Interpreting Services
Face-To-Face Bilingual Professionals
TransNational has the largest network of trained interpreters across 9 locations nationwide. We work at all levels from private clients, businesses and government agencies to provide face-to-face, Telephone (OPT) and the latest in Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) services with over 300 experienced interpreters in over 24 languages.
We are the first and only service in New Zealand to be ISO 18841 and ISO 13611 Interpreting Service accredited. This provides a quality assurance standard not meet anywhere else in the country.
Professional interpreters are experienced in Police and legal work, IRD interviews, private healthcare appointments, workplace training sessions, international sports events, conferences and event launches, international delegation visits, business meetings, company tours, site visits, and a wide array of private functions. We have provided interpreters for the Prime Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Justice, Serious Fraud Office, and most central/regional government agencies for over a decade.
Face-to-face interpreters are booked in advance. The more notice and information you can provide, the better. The role they play and their field of expertise needs to be clearly outlined with one of our project managers when making a booking so that the right interpreter can be provided for you.
Interpreters can travel to your location at cost. We can provide the service beyond regular office hours upon prior arrangement. After-hour rates will apply. If cost is an issue, then telephone video remote interpreting may be the solution for you. Call or email us with the details and for rates.
Telephone & Video Remote Interpreting
Bilingual professionals removing the language barrier…
There are two options for Over-The-Phone (OPT) and Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) modes. Pre-bookings for Casual Use and high volume On-Demand Use on a fixed contract.
Casual use is for clients needing a one-off or infrequent solution. OTP and VRI are cost-effective when you do not physically require someone onsite. It reduces travel time, mileage and overall costs. Booking in advance means you know exactly when you are going to get your callback so you can make preparations and the most effective use of the time available. VRI can be done through your smart phone. For example, you may need to show the interpreter Japanese being displayed on your imported car stereo and need to know which buttons to push in order to change it to English, or 1000 other interview, consultation, legal, medical, workplace, and education scenarios where visual input is required.
A 30-minute minimum charge applies per casual engagement making OPT and VRI significantly more cost effective than face-to-face. Time is calculated in 15-minute increments thereafter. 48-hours notice is generally required and your details and requirements can be booked through our online booking form or through our call centre team. Payment by credit card is required in advance.
We also provide high volume on-demand OTP or VRI delivery on a contract basis. This caters to frequent-use corporate clients, government agencies and organisations needing rapid response interpreting support in over 24 languages.
Before onboarding new on-demand clients, we conduct a full assessment of the needs and technology framework of each organisation in order to insure the best service delivery in each case. Based on this assessment, onboarding can take between 1-2 weeks to complete.
On-demand OPT and VRI interpreters are connected within minutes using a secure, state-of-the-art telecommunications platform. This platform can interface with integrated call centres, frontline employees or mobile phone users in the field to enable smooth communication among all parties. You need never be unable to communicate in a foreign language again. For further details about assessment and contract plans please email your details to hyden@transnational-ltd.co.nz
The Role of an Interpreter
Interpreters are bilingual language professionals. Their role is to provide language support.
Under special circumstances, face-to-face interpreters can act as ambassadors to support your business endeavours as a language conduit, or they can abide by a strict code of ethics and complete confidentiality as a ‘linguistic tape recorder’ to meet official requirements.
By clearly defining the expectations and role of the interpreter at the time of booking, the most suitable framework can be set and reasonable expectations met.
Interpreters can adapt to a range of environments from working in front of the camera for news releases and film launches to completely behind the scenes in a conference sound booth as required. For this reason, we have an extensive pool of interpreters in order to cover a range of backgrounds from legal and medical to export marketing, education and the arts.
Credentials, Ethics and Interpreter Support
Depending on the role and language pair required, most interpreters will have a recognised qualification, a minimum of 4-year’s documented experience in the industry and or belong to a professional body in New Zealand, Australia or the United States. There are minor exceptions where rare or emerging languages and community/migrant groups simply do not have access to industry-specific qualifications or training.
Irrespective, TransNational provides all NZ-based interpreters with supplementary training to vet, select and insure our local interpreters work in accordance with professional workplace standards. In government agency work this may include protocols, ethics and procedures guided by the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, The Health and Disability Commission Code of Ethics, Immigration & Protection Tribunal Code of Ethics and the NZSTI Code of Ethics irrespective of membership.
Interpreters are supported on-going by the option to undergo post-engagement debriefing sessions with our project managers and to complete review modules that cover a range of competences, interpreting scenarios and ethics questions.
Interpreters are also encouraged to continue developing their skills and professional development through attendance to conference and training events including those hosted by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) and the New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters (NZSTI).
Sign Language Interpreters (Face-to -face)
We work exclusively with certified members of the Sign Language Interpreters Association of New Zealand (SLIANZ).
These are trained and qualified New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) professionals. NZSL is the preferred language of the New Zealand Deaf community.
