The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly and irrevocably transformed the translation and interpretation industry. The restrictions and limitations of social and face-to-face interaction and the adoption of digital technology for remote operations are the main catalysts to this rapid evolution.
Since the pandemic outbreak, the corporate sector on an international scale is now turning to online services. From business meetings to conferences and events, everything is done online, mainly through audio and video conferencing.
How does it Affect the Translation and Interpretation Industry?
While some industries easily transitioned into digital or remote work models, the translation and interpretation industry took time to find its feet in the digital domain.
Translators and interpreters are no strangers to remote work, using emails, style guides, and glossaries as tools. However, those working in face-to-face translation and interpretation lines of work felt the worst hit.
According to a recent CSA Research, 55% of language or translation and interpretation service providers experienced a decrease in their revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This shows how big of a concern it has been for the industry as well as those working on a freelance basis.
Transformation of the Translation and Interpretation Industry
As the companies went out of business or started working remotely, it slowed down the translation and interpretation requests. The existing clients were asking for cancellation without any willingness to pay cancellation fees or asking for refunds.
All of this caused the service providers to experience even more damage on the financial front. The depletion of income compounded by a lack of IT infrastructure caused many translation services to go bust.
However, this challenge forced the translation and interpretation industry to venture into the uncharted territory of online services instead of face-to-face interactions. This is where the over-the-phone interpretation (OVI) and video remote interpretation (VRI) services came to the rescue for the industry.
Language service providers (LSPs) providing services to sectors such as tourism and leisure reported a decrease in demand. However, according to CSA, 64% of LSPs catering healthcare sector and international businesses received higher demand for services.
There was also an exponential increase in translation services requests for flyers, protocols, and guidelines for COVID-19.
Furthermore, the industry quickly learned the trick that while the pandemic has enforced the limitation on physical interactions and dealings, there is a virtual solution to offer. Therefore, now businesses can ask for real-time translation and interpretation over the phone or via video call.
Green Translations for OVI and VRI Services
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With our team of over 70 professional native-speaking linguists with expertise in 150 languages, we can deliver an accurate and effective service to cater to all your needs. Get a Free Quote Today!