With the ongoing process of globalization, international conferences have become a regular aspect of almost every business.
But there is one obstacle that still exists despite our development. It’s called the language barrier. In your international business career, you’ve probably noticed that not every person you meet speaks fluent English. Not being able to communicate is always an annoying thing, and in the business world, communication is the key to success.
You have to be a hundred percent certain what the other person means. That’s why, if you are at a business meeting, or want to organize a small conference, you want everyone to communicate smoothly.
How can you achieve that? There are a few basic translation requirements you should stick to while organizing a small conference.
Translation Skills
Okay, let’s face the truth. It’s impossible to hold a small conference without help from translation experts. Finding a company that will do conference interpreting may not be hard, but you have to make sure that it’s translators will be efficient and reliable.
Remember that misinterpretation can cause many troubles that may even lead to breaking up of business relationships. That’s why it’s crucial to find the right people for the job. There are a few requirements you should have for your translators.
First of all, the ability to translate simultaneously. In this method, the interpreter is translating the speaker’s words immediately. The efficient translator must be able to not only convert the meaning of the sentence the right way but also to hear and be prepared to translate the next sentence instantly.
Secondly, the interpreter needs to have at least basic knowledge of the cultural meanings of words. In many cultures, the purpose of the sentence depends on the tone or gesticulation. The interpreter has to take these factors into account while translating. Finally, as many conferences involve people with hearing impairments, it’s important to provide ASL interpreters as they are specially trained to communicate with such participants. Finding the right translation team is key for success of your business event, so make sure you take your time and choose wisely!
As written before, finding efficient and reliable interpreters is vital to make sure that your meeting will be a success. Asking help from professional translators like those from lighthouseonline.com might help a lot.
And now, let’s get to the necessary equipment.
Necessary Equipment
Having efficient and reliable interpreters is not enough. You also have to make sure that you have the necessary equipment to hold a small conference. The high-quality translation devices are also essential for a reliable translation.
Let’s begin with the essential piece of conference equipment, the microphones. The microphones you pick have to be able to connect with the translator’s headphones and loudspeakers.
The second thing you need is a few sets of headphones for your guests and your interpreters. Microphones have to be efficient and top-quality if you want to ensure that the translation process will be smooth.
Thirdly, you need to make sure that the place where translators sit is soundproof. You can achieve that by getting a portable soundproof booth or by placing interpreters in a separate room. No matter which way you choose, the place has to be soundproof.
Keep in mind that the equipment you pick has to be top-quality. Interpreters need to be able to translate the words quickly and accurately. They won’t be able to achieve that without proper equipment.
But, aside from equipment, there are a few different things you can do to improve your conference experience.
What Else Can You Do
Okay, let’s say that you have the right equipment and reliable team of interpreters. These two things are essential for your press conference, but they’re not the only things you can do. There are some additional actions you can take.
The first example of such an action is printing the conference’s agenda in different languages. It will be easier to understand the meaning of the conference if everyone attending receives the agenda in their languages. It’s also a nice touch to make them feel more confident.
The second thing you can do is implement coffee or lunch breaks. Make sure that the food you serve is labeled and easy to understand. Also, gain some knowledge of cultural differences so that you won’t serve food that someone can’t eat.
Also, don’t forget to plan the conference, only by doing that you can make sure that the whole event will be a success. If you plan everything carefully, you can be sure that your conference will run smoothly.
Summary
Organizing a conference is always a logistic challenge. It doesn’t matter if your event is small or big; it’s not a piece of cake to make sure everything turns out perfect. Making sure that everyone understands each other is one step to ensure that it will.
