The “new normality” is virtual: remote simultaneous interpreting for events today and tomorrow

We live in a constantly changing world in which our needs are setting the agenda and technology is providing us with the answers. The interpreting industry is not immune to these changes, and in recent years it has been reinventing itself in order to address these new challenges.

In the business world, how people communicate, hold events and give speeches has undergone a U-turn. Traditional face-to-face meetings are fading into the background, especially after the experience brought about by the pandemic, and it has become normal for attendees to participate from different locations. Video conferences, webinars and streamed meetings have now come to the forefront and obliged the interpreting industry to adapt to these new modes.

It used to be normal for interpreter booths to be located in the same room where the meetings were being held. Now, the development of new technologies has made it possible to perfect simultaneous interpretating systems based on web-based remote audio and video communication.

These remote interpreting services are the perfect vehicle for multilingual events, with latest-generation technology that can be easily operated through an app/web link by our clients on a mobile device, which then becomes a receiver for the interpretating through different channels for each language.

Our Remote Interpreting Technology (RIT) app is available for our clients on both the iOS and Android platforms:

https://apps.apple.com/es/app/cpsl-rit/id1400205700

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.customia.cpsl&hl=en&gl=US

What are the advantages of working remotely?

They are many and varied:

The costs related to holding an event evaporate. We are referring to the costs of transportation, accommodation, meals and equipment setup. You will also need less time to plan the event and, at the same time, be contributing to improving sustainability.
It expands the range of possibilities and allows interpreting services to be brought to events with smaller groups, such as workshops, seminars, mini-conferences, etc.
Interpreting services can reach places that are hard to get to or lack space for booths.
It’s a user-friendly technology.
We have professional interpreters who are experienced in working virtually.
Fewer staff members are needed to hand out and collect headsets, eliminating the risk of these getting lost.
It provides greater security, as the information is encrypted. CPSL complies with ISO 27001 on information security.

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In what contexts can our remote interpreting service be the right choice?

Remote interpretating has unquestionably become the perfect tool for enabling international companies to deliver their message and/or offer training in a virtual environment. The types of events where its role is growing are quite varied:

Virtual press conferences in which the participants are physically located in different places. This applies to workshops and all types of presentations of an international nature, for the clients themselves or for third parties.
Online training courses. Thanks to this technology, training can be received anywhere in the world.
Multilingual webinars that companies may hold for training purposes, aimed at sales, training, marketing and other departments. Here, once again, the virtual aspect is what makes the event feasible.
Trade fairs. At the moment, trade fairs can only be held virtually, making remote interpreting services essential for a fair to be international.
Multilingual events. These may be events held by third parties or a company’s own events. Virtual event platforms can also benefit from this technology.
European Working Councils (EWC). This is another scenario in which remote simultaneous interpretating can play a key role.

What is CPSL’s value proposition?

At CPSL, we have been committed to supplying multilingual solutions and adapting quickly to the changing needs of our clients all over the world for over 60 years. Today, remote simultaneous interpreting services (RIT) have taken on a leading role, making it one of CPSL’s top services.

Our interpreters are able to work remotely at virtual events or events with restrictions, as they are currently doing due to COVID‑19. When the context allows it and the client requires it, we can supply up to 12 interpretating booths – fully equipped according to ISO2603:4043 – to provide interpreters with an optimal working environment. In the case of hybrid events, our specialists will provide you with the necessary technical services at the event location.

How do we work remotely?

We’ve talked about a series of competitive advantages, but, without a doubt, the main advantage is the possibility of integrating our RIT services into any videoconferencing software/system, whether this be Zoom or another platform like Teams, Webbex, Skype, GotoMeeting, GotoWebinar, etc.

These are user-friendly, highly intuitive and customizable platforms that offer optimal service to our clients and are very easy for both our interpreters and participants to operate.

Zoom is perhaps the best known platform at the moment. It’s a very simple cloud-based tool that has become the market leader for both video conferences and audio conferences. CPSL collaborates with Zoom to enable simultaneous interpretating channels to be integrated into the platform. This substantially improves the functionality, as it provides us with a wide variety of streaming options.

Do you need to organize a virtual multilingual event?

CPSL can help you to organize meetings with up to 50 parallel sessions, and the administrator can rotate through each session. Each participant has complete audio, video and screen-sharing capabilities and can also access the chat, hand-raising and survey options and the simultaneous interpretatng channels, for example. In this way, CPSL’s RIT becomes the perfect ally for ensuring that your message is heard loud and clear at any of your multilingual events.