Want to have loyal and satisfied customers? Speak their language. What if your business starts working with different countries? Speak as many different languages as the countries you operate in. Why is that? The secret is obvious. Serving clients in their own language means resolving issues faster, avoiding getting the wrong end of the stick, and building trust from the very first interaction. When customers can explain their problems clearly and feel truly understood, frustration drops and confidence grows. Language is no longer a communication tool; it is a relationship tool. Companies that invest in multilingual customer support are strengthening every connection they make with their clients.
What Is Multilingual Customer Support?
In plain English, multilingual customer support means assisting customers in a variety of languages. It is not just some vague or abstract phenomenon. It is an absolutely tangible and realistic feature that can and should be implemented in call centers. It is honestly painful to watch how agents and customers struggle when they do not understand each other, creating a huge gap in customer service and customer satisfaction. Multilingual customer support is called to eliminate this friction in communication.
So how can multilingual support be delivered today using modern tools? If in the past companies had to hire large teams of agents with strong expertise and a good command of native languages, today the problem is solved much more easily. Can you guess how? With AI tools.
AI translation can translate any text and any speech in real time, in a matter of seconds, in both directions. So an agent does not have to speak a rare language to achieve full understanding.
On top of that, there is another powerful AI tool, AI Accent Neutralization, which, in addition to its core function of reducing accents and making speech sound more like the local region where customer support is delivered, also allows companies to choose avatars, customize them for their customer base, and truly impress customers with a high level of service.
Multilingual customer support is key to great customer experiences, and consequently, to high CSAT scores. Take this as an axiom. But even if this statement does not sound convincing to you, in this article, we will lay out every single advantage that a multilingual customer support ecosystem has, so that you are left with no doubt that it needs to be implemented, and the sooner, the better.
Why Businesses Need Multilingual Customer Service
The world is getting “smaller” and more connected as brands expand globally. If we take Latin America only, there’s a sharp increase of 25% in Ecommerce sales. Other continents aren’t falling behind either. Globalization brings communication challenges and requires brands to communicate with their international consumers in their native language.
However, a great number of businesses have not made the shift toward implementing multilingual customer service or have limited their support to two languages at most, simply because of the lack of the necessary resources to provide customer support in different languages. Catering to only one or two languages may work for some time, but it won’t cut it if you’re aiming for vivid growth and broader adoption of your products or services.
For companies striving to cast a wider net globally and grab a big part of the market they could reach, it’s crucial to start laying down the groundwork for providing multilingual customer support and staying close to their target audience.
Wondering if it’s the right time to integrate a multilingual call center into your CX strategy? Here are some obvious signs to direct you to the way you need:
- Receiving calls from all over the world: If you’re noticing a steady increase in calls from different parts of the world, this is a big sign that a multilingual call center is a must to serve your international clients.
- Doing business in different languages: It’s vital to talk to your clients in their own language when you’re dealing with them in more than one language. This helps in building a strong and trusting relationship with them.
- Growing your business in new locations: If you’re planning to expand your business to new areas or countries, having a call center with a multilingual help desk is really important. Perceive it not as an extra bonus but as a necessity for today’s business reality.
If you add different languages to your customer service, it will enable you to connect with people worldwide, make your users happier, and help your business do better overall. At the same time, it is not necessary to add a huge number of languages. Do your homework, look at which language communities are common in the specific territory where you plan to sell your products and services, and limit yourself to three or four languages. If you later need another one, you can easily add it with the help of an AI tool.
10 Key Benefits of Multilingual Customer Support
Expanding into global markets is a significant stride for any business, aiming to make its products or services available to a broader audience. In this process, language emerges as a crucial bridge connecting different cultures and customer bases.
As we come to the key benefits of incorporating multilingual customer support, it is essential to recognize its role as a strategic investment that leads to stable growth, enhanced client relationships, and a robust brand presence across diverse regions.
Enhanced communication
Consumers want to communicate in their native language, and naturally, they will opt for those brands that can ensure this communication. Therefore, you must have a customer support team that speaks the target language fluently. And not only that. Your CSRs must possess a deep knowledge of all the cultural nuances, references, and slang of each region where you want to expand.
