Want a premium speech-to-speech translator app for enterprise use (but aren’t sure what to look for in terms of features)? You’re in luck.

As the developers of Pairaphrase, the web-based translation management application for enterprises, we released a mobile speech translator to meet the growing demand for a secure speech-to-text and text-to-speech translation tool. In the process of developing the app, we discovered there are several common features businesses need in a speech-to-speech translation app. 

[Want to skip to a recommendation? Learn about our speech translation app in the video below.]

Here are the top 15 features businesses should look for in a multilingual voice translator.

15 Best Speech-to-Speech Translator App Features to Look for

1. Speech Transcription & Editor

Speech Translator Apps Aren’t Perfect

When you use a speech-to-speech translation app, you’re going to want the ability to see a transcription of your spoken words before you translate. Why? Voice recognition technology isn’t perfect. Therefore, you should also seek a transcription editing feature that’s built into the interface. This should be available to you prior to clicking a “Translate” button. Editing your transcription will result in a better speech translation.

Discreet Conversations

If you are in a room or on a conference call with multiple parties, there are circumstances in which you might want to keep a certain part of your conversation private to you and the person you are translating for. For instance, if you’re a doctor asking your patient an urgent personal question in the company of family or you’re an executive negotiating a deal. 

In these situations, a transcription feature comes in handy. This is why you should also look for the ability to translate any part of the conversation without speaking or playing audio. 

2. Document Translation & File Access

A feature that’s often overlooked in speech translator apps is the ability to translate your documents from the mobile interface. To give context, any business negotiations, patient-doctor conversations and lawyer-client interactions will involve reference to a digital file. With a document translation feature, you can quickly translate a file before, during or after your conversation. 

3. Digital “Paper Trail” of Voice Translations

What you might not find in many speech-to-speech translation apps is record-keeping. This requires storage, so many free apps won’t provide a space for you to access your previous voice recordings and transcriptions. This is another feature you are more likely to find in a premium speech translator.

4. Enterprise Security 

Have you ever heard of a high-profile business that experienced a cybersecurity breach and wondered to yourself how they didn’t take preventative measures? Don’t be that company. You should protect your conversations with enterprise-level security. 

While there are many translation software security features to look for, at minimum you should look for multi-factor authentication, encrypted storage (in transit, in use and at rest), as well as single sign-on and regulatory compliance such as HIPAA and GDPR.

5. Chat-Like Visual Flow

Your conversations should present in a chat-like visual flow within your speech-to-speech translation app. This way you can easily understand who the initiator and responder is. Color differentiation and indentation is helpful here.

6. Audio Playback of Voice Translations

The ability to playback the audio of your translation more than once during your conversation is important. This will come in handy if you need to repeat something to the person with whom you are speaking.

7. Choice of Voices

When speaking to someone through a voice translator, it’s human nature to want the output voice to match the pitch of your own voice (well, as closely as possible). If you can relate to this and want flexibility for your client, patient, etc, use a voice translator app that gives you a couple of choices.

8. Language Compatibility

Before you commit to a translation app, make sure it contains the right languages pairs for your organization. Write down the most common languages of your workers, colleagues, patients and clients and cross-check the app against your list so you can be sure it’s compatible.

9. Simple Speech Translator App Interface

There’s nothing more frustrating than an app that consumes more of your time than it saves. That being said, look for an app with a simple interface that is intuitive and easy to use for everyone you work with. 

10. Conversation Naming

After you’ve been using your voice-to-voice translator for some time, you’ll especially appreciate conversation labeling. We recommend you establish a naming convention for your conversations. Consider using the name of the person with whom you’re speaking and/or some keywords related to the topic discussed.

13. Conversation Search

When you establish a logical naming convention for your chats, it will make conversation search that much easier. Make sure you use a speech translator that gives you a search bar to quickly locate your previous conversations. 

11. Source & Target Language Toggle

The person with whom you converse is naturally going to speak in the opposite source and target language from what you selected. However, you both don’t want to scroll through whole source and target language lists to select your languages each time you pass the phone to each other. Therefore, look for a speech to speech translation app that includes a toggle. This way, you can switch between source and target languages with just one tap.

12. Downloadable Transcripts

Do you anticipate needing access to a transcript for legal reasons, meeting minutes, or just for every day reference? If the answer is yes, then you should opt for a speech translator app that also acts as a transcription app, giving you the ability to download your transcriptions whenever you need them.

13. Downloadable Voice Recordings

If you want to download your voice recordings as files or want your speech-to-speech app to double as a dictation app, make sure you choose one that allows you to export your chats in WAV format. Having separate audio files for each turn of speaking will come in handy for situations in which you need to separate audio by speaker.

14. Web-Based Experience

While downloadable mobile apps found in the app store are handy, they can present quite a few issues. Apart from consuming a significant amount of device storage, they often pose a risk to security and confidentiality. Web-based apps are preferable for enterprises that want to avoid many of the vulnerabilities that come with using mobile apps. For quick access to a web-based app, a user can create a bookmark to the web app on their home screen.

15. Date and Time Stamp

We all enjoy the convenience of date and time stamps on emails and instant messages. Therefore, before you invest in a speech-to-speech translator app, make sure it shows you the date and time of each conversation. This will come in handy for reference should you need to pull up a record of the conversation.

Try a Premium Speech Translation App Today

At Pairaphrase, we made the all-around best enterprise speech-to-speech translator app on the market today. This is because we’re focused on ease-of-use combined with powerful functionality to give you smart, safe and fast translation.

We’re here to support you as your team grows. Not to mention Pairaphrase includes all of the 15 features we list above, plus more.

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