver your messages. You can host your webinar right from your living room, office, or any remote location successfully. If you are a business, VRI gives you access to an interpreter in real-time without the task of traveling to them.
- The good thing about video interpretation is that you can still get the benefits of in-person interpretation. All participants can see the interpreter’s body language and facial impressions as they are interpreting. That is necessary for effective communication, all without incurring the hefty cost of travel.
- The rising cost of travel is one issue that significantly impacts the cost of on-site interpretation. While engaging an interpreter for an on-site interpretation session, gas and travel time are included in the price.
- However, there is no payment for gas or travel time when using Video Remote Interpretation. Your healthcare facility will save money by not paying for mileage or driving time when using required interpretation services because the interpretation does not have to be face-to-face.
- One of the main reasons video remote interpretation services are less expensive is that instead of paying extra money to the interpreter for the time spent by the VRI user, the VRI service user only pays for the time they spend with the interpreter.
- You can save money on transportation and time in the healthcare facility by executing your language access strategy. This also enables your healthcare facility to give patients high-quality, accurate care.
No need to rent a venue
Like in the above example of a motivational speaker traveling the world, you need to rent a venue that you can use to hold your talks. This doesn’t come easily since there are considerations that you need to keep in mind. You can save money on transportation and time in the healthcare facility by executing your language access strategy.
It also has to be near accommodation facilities for your audience and interpreters who might need to spend the night, especially if the conference takes several days. The venue also needs to have ample parking for your guests. Most importantly, it needs to be big enough to house all your attendees, interpreters, and the required translation equipment. If you want a good venue with all these factors, you have to pay the cost.
You will undoubtedly want the services of a skilled remote video interpreter whether you are conducting a global healthcare seminar, a webinar, a multilingual conference, or a governmental event.
Consider yourself a native American attending a vital video conference on Google Meets, Skype, or Zoom with a native Chinese trainee. Would you be able to make sense of what he said? Would you be able to properly assist him? A remote video interpreter comes to your aid in these situations.
Similarly, everyone on the planet is battling the impulse to go from one place to another. As a result, the supply of interpreters has become a significant concern for nearly all multinational corporations. In that instance, a remote video interpreter is an excellent choice. A remote video interpreter is just a phone call away to aid you in times of need, saving you time and money while also providing top-notch interpretation services.
People may now keep organized online thanks to developments in information and technology. With this in mind, incorporating a remote video interpreter into your online events will never be a challenge.
You don’t have to worry about renting a conference room with video remote interpreting, and you don’t have to attend a gathering. With just the event link, your participants can follow your talks, and your interpreters can interpret from remote locations.
No special equipment is required
On-site interpretation for a vast gathering requires special equipment with components such as interpreter consoles, microphones, and receivers. If you don’t find a venue with in-built booths, you have to incur the cost of renting or buying the same. You also have to incur the fee of transporting the equipment and hire technicians to set up and remove the equipment when you finish.
Video remote interpretation doesn’t require any special equipment. In addition, the days are gone when users needed to have specific software to use VRI. Video remote interpretation technology has since advanced tremendously.
All you need is a good internet connection and a web camera to access the service. The fact that most devices now come with an in-built camera and the internet is readily available and affordable means that the cost of interpreting remotely has been greatly reduced.
On-site interpreters cost more
As said earlier, on-site interpreters factor in the cost of travel in the price that they charge you. They also have minimums that they base their costs on. If you need an interpreter for a short time, the chances are that you end up paying for time not used.
For instance, if your language providers charge a two-hour minimum and you only use the services for 30 minutes, you still pay for two hours regardless of the time you have spent with the interpreters.
When it comes to video remote interpreting services, you only pay for the time that you are connected to a remote interpreter. This, coupled with the eliminated mileage charges, puts the cost of video remote interpreting services way lower as compared to on-site interpreters.
VRI is available on demand
You may find yourself in situations that require interpretation services at short notice. If such cases happen often for you, hiring in-house interpreters would be a good option. However, this comes with increased salary costs for your business. If you cannot afford to hire in-house interpreters, your other choice would be to wait for an interpreter to drive from wherever they are. This can cause delays and cost you time that could have been channeled to other areas.
Video remote interpretation is an on-demand service, and you can gain access to a remote interpreter within seconds. Some providers of remote interpretation services have apps that you can download to your devices to make scheduling and emergency requests easier. This saves you time and money.
When one or more of the people involved will be unable to move freely owing to physical limitations, video remote interpreting is the best alternative. It is more interesting and perfect for circumstances such as medical consultations and other similar situations since the interpreter is better able to identify visual clues and appreciate the tone of the talk.
Video Remote Interpretation services can be easily integrated with various popular platforms in many industries without the need for extra plug-ins or technologies Any technical device with a webcam, microphone, speaker, a strong internet connection, and a basic understanding of how it works can be used for VRI.
In cases where you are dealing with impatient customers, VRI ensures that you serve them on time to save your image and enhance customer retention.
Budget-Friendly
Video remote interpretation allows hospitals to connect with a live interpreter anytime they need one, rather than hiring full-time staff interpreters or bringing in an expert interpreter on demand. As a result, VRI can lower the cost per patient compared to in-person or phone translators.
VRI services may help you save money on interpretation in addition to offering visual support. When shopping for a VRI provider, make sure to ask about the hourly minimums for the technology.
Over-the-phone and on-site interpretation services are both available, but video remote interpretation bridges the gap between them. On-site interpreting usually comes with a two-hour minimum payment, as well as mileage and travel costs. VRI services can help you save money on interpretation while also providing visual support.
While looking for a VRI provider, ask whether there are any hourly minimums related to VRI technology. As part of Telelanguage’s commitment to our clients, we seek ways to optimize and minimize your interpretation costs. Thus, we don’t impose hourly minimums or additional fees for VRI services.
Interesting & practical
Video remote interpreting is the best alternative when one or more of the people involved will be unable to move freely due to physical limitations. It is more interesting and perfect for circumstances such as medical consultations and other similar situations since the interpreter can better identify visual clues and appreciate the tone of the talk.
Conclusion
As technology advances, video remote interpretation is no longer a service that is regarded as nice to have. It has become readily available and affordable for businesses to leverage.
The on-demand aspect makes it possible to have interpreters at your disposal as and when you need them. Travel, accommodation, venue, and equipment rental costs are eliminated with the ability to hold your events from wherever you are. In addition, you save a lot more when you only pay for the time you have used.
