If someone were to ask you
"What is
the 'due date'?", what does that
phrase mean to you?
- Is it when your baby will be born?
- Or when your next loan payment is 'due'?
- Or perhaps when your upcoming meeting
is set for?
Unless you know what the term "due date" is
referring to, you can only guess.
And
that's just the problem you can avoid as
you begin your next call with a Language Line
Services interpreter.
The Case for Briefing Your
Interpreter
Ever read our newsletter's most popular
article, "11 Tips on Effectively Working
with an Interpreter"? Do you recall the
first tip? That's right, "Brief the
Interpreter".
If you had been "briefed" on the
meaning
of "due date" in the case above, you would
have answered the question right away,
without wondering if it involved
babies, payments or appointments.
So, what do we mean by briefing an
over-the-phone interpreter?
By briefing, we mean for you as the caller to:
- Introduce yourself and identify your
organization
- Briefly explain the nature of, or reason
for, your call
- Summarize what you want to accomplish
- Provide the interpreter with any special
instructions, and
- Take the lead in the conversation
(Remember, professional interpreters are
trained to follow your directions).
For example:
- Introduce yourself by saying: "This is
Sandy from Overland Credit Union"
- Briefly explain the reason for the
call:
"I have a Cantonese-speaking woman,
Mrs. Chan, on the phone who has returned my
call"
- Summarize what you want to
accomplish by
saying something like: "I need to give her
information about her automobile loan"
- If necessary, provide the interpreter
with any special instructions:
"Please ask
her to get a pen and paper so she can write
down a list of
instructions"
- Then, take the lead in the
conversation: "Interpreter, first
ask Mrs. Chan if ___"
Why "briefing" your interpreter is
so important
When you do the briefing right at the start,
you provide the interpreter the general
context, or subject matter, of the call. You
also lessen the chance of a
misunderstanding between you, the
interpreter and the limited English speaking
person you want to help.
Just as importantly, if you want the
interpreter to make an out-going call to
your customer, you need to request such a
"dial-out" within the first two minutes of
the call.
Though taking the time to do such a briefing
may seem like it will increase the overall
length, and cost, of the call, the exact
opposite is true.
It will actually help avoid
confusion later on in the conversation,
thus making the call effective and efficient
for the most important person on the call,
your limited English-speaking customer.
Ensure a Perfect Start to Your
Interpretation
Remember that limited English-speaking
customers from other cultures often
prove to be the most loyal your
organization will ever have. By deciding to
communicate with them in their own languages,
you have shown that you value them,
and their business.
So, each time you call for a Language Line
Services interpreter, make sure you provide
the tools and information he or she needs to
serve your customer most effectively.
A quick briefing at the start of the call
will ensure a great interpreter experience
for you and your customer!
Did you find this article useful?
Please forward it to your colleagues.
If you are an interpreter, tell us
the value of briefing at the start of an
interpretation.
And, if you're not already a subscriber
to "In Other Words", complete
the brief form here and immediately
download your own copy of Language Line
Services' "11 Tips on Effectively Working
with an Interpreter".