Expanded market reach
There is no company that does not dream of entering international markets, because that means more sales, more customers, more influence, and, of course, more money, more revenue. Multilingual customer service is the key for B2B and B2C companies to open the door to new regions. Now imagine a technology company that sells some kind of tech, and a customer has a lot of questions about how to use it or how to fix certain malfunctions. And now, for a moment, imagine that the agent providing technical support does not speak the customer’s language, while the customer, in turn, understands very little English. That kind of communication immediately turns into a nightmare. That’s where multilingual customer service steps in and fixes all issues.
Quick problem resolution
Offering support in multiple languages means that customer inquiries can be resolved more quickly. When users contact support, they are looking for immediate help. If they have to wait for a translator or for someone who speaks their language to be available, it could lead to frustration and a poor CX. Multilingual support ensures that there is always someone available to help, regardless of the language the client speaks, leading to faster resolution times and customer satisfaction sky-high.
Global brand image
Expanding to new regions is not all about the short-term impact. It can dramatically impact the long-term growth of any company. Think of international expansion as a brand awareness initiative. A company gets access to thousands of new consumers and potentially gets millions of impressions across its content marketing and advertising initiatives. Over time, that impact adds up, and people begin to recognize the logo or the brand name, slowly becoming a household brand. You may wonder what multilingual customer support has to do with this. It has a direct impact on the reputation a brand has on the international stage. It is not only about speaking to customers from different countries in their mother tongue. It is also about adapting your communication to the cultural context of each country and taking different cultural peculiarities into account.
Increased sales
Of course, multilingual customer support on its own cannot directly increase sales, but it is a very important factor in sustaining growing sales. The more customers are served in a clear and understandable way, and the more accessible information they receive in their native language, the more likely they are to purchase products and services more often and in greater amounts.
Competitive edge
Multilingual customer care empowers your brand to get ahead of the competition. If other businesses in your market are lagging in this area, then this is your time to shine. A recent survey by Intercom shows that 35% of people are willing to switch products to brands that offer support in their native language, which means you can take on your competitors head-on and expand your market share. Competing on product differentiation or boosted customer service experience is a much better strategy than competing on price.
Greater customer loyalty
Customers won’t tolerate it if they are treated badly and will immediately switch brands because of poor customer service. Whereas those companies that anticipate their customers’ needs and serve them in a convenient way win their hearts. The very nature of customer loyalty is such that it is actually very difficult to achieve. Companies invest a great deal of money and effort into retaining their customers, but sometimes it is enough to simply have an honest conversation with them in a language that is comfortable for them to make them stay for good.
Diverse cultural engagement
A multilingual customer support team reflects a brand’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity. It shows that the brand values all its consumers, regardless of their language or cultural background, and is willing to go the extra mile to cater to their specific needs. This not only enhances the brand’s image but also contributes to building a more inclusive and diverse business environment.
Customized service delivery
Personalization is not just a buzzword. In fact, all customers love being called by their name, appreciate when someone remembers their birthday, and adore receiving personalized discounts or curated selections of products and services. And, of course, they love it when they are spoken to in their own language. That, in a nutshell, is the essence of personalization.
Increase referrals
Customers who receive assistance in their native language are more likely to remain loyal to a brand, leading to increased customer lifetime value. They tend to make repeat purchases, recommend the brand to others, and provide positive reviews and testimonials on different reputable platforms. This not only helps in retaining existing clients but also plays a crucial role in attracting new ones, contributing to the overall profitability and success of the business.
Amplify Your Brand with Top-Tier Multilingual Support
It is clear that in the booming digital economy, any business that wants to grow internationally must offer customer service in multiple languages. Without multilingual support, sales can stagnate as loyalty declines, making it easy for competitors to swoop in. However, communicating with customers in various languages can create a distinct advantage that better positions your brand to thrive in a global marketplace while offering the human touch people appreciate.
While building a multilingual support team in-house may be challenging, outsourcing to a trusted service provider is a real game-changer.
At Helpware, we have the most talented people, use the most up-to-date support tools, customer service software, and AI solutions to provide top-notch call or live chat outsourcing services for quicker and more effective customer support. Contact us to grow and scale your CX effectively.
