Televic Conference has announced that it will demonstrate its Plixus interpreter desk for at ISE 2015.

The Plixus Powered desk is designed to take a minimum amount of space on the table and optimises the limited space that is available in the typically packed interpreter booths.

To make it easier for the interpreter to focus on the job, the buttons and controls needed during interpreting are clearly separated from other functionality.

As of today (2015) the absolute majority of interpretation booths are equipped by Bosch conference systems, Sennheiser for mobile devices and Brähler or Philipps for older arrangements. 

Thanks to the HDMI video output and the Plixus Conference Network Technology, adding a video screen to display a lip-synced HD-quality image of the speaker is now simple.

 EADS company profile: Inter alia, EADS develops teams of robots for a great variety of missions ranging from maintenance tasks in aerospace to domestic use. To express themselves spontaneously, EADS, specialist in the field of military transport and combat aircrafts, defence electronics, security systems and maintenance jobs in aerospace collaborates with translators and interpreters not only at conferences but also at launches from the Guiana Space Centre (COG) in Kourou.

Prices and arguments: When a client says, "Geez...that's really expensive!"

A student in my online course asks, "What do I respond when a client comments that my rates are really high?" Good question, student! Because if you're running your business the right way, someone, someday, and maybe even lots of people almost every day, will think that you're too expensive. Which leads us to rule number one of pricing:

If no one ever thinks that your rates are too high, that means that they're too low. Or at least that you could be charging more. Also remember that numerous wise people who have gone before you (in my case, my accountant) have commented something like "Your rates should make people sit up and take notice, but not jump across the desk at you." Point being, as long as you have enough work, you want a decent percentage of potential clients to find your rates expensive.

But back to the question: what do you say to the sticker-shocked client? Well first, what is the client actually saying? Note that in this example, the client did not say, "You are an imposter and you're not worth what you're charging." You may have heard that, but that's not what the client said. So, let's say that you're on the phone and the client remarks that your rates are high/expensive/more than they planned on spending. What do you respond? Nothing. Zippo. The client did not ask a question; they simply made an observation, so you don't need to say anything. All the client did was make an observation: that is more than we planned on paying, for example. But no one likes a big, awkward silence in a conversation, so you can either make a non-committal utterance ("Mmm?" "Mmm hmmm"), or you can quietly and slowly take an extremely deep inhale/exhale breath, to give yourself something to do while the client mulls it over.

Let's say this happens over e-mail, and then you have to actually respond. Or it's on the phone, and in addition to the "that's really expensive" observation, the client actually asks if you can do the job for less. A few options:

* In my opinion, the best defense is a factual one, like "Your project sounds really interesting and I'd love to work with you. But to be honest, I'm busy all the time at my regular rates, so I cannot offer a discount at this time." You're simply telling the truth in a respectful way.
* Ask, "What budget did you have in mind?" If the client is honest about their budget, this gives you an idea of whether you're 10% different or 90% different.
* Educate: tell the client something like, "I agree, high-quality work is never inexpensive. Also, translation might be more time-consuming than you realize if you haven't worked with many translators before. For example, your 10,000 word document would represent at least a week of work for me, and I would be working entirely on your project during that time."
* Be a little snarky. Not that I'm advocating this, but it's an option, like "Then you might need to find someone whose experience is more in line with your budget."

* I do sometimes tell potential clients, "To be honest, I don't know any professional translators who work for that rate."

* A potential client once asked me if I charged "for the little words," and I responded "Only if you want them translated." I don't want to get sarcastic or condescending on clients, but I think that with certain people, a little humor can work.
* Negotiate on factors other than price: if you do honestly want to work with this client but the issue is their budget and they're not budging, find non-financial factors that might make a difference. How about a really long deadline so you're not tied up for days/weeks with their project? Do they produce a product or service that they could offer you for free, as a trade for part of the translation fee?

Wise readers, any other thoughts here?

source: October 29, 2014 by C orin ne Mc Kay
thoughtsontranslation dot com

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Fica 2013 : Les conditions d'une stabilité durable en Afrique

Forum de l'IHEDN sur le continent africain

Sessions internationales

Créé en 2000, le Forum de l'IHEDN sur le continent africain (FICA) succède à la session internationale Afrique-Madagascar (SIAM) créée en 1980. Il réunit une soixantaine d'auditeurs de haut niveau, venant des pays du continent africain et des organisations régionales et sous régionales. Chaque pays invité est représenté par un auditeur membre des forces armées ou de sécurité, ou un auditeur issu de la société civile.

Ce forum permet de maintenir des liens avec les pays d'Afrique francophones, anglophones et lusophones, de faire connaître la politique française vis à vis de ce continent et d'amener les auditeurs à réfléchir sur les données à prendre en compte pour l'élaboration d'une politique de sécurité collective. Le FICA se tient annuellement.

Objectifs

Réunir des auditeurs provenant d'horizons diversifiés afin de contribuer à la réflexion sur les problèmes de défense et de sécurité propres au continent africain ;
Leur assurer une meilleure connaissance de la politique de la France dans ces domaines et sur ce continent ;
Contribuer à la prise en compte de la nécessité d'une bonne gouvernance, en s'appuyant sur des relations civilo-militaires de confiance et de respect mutuel ;
Contribuer à l'établissement de relations suivies entre les participants, gage d'une meilleure coopération avec l'Afrique.

Approche pédagogique

L'enseignement repose essentiellement sur 3 piliers :

des conférences
des visites de dispositifs des forces militaires ou de sécurité ;
des travaux de comités ;

more: ihedn dot fr

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Service du Premier ministre travaillant en liaison étroite avec la Présidence de la République, le secrétariat général de la défense et de la sécurité nationale (SGDSN) assiste le chef du Gouvernement dans l’exercice de ses responsabilités en matière de défense et de sécurité nationale.

Il assure le secrétariat des réunions interministérielles de haut niveau tenues sous la présidence du chef de l’Etat, du Premier ministre ou de leurs principaux collaborateurs.
Il prend en charge certaines missions ou fonctions “verticales” confiées aux services du Premier ministre en raison de leur nature interministérielle ou du fait de l’évolution institutionnelle.
Ainsi, le SGDSN est, avec le Secrétariat général du Gouvernement (SGG) et le Secrétariat général des affaires européennes (SGAE), l’un des trois principaux secrétariats généraux sur lesquels s’appuie le Premier ministre pour l’animation et la coordination interministérielles de l’action du Gouvernement.

Par delà la permanence de ses missions fondamentales, le SGDSN a connu un élargissement sensible de son champ d’action vers les enjeux de sécurité nationale au sens le plus large : il se situe aujourd’hui au point de convergence de l’ensemble des dossiers intéressant la sécurité intérieure et extérieure de la France.
more : www dot sgdsn dot gouv dot fr