Need feedback for a business idea (interpreter)

[Olha]

Hi everyone,

After reading this forum and doing some research online, I thought it would be a good idea to post my question here. I am wondering if there is demand for a three way video call service when a couple can see/hear each other and hear interpreter's voice on the background? A rate of $0.60 per minute seems to be a bit above the minimum but well below what agencies charge.

I thought about it as an independent service that can be offered to agencies but not sure if I want to be a part of their business model. There is seemingly no parity in presentation of male/female profiles on international dating sites as is on local matchmaking websites. I also wonder how anyone (agency or interpreter) can give you guys advice on girl's intentions? You seem to be smart enough to know that it is just as complicated as with finding a partner under any other circumstances.

So I was also wondering if it would make more sense to have a free website where both men and women would have equal control over their profiles and information while having access to translation/interpretation services? I am all for open and free communication and the service would be mostly directed at removing initial language barrier to help you both make a decision. There is no need to verify that the person is real, you can see all emotions, see if humor is appreciated... or demonstrate your favorite pet, for example And just like on a real date, a couple would have to decide themselves if the relationship is worth the trouble. 

Any feedback both positive and negative is appreciated.

Cheers!

[Muzh]

Hmm, how 'bout it, single guys? I'm shocked no one has responded to Ohla's request for feedback.

BTW, Ohla where are you located?

[viking]

Three way VIDEO? or three way phone call? I suspect the video option to be a lot more than 60 cents a minute. And to what countries? A simple phone call to my wife's country Belarus can run up to 20-25 cents  minute..

[Olha]

Hey,

Thanks for replies. Yes, 3-way VIDEO call to any country. The video call itself is free, can be made from Internet cafe or home, you would only have to have a computer and Internet access on both ends. I use it all the time to speak with my family back home and quality is good. The third "invisible" person on the line is a new cool little thing I came accross recently I am just trying to figure out details to see if it can be done within competitive price range. Like I said, some agencies charge as much as $290 per hour, individual interpreters charge anywhere from $45 to $85 for a 3 way phone call. I am just trying to get a sense of what is reasonable and what is needed.

I am located in Nova Scotia, Canada. I noticed that people introduce themselves and it helps other forum members understand where they are coming from. So here is my story.  I am Ukrainian, speak English, Ukrainian and Russian. My Ukrainian highschool sweetheart husband and I have been living in North America for the last 10 years. Right now I am a stay at home mom of two little kids. I have a business degree and I used to have a small ethnic food business which I closed to spend more time with my family. But as children grow I am looking for some neat idea that can be executed from home, with low overhead and relatively free schedule. As for language skills, my children are fully bilingual so I found myself saying the same thing in both English and Ukrainian all the time and feel comfortable switching between the too. I did a freelance job working on English subtitles for a documentary about Ukraine.

So if anyone has other insights on whether such service is needed, I am checking this thread daily

[Olha]

And to be clear, I am not soliciting anything, it's just preliminary research to see if I need to concentrate on this project or move onto another idea. Of course, as more people view the topic but don't answer, I would get a hint too

[viking]

I know that Skype is free for a video call but believe it is limited to only a two way conversation. What application are you thinking about for a 3 way video call? Anyone can do a 3 way phone call, I have done this myself many times. but it can defeat the purpose of seeing who is on the other end. Is the purpose of what you are trying to do to effect a new introduction?

[Muzh]

I know that Skype is free for a video call but believe it is limited to only a two way conversation. What application are you thinking about for a 3 way video call? Anyone can do a 3 way phone call, I have done this myself many times. but it can defeat the purpose of seeing who is on the other end. Is the purpose of what you are trying to do to effect a new introduction?

I know my teenage kids "videoconf" with other kids at the same time. Maybe they use Oovoo? I'll have to ask them.

[viking]

Muzh

Fortunately I am not a teenager anymore and so am not up on all the latest stuff out there. Never heard of the sites you mentioned.

[Olha]

There are few options for videoconferencing. Some are just more popular and it's easier to work with a familiar program. It's a paid service but only for me as a service provider, the other two parties would call for free. I could give you more details later but I am just trying to figure out whether 3 way video call with interpreter ('visible' or 'invisible') is a new service that might interest any of you.

