Etoile

You are right to ask for clarification, that was awfully vague of me!

I guess by "more customer service oriented" I meant "more ass-kissing oriented." I feel the pressure from two sources. First is my employer, they really stress that we should be perfect all the time - we must always be in a good mood and smiling, we must always interpret as perfectly as possible, we must always comply with anything that is requested of us, and if someone yells at us we should take it with a smile and accept whatever they say. The second source is the FCC, via the consumers. The FCC calls for functional equivalency, and if you are anything but a direct conduit, the consumers get irritated. Here's an example: sometimes a caller will get mad at you if you ask them to turn on additional light. Now, it should be plainly obvious that if I can't see you, I can't interpret for you, so many people are happy to open a curtain or whatever is needed. But sometimes they act like it is their right to sit in a dark room if they want, and it's my fault if I'm not good enough an interpreter to interpret while they're sitting in the dark.

In a RL (community) interpreting situation, you have more control over how things are done. You can position yourself, adjust lighting, etc. On VRS you either shut up and deal with what you're given, or someone will make you feel bad for asking them to change.

So that's what I meant. There is more ass-kissing and "whatever you say" in VRS. In RL interpreting, you get to be a little more human.

(All this is only my perception, other VIs may feel differently...but it's how I feel.)