Founded by a police officer in San Jose, Calif., LanguageLine Solutions (News - Alert) was created with the goal of training interpreters and public safety officials to overcome language barriers. With the continuous development of telephone interpreting, the service took off from its meager beginnings and has now transitioned from audio to video, benefitting companies and hospitals alike.
With LangaugeUc, a video remote interpreting offering (VRI) soon to be unveiled on the iPad and to be made available in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese and American Sign Language, everyone from doctors, bankers and insurance adjusters to legal professionals and public safety personnel such as 911 operators, can now leverage this next-generation platform with ease.
LanguageLine Solutions, formerly known as Language Line Services, assists global organizations to overcome obstacles related to not understanding someone else’s native tongue and in turn, helps these businesses to grow dramatically. Keeping in line with its mission statement of enhancing communications while simultaneously empowering business/ client relationships, currently the company offers an array of products in its suite including:
- Translation and Localization—Provides translation of frequently used documents or technical material, software and website localization, eLearning, multimedia localization and more
- Language Proficiency Testing and Training—Helps organizations to assess the language skills of their bilingual staff and offer professional development to improve the overall customer experience
- And last but not least, the soon to be available video remote interpreting product, LanguageUc allows for access to American Sign Language and foreign language interpreters through a wide range of devices including iPad, Android (News - Alert) and desktop computers using a Wi-Fi or Internet connection
With plans to be available on a commercial basis within the next few weeks, the provider is offering key functionalities in its new product such as on-demand access to video interpreters 24/7/365; an easy-to-use interface; a “whiteboard” that can be pulled up on the display screen by the interpreter to key in text for information you want to emphasize or confirm in the conversation, like medical instructions, account information, addresses, etc.; and audio access to over 200 supported languages.
“For 30 years we have been the language you’ve heard over the phone. Now we also are the language you see,” said Scott W. Klein, president and CEO of LanguageLine Solutions, said in a statement. “Tablets, iPads and smartphones with their video capabilities are everywhere, and LangaugeUc is the best demonstration of the power that video brings, not only for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, but for spoken languages with new depth and capability. LangaugeUc enables interpreters to see firsthand the critical non-verbal gestures, body language and facial expressions of customers or patients to improve communication. The video interface even allows interpreters to pull up a digital white board on their screen and type out information.”
When beginning to leverage this robust platform, you will never again have to worry that interpreting functions when and where you need it will be accessible and you will quickly see that operational expenses are cut down significantly. Also, this solution is fully compliant with government mandates and can significantly enhance the customer experience overall.
The need to overcome language barriers is not going away any time soon. However, how we apply just released technology to create innovative solutions continues to evolve every day. Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, N.J., has been one of the first to implement LanguageLine Solutions’ video interpreting solutions. This is primarily due to the fact that at the area surrounding this hospital there is a largely limited English speaking population, according to company officials.
“Back when we used only telephone interpreting, we sometimes had difficulty collecting critical medical background from patients beyond their names and addresses,” commented Jonathan Hirsch, director of guest services at Holy Name. “The patients were hesitant because they could not see the interpreters. Now with video interpreting, the patients and interpreters are really connecting – they’re developing rapport. Best of all, the detailed information the interpreters gather leads to more effective, safer treatment.”
For companies looking to keep their competitive edge and interact with a diverse audience, a solution like LanguageUc that can allow for conversations to take place in any language at anytime and from anywhere is proving to be a necessity.
Edited by Ashley Caputo
