The Connection Between Interpreter Quality and Call Handle Time

We talk a great deal about “interpreter quality” and the fact that LanguageLine^(R) searches the globe for the finest linguists.

But why does interpreter quality matter? Isn’t great interpreting just a “nice to have” in the grand scheme of things?

Once you realize the degree to which a great interpreter can shorten the length of a call – and therefore significantly reduce the cost of a language-access program – you realize that interpreter quality is a “must have.”

READ MORE: Words Contain Worlds - A Salute to Interpreters and Translators

People tend to think of interpretation as a mere exchange of words, much as you would exchange one currency for another. This is not the case. There is an art and science to what an interpreter does. Some interpreters are better than others, and an elite one can get through a call in significantly less time.

Call-Handle Time

Once the linguist gets on the line and starts interpreting, how long does the call last until the interpreter hangs up? This is known as “call-handle time.” This is a very important key performance indicator (KPI). The shorter the call-handle time, the greater the value because the client is paying by the minute.

READ MORE: Three Perils of Going with the Lowest-Cost Language Interpreter

A 10-minute phone call at $1 a minute costs $10.

A seven-minute phone call at $1.20 a minute costs $8.40. Your savings in terms of absolute price paid are significant, even though your price-per-minute is higher.

The value of interpreter quality doesn’t end at the absolute price paid, either. Reduced call-handle times also enhance staff productivity and improve patient and customer satisfaction.

In our business, seconds count – literally. LanguageLine’s call-handle times are the lowest in the industry. The biggest reason for this is interpreter quality, which is much more than a “nice to have.” As you can see, it directly impacts the value of our clients’ language-access programs.

LanguageLine Can Help

LanguageLine created the language-access industry more than four decades ago. 

LanguageLine is able to  connect you to our team of more than 20,000 professional, on-demand interpreters via audio or video in 30 seconds or less.  We do this in more than 240 languages. LanguageLine can also translate and localize your written content.  We provide these services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

It all starts with a conversation. Please contact us via our website or by calling 800-752-6096. We would like to learn more about the opportunities that reside within your organization.