As we near the final stretch of 2020, organizations worldwide are embracing change and adaptation like never before. Resilience, agility, and clear communication are required in every industry in order to flourish in a rapidly digitized world of commerce. A prime example of this sort of adaptation exists in the events industry. Due to the global impact of Covid-19, we have bid farewell to annual keynotes in convention centers, organizational conferences in luxury hotels, and workshops in conference rooms.
Now meetings and events occur in a hybrid or entirely virtual context. Event planners no longer worry about the layout of their floorplan. They are concerned about how to engage their audience at the end of a virtual session. Thousands of remote participants are ushered into virtual rooms--whether it be on Zoom, Teams, or the bevy of conference platforms unveiled each week. With these new meeting contexts, some concerns of on-site events are yesterday’s worries. But let’s face it. There are new principles to be learned for flourishing in the new vista of digital meetings and events.
Interprenet has been tackling hybrid and virtual events for six years now, asking the question: how will a multilingual group understand one another during this event? This is where remote simultaneous interpretation (RSI) shines bright. With systems in place, quality management a focus, and tailored service for each event--Interprenet has put on the mantle of ‘expert’ in modern interpretation services.
As you approach the final quarter of 2020 and plan to thrive in the brave new world of virtual meetings and events in 2021, allow these three principles for event planning to assist you as you consider choosing a provider for remote simultaneous interpretation:
1. Apply the Right Solution to the Scope of Your Project
If you are seeking the right catering service for your event, it’s likely not the best idea to merely start with a strictly “oriental” food provider. You want a provider that will take time to understand your audience, how long they will be at the venue, etc . . .
The same principle applies when choosing an interpretation provider. Make sure to fully explain what your hopes are for your audience, what kind of experience you want for your panelists, and your post-event expectations, such as audio or video recordings. Selecting a provider proficient in detecting needs and offering fit solutions is vital to minimize email correspondence and meet expectations.
Too many solutions or products can be overwhelming. Too few, restricting. Interprenet provides a consultative as opposed to subscription approach. We recognize that no two events are built the same. Our clients have unique needs. We believe it’s best to tailor our approach to client’s individual projects. Can this work? Will this be feasible? Let’s look closely and see! Make sure that your multilingual remote event provider applies the right solution to the scope of your project.
2. Secure Elite Technical Support
If you’ve ever organized on-site interpretation, you’re probably well accustomed to seeing large equipment hauled into the venue, booths setup, and a team of technicians keeping an eye on the equipment, stage, and interpreter’s audio.
Even though we are now hosting events in the cloud, requirements have not changed drastically. Interpreters’ attention still requires 100% focus on the speaker. They cannot manage internet connectivity, microphone settings, or computer updates while providing world-class interpretation. These are still live events and unexpected setbacks still occur and require troubleshoot. An elite remote technical service is essential to anticipate these issues, circumvent them in planning stages, and address them in the midst of an event.
These technicians remotely plan tests and perform dry-runs of an event setup to make sure all has been staged long before the curtain lifts. On the day of the event, they setup the platform, check interpreters’ equipment, and monitor audio streams throughout the event’s duration. Should anything unforeseen arise, these technicians make sure interpreters focus on the task at hand! It is vital that you secure an elite technical support team for your multilingual remote event.
3. Document and Analyze Lessons Learned
How was the event supposed to go? What was the outcome? These are questions to ask after the event wraps up. There will usually be nuggets of wisdom you can count on for future projects.
Your provider should ask you these questions as well! Effectively documenting feedback from clients, audience members, and interpreters allows us to find new ways to deliver superior service. If there were minor setbacks or unexpected disappointments, make it known to your provider so similar circumstances do not re-occur. A simple survey goes a long way of communicating your satisfaction, but more importantly, areas to improve for future collaboration. Acquire a multilingual remote event team that will partner with you to document and analyze lessons learned.
We anticipate that you will appreciate adding these three principles to your toolkit for future multilingual remote event planning. If you require a reliable team to collaborate with you on that project, please contact Interprenet (Interprenet.net).