Over-the-phone Interpretation (OPI) services are a great way to overcome language barriers and ensure that each customer, patient, and citizen has access to equivalent information no matter what language they speak. As a simple-to-access, convenient solution, Outsourced Phone Interpretation is helpful for day-to-day situations, quick consultations, and any other scenarios requiring immediate language service access 24/7.
How to Choose a Phone Interpretation Provider
If you’re in the process of narrowing down interpretation service providers, you may be thinking of how to balance quality and price; while OPI is known as the most affordable type of professional interpretation, there are several factors to consider in order to compare options. This article includes our best tips for discovering the quality-cost balance that works for you.
What Quality Means in OPI Interpretation
Quality in phone interpretation helps the conversation flow freely and effectively. And clear, accurate, and culturally sensitive interpretation leads to higher satisfaction among the persons being served while ensuring compliance with relevant laws.
Interpreter Qualifications Impact Service Quality
Beyond the required cultural and linguistic knowledge, interpreting requires high levels of focus, accuracy, and dedication – this is a demanding job with high standards. Respected industry certifications like HIPAA, ISO 9001, Bridging the Gap, and others show that each interpreter has reliably demonstrated their knowledge and skills.
Comparing the Cost of Professional OPI Services With:
Bilingual Staff and Ad-Hoc Solutions
Although in some limited and very specific situations, a bilingual employee or family member may step in as an ad-hoc interpreter, relying on this solution on an ongoing basis can cause trouble. For one, new healthcare regulations taking effect in 2024 expand the requirements for professional language services. Further, ad-hoc helpers can’t reliably match the training, confidentiality guarantees, and unbiased point of view of OPI professionals.
In-Person Interpreters
Even if the cost of phone interpretation can vary quite a bit among providers due to a variety of factors, it is considered significantly cheaper than in–person interpretation, which incurs additional expenses like travel and accommodation for the interpreter.
Pricing Tips: How to Make Phone Interpretation More Affordable
A high-quality OPI service doesn’t necessarily mean paying a premium price. Think of your expected interpretation needs over the next several months, then evaluate these ways to make these language solutions more affordable:
- Volume Discounts: If your organization anticipates using telephonic interpretation consistently, ask about high-volume pricing.
- Package Deals: In case you’re looking for additional services such as translation or video remote interpretation, you may be able to bundle and save.
- Flexible Pricing Models: Should you require a combination of highly specialized and general interpretation, ask whether the pricing model allows for tiered pricing rather than paying a flat rate for all calls.
- Assess Usage Patterns: Regularly review your organization’s usage patterns and adjust your plan accordingly. If your needs have increased or decreased, switching your plan or negotiating with your provider could lead to better rates.
Looking for the Right Quality-Cost Balance
In your quest to balance quality and cost, don’t forget the must-have quality assurances for any organization. Things like interpreter specializations, service flexibility, confidentiality measures, and regular customer feedback loops. High-quality services should not compromise on accuracy, confidentiality, or ethical standards, even when there are budget constraints.
Specific Strategies for Evaluating and Choosing Interpretation Services
When evaluating and selecting a phone interpretation service, there are many factors to consider:
- Proficiency and Accuracy: To get a measure of the interpreters’ skills and quality standards, inquire about screening and certification processes.
- Specialization: If you require interpretation services for a medical, legal, or technical field, ask about access to specialized interpreters to ensure the complex terminology can be accommodated.
- Technology and Reliability: To greatly diminish the chances of dropped calls or unclear communication, select a provider with uptime guarantees, high-quality audio, and a robust infrastructure.
- Cultural Competence: Accents, dialects, and cultures can vary greatly within the same language, and choosing a language agency that knows those distinctions can greatly benefit the people you’re serving.
- Data Security: Any off-site service provider handling your organization’s sensitive data should have solid guardrails in place to protect conversation privacy and confidentiality.
- Reviews and Satisfaction Rates: Look at customer and employee ratings alike: long-term client relations and positive employee feedback are strong indicators of a provider’s dedication to overall quality and satisfaction.
- Cost Transparency: Seek clear and transparent pricing models. Understand all potential costs, including any setup, cancellation, or minimum usage fees, to avoid unexpected expenses.
The Hidden Costs of Low-Cost OPI Providers
If you’re just getting started with phone interpretation, you may come across language services agencies offering attractive rock-bottom prices – but there are risks and hidden costs to going this route.
When prices are really low, quality invariably suffers – from unstable connections and long wait times, up to and including inaccurate interpretation. In healthcare, this can equate compromised patient safety and higher health disparities. In business and government, poor quality interpretation can lead to dissatisfied customers, damaged reputations, and increased long-term costs due to miscommunications and legal challenges.
Final Thoughts on Achieving the Right Price-Quality Balance With Phone Interpretation
Selecting the right telephonic interpretation provider that effectively balances quality with cost is about more than comparing prices. It involves a comprehensive evaluation of your overall language needs and objectives while keeping quality and service guarantees front and center.
As you create a shortlist of language service agencies, look at all existing signals of their knowledge, professionalism, and price transparency. Then, schedule an initial consultation to delve deeper into their particular offerings and package pricing. Chances are, these techniques will help you find the best provider to suit your language needs for the foreseeable future.
