In this article, the author discusses the results of an empirical study of the university of Mainz. The author highlights the techniques used to perform this investigation and enters into some of the questions which were part of the investigation, such as how do clients experience conference interpreting? When are interpreters brought into action and why? The author then distinguishes between several types of manifestations in which interpreter facilities are needed, and further discusses the interpreting profession (status, language combinations, methods and techniques).