Making the Most of Telephonic Interpreting

This post will briefly address some of the unique challenges involved in telephonic interpreting. As it stands, there is no national code of ethics in the United States for telephonic interpreting in spoken languages, so here I draw upon resources that do exist to offer some guidelines for consistency and quality.
To start with some basics:

Some small language companies offer telephonic interpreting to their customers. While small companies like ours operate very differently than large international companies, the criteria for service is still the same; provide the best interpretation possible considering the means, ensure that the customers receive excellent service, and be prepared for the unexpected.

When you take a telephonic assignment, ensure that you will have consistent reception, and that your phone is fully charged or plugged in.
Choose a location in which you will not be interrupted or distracted by background noise or visual distractions. Public places, a busy home, or outdoor locations are not good settings for telephonics.

When you are connected with the consumers, make sure to introduce yourself to everybody on the call. This both gives a space for your brief pre-session, as well as clearing up any potential confusion about who is speaking.

Always ask to establish communication with the LEP person to ensure that there is a language understanding between the interpreter and LEP consumer. Certain communication skills must be emphasized when interpreting on the phone: clear pronunciation and enunciation, volume of voice, and transparency in communication (everything said must be interpreted). If you do not understand or hear something completely, you will not be able to interpret it accurately.

Telephonics must be completed in compliance with HIPAA regulations. If you are within earshot of others, do not use speakerphone or disclose any individually identifiable information of the consumer. Use a personal phone, instead of a shared line, to protect the privacy of the consumer.

Ideally, there should be flexibility in your schedule in case the call extends beyond the requested length of time. If you should need to end the call, because you cannot hear the speakers, or you will not have time to stay on the phone for the scheduled time, give the callers an opportunity to wrap up their conversation, or ask them to call SWITS back to request another interpreter. Immediately after hanging up, call SWITS to inform the office of any glitches.

This should only be done in emergencies. In cases such as these, do not include information regarding your situation (for example, it would be inappropriate to state “I have another appointment, so I have to hang up now”). That said, if you are having trouble hearing because of bad reception, or because people are speaking over each other, do inform the requester immediately that you cannot continue interpreting unless changes are made.
After any call is ended, call SWITS to verify the start and end times, and to make schedulers aware of your availability.

Beyond etiquette:

One challenge associated with telephonic interpreting is that one cannot rely upon body language or environmental visuals for context and nonverbal cues between parties. This can hinder understanding as well as create awkwardness, and can sometimes make it harder to maintain focus while interpreting. On the flip side of that coin, some find it easier to focus on the interpreting task without visual distractions, in the quiet of a home or office.

Use your environment to your advantage, by creating a space with minimal distractions, visual or otherwise. Effectively use technology available to you (have relevant dictionaries or glossaries open and ready, and know how to operate your phone for three-way calls). If you know the topic of the call ahead of time, brush up on your industry-specific vocabulary.

Whether interpreting for a large company, or a community organization like SWITS, we can consistently provide excellent service. Since on-site interpretation is not always available, we as interpreters must do what we can do provide the best possible telephonic interpreting. It may not always go as smoothly as on-site interpreting, but with a little preparation, and technology savvy, we can make the most of telephonics!