Here is a letter from a client of mine.
As an American businessperson whose job duties commonly include interaction in China with factory owners and other high-level personnel, I know that having the ability to communicate effectively through an excellent interpreter is critical. I also know that having to rely upon a professionally inconsistent or simply a socially unskilled interpreter can be a tremendous liability to business activity, and in fact can completely void the value of even the most carefully planned business trip.
With that in mind, I recommend Mrs. Jia Lin with all confidence. Of the five different interpreters I have used in China , Jia is the best overall. Jia possesses a powerful package of abilities that range well beyond her skillful English/Chinese interpretation at the conference table. Indeed, Jia's organizational abilities, resourcefulness, professionalism in manner and dress, reliability, and loyal discretion make her a powerful ally to any business traveler in China . Even upon our first meeting, Jia took the initiative to perform work outside the scope of her duties which resulted in a savings of two full business days out of nine abroad. She accomplished this by finding occult errors within my professionally-prepared travel itinerary, determining adverse road conditions, and finally by then locating and securing alternative travel arrangements, both by hired car and commercial aviation. Jia managed to do this with the use of her own personal technology package which she had with her and was able to use skillfully. The speed and ease with which she made our complicated and fast-paced trip more efficient was flat-out impressive.
Jia is also very personable and selflessly concerned about her client(s). We had many hours in close confines within vehicles, but Jia's good humor and willingness to engage in pleasant conversation shortened many a tough travel mile. Further, after never seeming to be able to find truly enjoyable food outside of major metropolitan areas in other trips without Jia, this trip benefited greatly from Jia's diligent concern about what foods and beverages we would truly enjoy. Jia's attention to us combined with her culinary acumen to actually result in tasty snacks and meals virtually wherever we went, even when options were very, very limited. I am confident any foreigner experienced in Chinese travel would appreciate Jia's abilities on this topic, as well as the boost to energy and morale something as simple as familiar or thoughtful food can bring.
Calm, polite and cultured though she is, Jia also is road-ready and durable. We averaged a 14 hour workday with Jia at our side for eight out of nine days, and Jia never let up, from her wake-up calls in the morning all the way to her useful hotel-service calls on our behalf even after turning in at night. The one day of nine that was a day off in Beijing for my staff was also a showcase for Jia's skills, and was no day off for her. Jia vigorously and effectively put together an impromptu tour schedule that got us where we wanted to go quickly and comfortably, and made it seem almost effortless. We saw things in Beijing that we would not have otherwise without Jia, and she kept our day nicely paced and flexible while also not wasting time. What can I say - she is smart, culturally aware, and a good organizer; and Jia shined in all aspects of our trip with her. I cannot think of one time when I felt unattended or disserved by Jia.
Jia is well-rounded socially and educationally, stays in form even when pushed hard by aggressive scheduling, doesn't complain and gives useful heads-up time after time; she simply is one of the good ones. I recommend her strongly as an excellent choice for all-around professional interpretation services and high-level accompaniment, particularly for the fast-paced business scheduler or those who need to do intensive travel within China . She is a powerful asset to any foreign business team in China, and I know I will not do without her in China again.
Sincerely,
Norman Dick, President
Vintage Tub and Bath, Inc.
(Top 500 Internet Retail Company in America 2006)
534 West Green Street
Hazleton, PA 18201
1-877-868-1369 toll free
570-450-7925 fax
http://www.vintagetub.com/
Interpreter - Jia L. Vanherreweghe
Professional English-Chinese & Dutch-Chinese Interpreting Services, Beijing
Copyright (c) 2006, Jia Lin Vanherreweghe
Professional English-Chinese & Dutch-Chinese Interpreter, Beijing, China