A negotiation or a board meeting is not a conference, but here, too, there is no second chance: a figure misunderstood or a clause softened in translation can cost far more than the meeting itself. If you are hosting international partners in Milan, here is how to set up the interpreting so the conversation flows and nothing gets lost.

Which interpreting mode fits a business meeting?

For small meetings, there are two main options, and sometimes a mix of both.

• Consecutive interpreting. Each speaker talks for a few minutes, then pauses while I render it in the other language. It suits negotiations and two-sided discussions with a handful of people: it is precise, it gives everyone time to think, and it needs no equipment beyond a microphone in some cases.
• Whispered interpreting. I sit next to the person who needs it and interpret quietly, in real time, as the others speak. It works well when most of the room shares a language and one or two guests do not, and it needs no equipment as long as I can hear the speakers clearly.

If more than one person need interpreting, or more than two languages are involved, a portable simultaneous system may be the better choice. I explain the trade-offs in simultaneous vs. consecutive interpreting for your Milan event, and you can see what each mode involves on my services page.

Brief your interpreter

The more I know before the meeting, the better the interpreting. Ideally I would like to receive:

• The agenda and the list of participants, with their roles
• Any documents on the table: contracts, term sheets, presentations, reports
• Company-specific terminology, acronyms and product names
• What matters most to you in the meeting, and what is sensitive

A short call beforehand is often enough. It lets me understand not only what will be said, but why, and where nuance matters more than speed.

Confidentiality

Interpreters are bound to client confidentiality, and with me this is always implied. If your company prefers it in writing, I am happy to sign an NDA for mutual peace of mind. You can read more in my FAQ.

Tips for speakers

• Speak to each other, not to the interpreter. Keep eye contact with your counterpart; I am there to make the conversation work, not to be part of it.
• Pause naturally. In consecutive mode, stop after a few sentences. Long, uninterrupted speeches might make your audience feel left out.
• One speaker at a time. Overlapping voices are the enemy of accurate interpreting, especially in whispered mode.
• Be careful with jokes. They rarely travel well between languages, but I can make it work.
• Write down key figures. Prices, dates and percentages are the easiest things to mishear. Having them on a slide or on paper removes the risk.

Allow time

Consecutive interpreting roughly doubles the time needed for any spoken content, so plan the agenda accordingly rather than squeezing the same programme into the same hours. Whispered interpreting and simultaneous interpreting do not add time, but both require a second interpreter if the meeting goes longer than 45 minutes.

What to tell me when you enquire

The date and venue, the expected duration, the number of participants, the languages involved, and the kind of meeting. With those five details I can suggest the right mode and send you an itemised quote. If you are curious how pricing works, read how much a conference interpreter costs in Milan.