As I understand, most of communication goes as a three way phone call either on Skype/phone and yes, you can't see the person. And if you want to see your lady there is no interpretation, just the two of you in the video chat.

The question is whether a 3 way video call is preferable to a 3 way phone call? And if you prefer a face to face video call, would you need an interpreter as well?

From my experience I noticed that people tend to talk to the interpreter if s/he is physically present and say things like 'tell him, ask her'  rather than just talk to their date.

I picture this experience as a date with subtitles Only instead of paying $60 for dinner, you would pay for an hour of a face to face conversation. I wouldn't think that first contacts would be uncomfortable for the third party, am I right? So in my mind, after exchanging a few emails just to see if there is any interest in face to face communication, you can get to it right away. You would have an option to remain as anonymous as you want because you could only see a nick name and a face.

But there is another big question, what to do with scammers? I wouldn't want to be responsible for letting anyone know what _I_ think about the other person's intentions. When two high officials meet nobody expects their interpreters to give additional insights And I would prefer you sort it out yourselves. I could say 'as if you go on a date with the local woman' but local women don't usually tell sob stories on the second date and don't ask for money as far as I know... So do you have any suggestions how to avoid this? Can I possibly make it a rule that asking for money will not be translated or something?

[viking]

Olha

I worked in the videoconferencing industry for a few years. Both on the hardware/software side as well as in the service side.But this was more in the high end business to business industry where you could have as many as 10-12 people, worldwide, on a call at the same time ( all video). And in high def. The technology is not new to me but I have not followed the newer services that may have come up recently for social networking. I even investigated the possibility of starting a business in St. Petersburg a few years back with the help of a man who had an already established business ( a different one), but the hurdles were a bit much.

[Olha]

There are so many 'next big things' I think it makes sense to use something common and familiar because it takes too much time and efforts to educate people about something new. At least for such a small project. 

Anyway, thanks for viewing and responses. After about 250 views, there is not one reply that shows interest in the proposed service. No matter what the reason is, looks like a tough sell

Good luck with your searches!

[Turboguy]

Most of your responses have been from guys who were already married as I am.  I personally think if you were able to do that there would be lots of demand.  It seems to me to be a unique service that combines the best of what is available.  I would not give up on it if I were you.

[Faux Pas]

There are so many 'next big things' I think it makes sense to use something common and familiar because it takes too much time and efforts to educate people about something new. At least for such a small project. 

Anyway, thanks for viewing and responses. After about 250 views, there is not one reply that shows interest in the proposed service. No matter what the reason is, looks like a tough sell

Good luck with your searches!

Olha

I second what Turbo said. All of your responses have been from OMBs. Don't misread that as in uninterested. The technology is moving fast so you'd need to act fast. One suggestion if you want a better response from those likely to use it. Develop it, get it together for a demo and then stir up some interest. If YOU believe it's a sellable idea then do something about it.

Smart phones are growing 140 times faster than did internet access. It's moving VERY rapidly. Two years ago I couldn't have fathomed Skype on my phone. I can be on the go and in an instant Skype with the inlaws in Russia. The windows of opportunity don't stay open very long.

Good Luck

[JohnDearGreen]

Smart phones are growing 140 times faster than did internet access. It's moving VERY rapidly. Two years ago I couldn't have fathomed Skype on my phone. I can be on the go and in an instant Skype with the inlaws in Russia. The windows of opportunity don't stay open very long.

The code is already there for voice to text, and text translation.  It is just a matter of months before someone wraps it all together to allow voice->text->translation->text->voice via a smartphone and
skype-like PC app. 

There is no substitute for the real thing, but the new app could cause a 50% hit on the income of interpreters at dating agencies.   Good luck.

[Olha]

I can see many potential problems with >text->translation->text-> part. The technology was there long ago however the algorithms are just too complex for a smooth translation. Or else we wouldn't need interpreters online.

A bit off topic but related to communication. There was a simple study asking one person to tap the beat of several famous songs (Happy Birthday, American Anthem etc) and other person to guess. Most got it wrong. The theory was that we 'hear the music' while we speak meaning that we have so much more information about the subject that when we communicate just one part of it, it's not as clear to the other party.

