Remote interpreting: best practice hints and tips

Since the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, our remote interpreting services have continued to grow in popularity, whether by telephone or video, scheduled or on demand.
This relatively new way of working comes with its own set of requirements and best practices – here is some advice on how to get the most from your remote interpreting booking: 

• Are you sure of your wifi connection? If not, have a contingency plan in place, e.g. switching from video to telephone if necessary. Hint: lowering the quality of your video feed in settings can help with connection issues.
• As with face to face bookings, make sure the space you’re in is quiet and private.
• Use headphones to improve sound quality and ensure confidentiality.
• Use a separate device from your service user where possible. When using video, the interpreter must be able to easily see all parties.
• When using video, agree beforehand how all parties must signal their turn to speak, e.g. by raising their hand. Using telephone interpreting, establish how the conversation will be run at the beginning of the booking.