Telephone interpreting tips: how to run a smooth call when all you have is the voice

• A quiet room and a wired or reliable headset. Speakerphone makes you harder to understand and lets background noise in.
• Something to write with. Paper and pen are faster than typing and don't make keyboard noise.
• Phone notifications off. A message tone mid-call breaks your concentration and theirs.
• Water nearby. Some calls go for a long time.

On the phone, nobody can see that you're the interpreter. A short, consistent introduction to both parties sets the rules for the whole call:

Follow the protocol of the agency or service you work for — some have set wording, and some ask you to give an interpreter ID rather than your name.

Overlapping speech is the most common problem on phone assignments. You can't raise a hand, so you need verbal moves:

• Interrupt early and briefly when a segment is getting too long: 'Interpreter speaking — may I interpret that before you continue?'
• Refer to yourself in the third person when you speak as the interpreter, so nobody mistakes your request for the client's words.
• Tell both parties when you've asked one of them for clarification, so the other isn't left wondering what's happening.
• Keep your voice steady and slightly slower than face to face. Phone audio drops consonants, especially in numbers.

Phone calls with government agencies, banks and utilities are full of customer reference numbers, amounts, dates and addresses. A reliable method:

1. Write numbers as you hear them, grouped the way they're spoken.
2. Render them in the same groups, so the listener can check them.
3. If a digit is unclear, ask for it to be repeated rather than guessing — a wrong reference number can send someone to the wrong account.
4. For spelled names, use a phonetic alphabet consistently.

Asking for a repeat on the phone is normal and better than an inaccurate rendition. Keep it short and specific: 'Interpreter speaking — could you repeat the amount after "overdue"?' A targeted request is faster than 'Can you say that again?' and shows the speaker which part didn't come through.

If you can't hear one party well enough to interpret accurately, say so to both sides straight away rather than doing your best and hoping. Most services would rather reconnect than have a misunderstanding on record.

Phone interpreting often happens from a home office, which brings its own professional obligations. Make sure nobody else in the house can hear the call, close doors and windows, and don't take assignments in public places. Destroy any notes securely once the call is finished, following your agency's policy. The AUSIT Code of Ethics sets out the confidentiality expectations that apply whether you're in the room or on the line.

Interpret the closing exchanges as fully as the rest, including next steps and any numbers given at the end — this is where tired interpreters summarise. Then follow your agency's process for ending the session.

Phone skills come from reps without visual cues. Practise with a partner in another room, or with recordings of service calls. XINGO's telephone interpreting practice runs audio-only calls — a Centrelink-style payment enquiry, a GP results call and an energy hardship call — with AI callers who speak quickly and quote reference numbers, then scores your interpreting. The NAATI CPI page explains how this fits CPI preparation.