Internet retailing is one of the biggest industries worldwide. Many businesses have an online website in which they sell or provide a service to others. This has revolutionized the way that shoppers shop, as they no longer have any restrictions and can shop beyond local borders.
E-commerce has become a huge and successful industry as a result of the advantages and benefits it provides. Shoppers are able to easily purchase items that may be native to one country and import them to use when they may not be able to get them anywhere domestically. However, there can still be a few obstacles that may occur, including language barriers.
Many businesses try to reduce or eliminate these problems where possible by employing multilingual people. They look to use people who can speak certain languages proficiently to ensure their sites are accessible by as much of the global market as possible. At the same time, they also employ individuals who are able to work as part of the customer support team and are multilingual to ensure any issues are resolvable efficiently and effectively.
Organizations are able to enjoy a multitude of different benefits by doing so, with many of them able to potentially positively impact the firm’s bottom line. At the end of the day, businesses are looking to generate as much revenue and profit as possible, and by having a customer support network that can speak multiple languages, there is a greater chance of that happening.
Improved Customer Experience
The most immediate advantage that companies are able to provide their customers when using multilingual agents is an improved customer experience. Customers always want to be treated with value and as the most important thing to the business, therefore they want to be treated in a way that is befitting of their money.
The implementation and use of multilingual customer agents help to facilitate this, as the language barrier can be eliminated. As mentioned, e-commerce has allowed retailers to be able to operate and sell their products and services worldwide, so there is a very good chance they may encounter a market in which they are not native. An agent who can communicate effectively with a Turkish speaking market can help them ensure the best service is provided to the end customer in that country than someone unable to speak the language, which could positively impact other aspects, too.
Broader Market Reach
Customer support that is multilingual can look to use their ability to speak multiple dialects to conduct research. As they are able to communicate with their customers, they can look to engage with customers in their native language, ask them questions about what they think of the business, and obtain valuable feedback.
It can also help the company to obtain a greater picture of what is working and what is not, as they will be able to obtain a greater knowledge of the country’s culture and show an appreciation for their customers.
Increased Sales
Given the points above, they all lead to the overall benefit of increasing sales. Multilingual customer service agents can help ensure sales go through when they are made as they can communicate with the buyer effectively. If there are any issues, they can tell them what to do to resolve them, which will leave the customers feeling valued, thus wanting to return and repeat business in the future. Customers will feel that they can trust the business to do what they outline and promise as they appear to be taking them seriously as they have their needs covered.
Competitive Advantage
A competitive edge in business is everything today, especially across the e-commerce industry. With so many businesses operating online, customers have plenty of choices. Having multilingual customer service agents can help a business stand out.
Customers will feel that a business that shows that it can speak their language is a better option than one that does not, as they will immediately be comfortable knowing that any issues or questions can be resolved in their preferred dialect. Businesses that do not offer the native language as a support method can often make things harder for customers, thus making things more difficult.
Final Thoughts
Multilingualism is an important skill for people all over the world in this day and age, especially when it comes to working online. The e-commerce industry is an example of that, as businesses look to compete with each other worldwide as they look to outsell their competitors to as many markets as possible.
Businesses have recognized the importance of having staff who can communicate with their customers in multiple languages, as numerous benefits can potentially have a positive impact on their bottom line, thus allowing them to be as successful as possible.
