A recent article in Forbes, suggests that language can be a limiting factor in the quality of service a customer receives.
Considering the value which customers now place on customer experience (and the detrimental effect a negative experience can have on brand image) this is not a desirable situation for either the customer, or the company.
Of course, some brands recognise this and have taken measures to try to overcome the problem including, recruiting multilingual employees, establishing dedicated in-country customer service teams, or by using free online tools such as, Google Translate to help their employees provide additional languages.
But many of these options fail to cover all of the most common languages in use, or don’t give an accurate and reliable translation, leading to customer confusion and disillusion.
However, there are alternatives which offer both accuracy and multiple language options…
Professional Language Services Providers
A professional Language Services Provider (LSP) offers multiple language options for translation, localisation, and interpreting.
The following language services are utilised by firms looking to improve language provision for customer service:
• Assist customer service teams improve their understanding of foreign languages/cultures
• Translate FAQ pages on international websites
• Localise apps for overseas customers
• Translate brochures/instruction manuals/guides and other aftersales-related material
• Translate incoming and outgoing emails
• Translate product information and packaging
• Translate chat options on multi platforms
Choosing a professional and experienced LSP to partner with to improve your language provision for non-English language speaking customers is essential.
Look for a provider that offers the following:
• Experience in your target language(s)
• Native speaking translators/interpreters
• Dedicated project and relationship managers who will oversee your project, ensure consistency, and offer a single point of contact
• Industry specialism in your field
• Cultural knowledge of your target audience
Creating a quality customer service which provides adequate provision for foreign-language speaking customers shouldn’t be an afterthought.
With the right LSP as your partner, you can offer multiple language choices, quality translations and a customer service which is second to none.
Training your Team
Investing in communication and cultural awareness training for your customer service team is another positive way of reducing language discrimination.
Soft skills (as these types of skills are commonly known) are vital in helping improve customer relationships, aiding constructive communication, enhancing emotional intelligence, and developing awareness of other cultures.
Customer service teams that undertake training learn:
• Respect and compassion
• How to embrace diversity
• To produce a more informed dialogue
• How to become active listeners
• To put customer at ease
• To develop trust and confidence
• To improve quality and efficiency of customer services
These factors significantly improve customer relationships, encouraging brand faith and increasing sales.
Language is a fundament part of a customer’s experience and plays an important role in building valuable connections with your brand.
A customer who is able to engage with customer services on their level, and in their native language, will feel more relaxed, welcome, and valued.
This produces a better customer experience which will likely be shared with other potential customers.
The notion that customers need to put up with a second-rate service from a company, purely because they don’t offer additional language provision, is intolerable in today’s ultra-connected, high-tech world.
Customers are demanding language equality and if your firm can’t provide this, they’ll find someone who can.
Don’t miss out on potential customers, contact the team at Creative Word, to find out how we help.
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