What Exactly Does a Technical Interpreter at the KNAPP Service Desk Do?

Hello. Guten Tag. Hola. Bonjour. Buongiorno. Whether in English, German, Spanish, French or Italian, you’re right where language meets technology, which is crucial because clear communication matters. You’re the connection between our customers with our company. It’s up to you not only to translate complex information, but to make sure everyone involved understands it so that problems can be solved. If you see language as more than just a tool, read on and find out more about what it’s like working as a technical interpreter at the KNAPP Service Desk! 

Saskia: As a technical interpreter for the KNAPP Service Desk, I’m our customers’ first point of contact for any questions, concerns or incidents in their warehouse. For example, if a container isn’t moving correctly or if an Evo Shuttle has suddenly stopped, I’m there to give advice and collect all the necessary information. I then pass the information on to our technical experts so that the issue can be resolved as quickly as possible and that everything goes back to running smoothly.  

Let me talk about our workflow so you can see where exactly I come in. The customer calls our KNAPP Service Desk. I’m the one who picks up the phone. In our initial conversation, I try to figure out the overall situation. What exactly is going on? Then I create a ticket to document and prioritize the case. Next, I contact our technicians so we can get their expertise on board. After that, my job is to interpret between the technicians and the customer so that we can find a solution as quickly as possible.  

I’m also responsible for different types of translation work. However, I’m not always on the phone behind the desk: Sometimes I go to customer training sessions and interpret in person. That’s a nice change of pace for me, and it’s a lot of fun, too! 

Professional skills 

Personal skills

Saskia: Each day as a technical interpreter at the KNAPP Service Desk is different – and never boring. So there’s really no such thing as an average day. You never know what incidents you might have to process, so you always learn something new. And each of our warehouses is unique, too. Even when I already know the processes and functions in and out, I still come across some new technical tips and tricks sometimes.  

Since I communicate between our customers and technical experts, I get to work with lots of different people with different backgrounds every day – and I don’t just mean our customers, but at the company too. It keeps things interesting. Since language and communication are deeply intertwined with culture, it’s important to listen to your conversation partner with an open mind and to be adaptable to different situations. For example, if I’m talking to a Spanish customer, I have to change my tempo and talk a lot faster. Also, I’m always learning new words and phrases. All of that makes my job quite exciting.  

Saskia: KNAPP is an internationally oriented company active on several continents. Communicating with our customers is a lot easier when we can explain the situation to them in their own language. That’s where our linguistic know-how comes into play. The KNAPP Service Desk is available in nine different languages. It’s an important communication hub between our customers and our company. In challenging situations, we step in as intermediaries between both parties and find the best solution.  

Working as a technical interpreter at the KNAPP Service Desk has good prospects because multilingual, customer-oriented problem-solving skills are essential for us in Customer Service. Our knack for languages, technical knowledge and the ability to remain cool, calm and collected even in stressful situations and communicate complex issues clearly are key assets for an international company.  

Are you interesting in applying your knack for languages, your communication skills and your love of technology at an international company? Exciting opportunities often present themselves where you least expect them. We’re always looking for new colleagues to join our team. We’d love for you to send us your speculative application or take a look at our Customer Service career page!