Time Flies!
In October 2015, I have been in Europe and China on a multiple business trip with my CEO as a Personal Interpreter and International Suppliers Coordinator to attend International Fairs; such as #TFWA Exhibition in Cane, France and #Canton Fair in Guangzhou, China, and annual meetings with our international suppliers. This trip allowed me to understand all requirements, needs, and experiences, which the interpreter needs for success in his mission of interpreting of fairs and business meetings. Here are many points, which I would like to share with my peers:
*You should understand business fields of your client, and be aware of updates of these fields.
* You should know all abbreviations, acronyms, expressions, and well-known words of the field.
* It is very important to have a good knowledge of Import and Export whole process includes:
International Business Laws and Legislation.
Transportation like maritime and air shipping.
Money transfer, and available, and acceptable means for both sides.
* It is highly critical to revise all details of the fair such as:
Location of the fair and easily accessible means of transport.
Timetable, side events, and any other information of the fair from the official organizer include:
Internal Map of the fair.
Location and contact methods of Fair’s Customer Service or Tourist Guide Authority of the City.
Pre-registration and bringing all required Identification documents and an enough quantity of your personal business card.
Special places of food, drinks and prayer of your religion, such as places dedicated to Muslim.
* Here are the most important technical points of the interpreter during the meeting inside the fair:
Professional introduction of your client includes Names of the Company, Representatives, Country, and Fields of business.
Don’t interpret for one party side, but interpret as a third party his mainly task is achieving the deal.
In international fairs, most English speakers; English is their second language, so listen and focus more to understand the intended meaning and intention of the speaker.
You are the moderator of the session; you should be more professional in managing the meeting to gain high benefits for both sides and save the available short time.
You should speak for a while with your client before starting work to understand his accent, targets, needs, and schedule during the fair period.
If you do not understand any speaker’s accent, words, expressions, abbreviations, and acronyms, feel free to ask to deliver the clearest meaning.
* Finally, if you interpret in a foreign country, you should be aware of traditions, laws for tourists, religion, and culture, to stay out of trouble.
United Arab Emirates