DETROIT, Mich. (WNEM) – Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced that by the end of October, every branch office in Michigan will be equipped with new Pocketalk handheld translation devices to ensure that every customer can easily communicate in their preferred language during their visit.
“Since I first took office in 2019, I have made it the mission of this department to meet people where they are and make state government work for them,” Secretary Benson said. “It is our responsibility to provide excellent, efficient service to every Michigan resident – regardless of what language they speak. Our branch office employees came together to research and implement this innovative technology solution. We’ve received great feedback on the Pocketalk devices from customers and branch office staff – our customers felt less anxious and more welcome, and our staff was better able to serve customers and keep wait times down for everyone.”
Pocketalk devices resemble smartphones and provide real-time translation in Spanish, Arabic, Bangla and more than 80 other languages. A user speaks into the device in their language; the device then translates it and provides the message to the second user in both audible and print formats. This new technology hopes to help customers who are not fluent in English complete their transactions faster than ever before…