These days, it’s easier than ever to find an interpreter or translator. A simple search for “interpreter” yields more than 43 million results.
Most interpreters and translators — 93 percent, according to the Contract Interpreter Information Center — are in business for themselves as freelancers or independent contractors.
A good language services provider (LSP) does the legwork of vetting, hiring, training, and scheduling quality interpreters and translators for you, which can save you a lot of time, frustration, and money. More importantly, it ensures that your customer’s experience will be a positive one.
Five Advantages to Working with an LSP Compared with a Freelancer
Consistent Quality Standards
While freelancers have only their own reputation to protect, a trustworthy LSP holds every interpreter and translator to a high standard of quality. That involves an extensive background check, as well as requiring far-reaching experience and specialized credentials. A top LSP screens interpreter and translator candidates with proficiency tests and interpreter skills assessments.
Responsiveness
Freelancers typically set their own schedules, often weeks in advance.
If you needed an on-site interpreter today to resolve a pressing concern, it would be difficult to find someone who could drop everything to meet your needs. The best LSPs have a large and diverse network of interpreters to meet a wide variety of language needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They also can meet these needs through numerous solutions, including face-to-face, over-the-phone, and video interpreting, much of which can be accessed on demand.
Continuity
Some organizations cobble together a hodgepodge of solutions to meet their language needs. They’ll use bilingual staff members when they’re available and hire freelance on-site interpreters when their internal staff lacks the bandwidth or language expertise. They may use numerous freelancers or translation services across their organization, each with a different billing system. Not only is it frustrating to manage payments for so many vendors, but it can also become confusing for your staff and create a perception of disorganization. The use of a single LSP leads to a consistent customer experience, as well as streamlined recordkeeping on the back end.
Cost Effectiveness
Using freelancers may seem less expensive up front, but the costs quickly add up, especially when you need to hire a small army of them to meet your needs. When you have an ongoing partnership with an LSP, you can take advantage of economies of scale and only pay for services when you need them.
Innovation
The language services industry is constantly changing as regulations change and new technology is introduced. The availability of the internet and mobile devices continues to raise the bar for on-demand interpretation over the phone and via video. Any provider that wants to stay relevant is committed to using the latest technology and enabling their clients to use it. They take the time to understand a client’s unique needs and recommend the best solutions.
About LanguageLine®
LanguageLine has been the world leader in innovative language-access solutions since 1982. The company sets the global standard for phone, video, and onsite interpreting, as well as translation of the written word. LanguageLine is trusted by more than 30,000 clients to enable communication with the limited English proficient, Deaf, and Hard of Hearing communities. LanguageLine provides the industry’s fastest and most dependable access to more than 35,000 professional linguists in 290-plus languages — 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Please do not hesitate to contact us!