Enhances services to accommodate the ever-increasing needs for multilingual interpreting services along with the growth in the number of international tourists to Japan

transcosmos inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President and COO: Masataka Okuda) launched “KOTOBA Switch (literal translation: language switch)”, a tablet-based multilingual video interpreting service in order to accommodate the ever-increasing needs for multilingual support.  

The number of international tourists to Japan has shown a sharp growth in recent years and there are various needs for interpreting services leading up to 2020. transcosmos already offers a variety of multilingual services that include “over-the-phone interpreting services”, “text translation services” and “website translation services”. Now, in order to further enhance its service lineup, transcosmos has developed “KOTOBA Switch”, a service which helps clients’ employees and their customers communicate smoothly in face-to-face interactions. 

 “KOTOBA Switch” is a tablet or smartphone-based three-way interpreting service app which helps non-Japanese speakers like overseas visitors to Japan communicate with Japanese speakers like store staff. One of the key features of “KOTOBA Switch” is that agents at transcosmos’s multilingual contact centers provide interpreting services whilst checking each customer’s specific circumstances and their face expressions via video streaming. Users only need to install the app onto their tablets and smartphones to use the service (supported device types are specified by transcosmos). 

By narrowing down the supported languages and service hours to a minimum required level, transcosmos offers the service at an affordable price. Its per-minute pricing model, not a general fixed pricing model, minimizes initial and fixed charges and ultimately makes the service highly attractive. In addition, transcosmos offers optional services that satisfy the diverse needs of clients that include “tablet rental service”, “device initial setup services”, “accessories services”, and “emergency support services including repairs”.   

■ About KOTOBA Switch 

● A tablet-based multilingual video interpreting service  

● Currently supports English, Chinese, and Korean languages (these three languages are said to cover approximately 80% of foreign visitors to Japan) 

* Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese will be available soon.   

 Contact for Media Inquiries  

● Business hours: 9:00 to 21:00, 365 days a year

● Initial implementation fee: ¥0, monthly fixed charges: ¥3,000, ¥100 per-minute pricing model 

● To use the service: download the app, and enter ID and password  

transcosmos continues to help clients to succeed in their businesses by offering services that satisfy the ever increasing needs for multilanguage support and interpreting services, and ultimately contribute to society.  

 ■ About Multilanguage Contact Center Services 

Along with the growth in the number of incoming international tourists leading up to 2020, and the increase in foreign workers in Japan, Japanese businesses are facing the pressing challenge of enhancing services that support foreigners. Recognizing this, transcosmos is beefing up its multilingual support services. Building on its proven business operations across 32 countries around the globe and its capabilities in developing talent and managing service quality that transcosmos acquired through long-standing experience in the contact center business, transcosmos offers multilingual contact center services with its global talent and locations.  

* transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries. 

* Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies. 

■ About transcosmos inc. 

transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have combined superior “people” with up-to-date “technology” to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients’ business processes focusing on both sales expansion and cost optimization through our 173 locations across 33 countries with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of e-commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce Services to deliver our clients' excellent products and services to consumers in 49 countries around the globe. transcosmos aims to be the “Global Digital Transformation Partner” of our clients, supporting the clients’ transformation by leveraging digital technology, responding to the ever-changing business environment.