by Ralph Becker
An old expression says that business is all about relationships, which is true in a certain sense. However, today we can go one step further by affirming that business is all about communication. We are not talking about classic communication strategies used by companies all over the world, no. We are saying that the language that companies use when communicating with their clients and associates will have an important impact on their business. How could languages affect your business?
Every manager trying to run a business should understand the significant role that the mother tongue plays in people’s lives. It is a real added-value to communicate not only with customers, but also with employees or associates, in their native language. It makes them feel more comfortable and usually helps developing valuable relationships.
Customers’ Perspective
Your customer will often approach your products and services from a perspective distinct from yours. The most customer-friendly businesses will win just about every time, and being customer-friendly includes speaking your customers language. When you speak someone’s language, you start to earn their trust. Trust is a key in developing new and repeat customers.
According to a Harvard study conducted on 2,430 online consumers, it seems that about 40% of the consumers never purchase products or services in other languages.
Co-workers’ and Associates’ Perspective
The way the language is constructed may influence perceptions. The perception of your employees or associates will guide their future behaviors. For instance, it has been demonstrated that the perception of an employee depends on the words the employer will use while assigning him to a task. Two different ways to ask the same question imply two different feelings from the employee’s point of view. Moreover, when the language used is not the native language of the employee, it could also result in unwanted responses. Feelings of being offended, dominated or even adverse reactions, such as complacency and over-confidence, are examples of these unwanted responses. Languages shape the way people feel and think. By speaking the mother tongue of your co-workers and associates, and by constructing your phrases correctly, you will avoid all unexpected reactions from them. It will help you to run your business more efficiently.
How Languages Affect your Business
Language affects business in two different ways. On the one hand, economic globalization does not mean globalization of the languages. It rather means that international companies have to take the language of their foreign clients into account while trying to make them purchase their products or services. The more confident the client is, the higher the chance of purchase. On the other hand, companies could be more efficient by using native languages in their internal communication, and thus avoid unexpected, unwanted or adverse reactions from their employees and associates, since these reactions could be sand in the wheels of your business.
You May Want to Think about…
Have you been approached by a non-English speaking customers, employees or associates, and were you able to help them? Have you experienced confusion, misunderstandings, misconceptions or unwanted responses from your non-English speakers? A professional and reputable translation company will be able to assist you with your foreign-language communication. If you want to know more about an international translation company, don’t hesitate to contact USA TRANSLATIONS, your exceptional translation service worldwide. We are the experts and will gladly assist with all your questions.