Paper airplanes representing Barbier's leadership in interpretation

From Collaboration to Market Leadership – How Barbier International Scaled a Remote Interpreting Division to Serve the Americas and Beyond

Barbier International has long been recognized as a trusted provider of language services. In a remarkable evolution, what began as a small collaboration with a friendly competitor rapidly transformed into one of the most robust and specialized interpreting operations in the region. Over the course of just three years, Barbier grew from staffing 12 interpreters to managing a fully operational call center supporting thousands of linguists. Today, Barbier International is the go-to partner for interpretation services in over 100 languages, with a strong emphasis on Latin American, Caribbean, and Mesoamerican languages. This paper explores the strategic, operational, and cultural decisions that fueled this growth and positioned Barbier as a leader not just for clients—but for competitors as well.

A Modest Beginning Rooted in Partnership

Barbier International was initially approached by a fellow language service provider—a competitor in name, but a collaborator in spirit—who needed help staffing a small remote interpreting operation. Recognizing a shared commitment to quality and client service, Barbier agreed to support the request by supplying 12 experienced interpreters.

This partnership marked the beginning of an unexpected transformation. What started as a modest gesture of cooperation quickly highlighted a market gap and an opportunity to scale.

Scaling Responsibly: From 12 to Thousands

Over the next three years, Barbier International invested in the development of a dedicated call center operation. Our focus on recruitment, training, and quality assurance enabled us to quickly and sustainably expand our team from a dozen interpreters to several thousand.

Through strategic hiring and streamlined workflows, Barbier built a remote interpreting infrastructure capable of handling massive call volumes while maintaining exceptional service standards. The call center now services hundreds of client accounts and continues to expand monthly.

Trusted by Industry Leaders

Barbier’s client base includes not only end users but also other interpreting agencies that rely on our linguistic expertise—particularly in Spanish, Mesoamerican Indigenous languages, and the lesser-served Caribbean language markets. Today, several large language service companies outsource their regional interpretation needs to Barbier, trusting us to maintain the same quality standards their clients expect from them.

This includes real-time interpreting for Over-the-Phone Interpreting (OPI), Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), Remote Simultaneous Interpreting (RSI), and On-Site services.

Proven Excellence and Industry Recognition

Barbier International has earned a reputation for professionalism, accuracy, and responsiveness. Month after month, our interpretation division exceeds service and volume benchmarks. Our clients frequently highlight our:

  • Consistent call quality and interpreter availability
  • Deep bench of trained interpreters in niche and Indigenous languages
  • Cultural competence and professionalism in sensitive service environments

As our interpreting department continues to grow, so does our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and excellence.

Real-Life Solutions, Real-World Impact

Barbier International’s growth in remote interpretation services exemplifies our core value: delivering real-life solutions for real-world challenges. Whether serving clients or assisting competitors, we are committed to providing high-quality language access across diverse communities and industries.

As the demand for multilingual communication continues to rise, Barbier remains uniquely positioned to support healthcare providers, government agencies, legal services, and global businesses in need of reliable, culturally accurate interpretation services.

Barbier delivers—because we don’t just meet the need. We build the solution.

“Our incredible growth is a testament to the passion and dedication of every team member. We’re not just expanding our reach, we’re empowering global communication and shaping a more connected future, one voice at a time.”

Antonio Martínez​
Assistant Operations