Over a century ago, before the invention of the telephone, a lot of business was conducted by written letters. Because of physical limitations, business moved at a much slower pace than it does today. But when something important enough came along, the interested parties would forgo letters and make the effort to meet face to face. It was understood that the most important decisions must be discussed in person, the most important deals closed in the same room.
Today, we have moved past the telephone, back into the realm of text, with instant messages and e-mail carrying the bulk of business communications around the globe. But throughout a long era of technological advances, and with more ways to communicate remotely than ever before, we still instinctively use more personal methods of getting in touch when the importance of the matter increases. And though it's not strictly necessary, when something major comes up, we spend thousands of dollars to fly around the world so we can be face to face.
Why do we do this? Why do we spend the time and money to meet our associates or clients in person, especially when they live halfway around the world?
One often-quoted, and controversial, study in the mid-20th century published a claim that 93% of effective communication takes place in non-verbal cues such as tone, expression and body-language. Anyone who has attended enough sales and marketing seminars has most likely heard that statistic a few times. What isn't usually said is that those non-verbal cues are only at their maximum effectiveness (i.e. 93%) when the discussion turns to the speaker's feelings and attitudes (including likes and dislikes).
The idea that we only say 7% of what we mean is a little far-fetched, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. After all, if a subject is truly important, as major business concerns are, emotions, attitudes, and strong preferences are engaged when we discuss them. It can safely be assumed that a large portion of the effectiveness of our communication in the midst of an important business meeting is non-verbal.
Many businesses who do work with foreign clients and partners do not afford themselves the opportunity to benefit from face to face meetings, because communication must be written and translated. Working with a live interpreter is essential to getting the most out of your meetings with foreign language speakers. There are a wide variety of benefits to live interpretation in the business world.
A good interpreter will pay attention to more than just the words being said. A good interpreter will translate more than the language – making sure you don't miss a thing. Even the best translation of a written letter cannot delve past the words and the self editing that the writer of that letter did. Even the best translation cannot give you a real picture of what was going on in the mind of the letter's author. But a live interpretation of a face to face conversation leaves nothing out.
In addition, there are several psychological benefits to being able to meet your foreign associates with a live interpreter.
If your foreign client is visiting you, providing your own live interpreter is a wonderful way to make your client feel very important. Interpreters at formal meetings are always viewed as a sign of importance and prestige. The more prestigious your client feels when meeting with you, the better they will feel about doing business with you.
A good live interpreter can also serve to smooth a tricky meeting out. Good interpreters can double as diplomats, even mediators, in extreme situations. When emotions are high and a lot is at stake for both you and your foreign associate, having a well-mannered, level-headed interpreter as a buffer between parties can turn a tricky situation into a successful transaction.
When you decide you need to use an interpreter – don't just hire the first one you find. Make sure your interpreter is represented by an agency you can trust. Experience in business settings is a must. A high priority when hiring an interpreter is finding one who has direct experience with the culture of your foreign client or associate. Just knowing the language will not enable your interpreter to pick up on various cultural cues and customs that may affect the course of your meeting.
When you deal with foreign business associates regularly, having an interpreter or an interpretation agency you can trust on hand is a must.
Go Back to Business Resources Directory
