When planning an event with interpreters for the first time, you need more than “just” a team of good conference interpreters. Listening and interpreting is not enough. Experience tells us that a great deal of preparation goes into a successful interpreting service and that planning can quickly get complicated.
This is why you should consider using conference interpreters as early as possible when planning a multilingual meeting or conference. If you have not used an interpreting service before or are planning a larger event, we would highly recommend getting in touch with a consultant interpreter. They have the experience needed to thoroughly plan and organise a service of this kind and support you in staging the event.
Advantages of a consultant interpreter:
- Ability to pinpoint exactly what you need
- Professional preparation
- Less effort for you
- Saves time and money
- One port of call
- If needed, central invoicing
1. Discussing the basics
Once you have got in touch with the consultant interpreter, you will very quickly start preparing for the event together. The consultant interpreter will talk you through the requirements for your event:
- Which interpretation mode is appropriate (simultaneous or consecutive)?
- Which language combinations are required?
- How many conference interpreters are needed?
- Which technical equipment (interpreting booths, microphones, etc.) is required?
The consultant interpreter will go through all these questions and more with you in detail, giving you the opportunity to benefit from their experience. After these points have been clarified, the consultant interpreter will draw up a quote.
2. Quote
It is impossible to provide a general answer as to how expensive an interpreting assignment will be. Depending on the nature and duration of an assignment, various expenses will be incurred. You will find a brief overview of the most common expenses below:
- Fee per conference interpreter (includes preparation for the assignment, etc.)
- Travel expenses
- Travel time fee (e.g., if the interpreter is required to travel to the venue the day before)
- Accommodation and meals
- Per diem (flat fee to cover any expenses incurred by the event not taking place at the interpreter’s place of domicile)
- Consultants’ fee (covering services provided by the consultant interpreter)
- Fee for the concession of exploitation rights (for further use of the service, e.g., audio recordings, webstreams)
- Conference/interpreting equipment (interpreting booths, microphones, headsets)
3. Your event
Once the quote has been accepted and the order confirmed, the consultant interpreter may be requested to manage all organisational aspects related to the interpreting service for your event:
- Search for individual conference interpreters or an entire interpreting team
- Handling of contracts
- Where applicable, procurement of simultaneous interpreting equipment from professional providers
- Collecting and distributing all relevant preparation material
- Carrying out team briefing sessions
- Serving as the first port of call for all questions and concerns about the interpreting service
- Invoice production and management
- Follow-up meeting with you after the event
This takes the burden of your shoulders and gives you time to concentrate on the participants' needs and the event itself.
For handy tips on planning events with interpreters, please refer to our document 'Hinweise für den Einsatz von Konferenzdolmetschern' (in German). Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We will be happy to help.