Maybe what I am explaining is also a product of this 'music in my head' The only reason I started with the international dating niche is because interpreters wouldn't need special terminology and it's easy to hire people if business grows. Most of the people I run this idea by are skeptical about the international dating part, not technology or translations. I guess too much stigma... but I see how it can address many issues related to security and emotional involvement.

Well, I will give it some more time and maybe will think of other applications.

Thanks.

[Gator]

Olha,

I would anticipate a reasonable demand for 3-way video conferencing at $0.60/minute, especially as more and more men are avoiding agencies and finding RW via dating sites.

Another application:  English lessons.  English lessons given in the FSU are not very good for learning conversational English.  Living in North America for 10 years should have given you an almost accent free English dialect and a good understanding of idioms.   You could offer via Skype a much better series of instructions for a RW fiancee.   I have paid for this and the RW is learning conversational English 3x faster than with local instructors.

[JohnDearGreen]

I can see many potential problems with >text->translation->text-> part. The technology was there long ago however the algorithms are just too complex for a smooth translation. Or else we wouldn't need interpreters online.

I wouldn't bet the ranch on that.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyRQnflIv6Y[/youtube]

[Olha]

German is not the best example, I think grammatically it is close to English unlike Ukrainian or Russian. There is no word order in either and there are gazillion forms of nouns, adjectives and verbs that all have to be correct to get the point across.  I also typed in Google 'I work' and it translated properly to German and back but "I am working out' translated back from German became 'I am preparing'.

Not to rain on Google's parade but I wouldn't rely on it YET.

[SFandEE]

That is a far better price than most interpreters charge for a three-way phone call, so there is opportunity for entry.  Perhaps the challenge will be finding the customers, but this site might be a good place to start, as you have.


I like Gator's value added suggestion as well.

[Olha]

To Gator:

How much did you pay for English lessons if you don't mind me asking? Or what is the general price range? I was thinking about it for awhile... maybe it's even a better idea in terms of a market niche and less nerve wracking

I am thinking small classes 2-3 students, ESL and/or TOEFL based, for example. I had both classes lo-o-o-ong time ago but I remember how they where taught. And I probably still can enlist my TOEFL teacher who is a native speaker and a great teacher with some 30+ years of experience. Hmm...

[Manny]

I am wondering if there is demand for a three way video call service when a couple can see/hear each other and hear interpreter's voice on the background? A rate of $0.60 per minute seems to be a bit above the minimum but well below what agencies charge.

This would require the women to have a web cam which most don't. If they use an agency one, the agency will supply their own terp.

The English lessons to fiancées isn't a bad idea. Not many are doing that. However, you would be competing with any free resources that exist online and on Youtube.

It is harder to market ones bi-lingual skills than you may imagine (as many of the married chaps here will tell you of their wives). Entering the market place in the "bride hunter" niche, may well not be as lucrative as you would hope, as many of the participants are underfunded and/or very reluctant to spend money.

[Olha]

Thanks,

I was thinking about the webcam/Internet problem but more and more people in Ukraine are getting Internet access or can use numerous Internet cafes...

Now I am mostly entertained by the idea of TOEFL/IELTS combination for studying abroad or immigration. I got average 8.3 out of 9 (very good) on IELTS some six years ago and found this exam to be much harder than TOEFL because of its 'messy' structure and British accent Also, I would assume the oral part would be the hardest for those who don't practice the language daily. So there is a competitive edge to online resources. As far as I know, the oral test was added to TOEFL years ago as well because many students would learn vocabulary and grammar but were not able to successfully communicate in the academic environment.


Did anyone have to deal with English proficiency exams?

[SANDRO43]

Did anyone have to deal with English proficiency exams?

I did, back in 1971:

...but I doubt this is what you mean .

[Olha]

No, that's not what I mean

I mean TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System). People need first to be accepted to college or university (or to get certain job licenses) if they are not native speakers, IELTS is needed for some Canadian colleges and to apply for immigration as a skilled worker.

[Jazzyclassy]

Olha

My opinion is that there is no demand for such service at the moment, as lots of people know English on this or that level anyway and 3 people video call would only put them off in terms of how freely they can communicate, let alone paying for it. Third person in a conversation between a potential couple ,I think it is a bad idea in many ways.
If they want to communicate and progress into being a couple they should either learn Russian or English, interpreter in this field is absolutely useless.
Your English is fantastic you could do much more better than this!!!!