Customer Service – it involves a good understanding of your client and his or her needs, as well as the way he or she is used to interacting in a service environment. A lack of understanding of either of these by your employees can lead to disastrous results for your business. With more U.S. businesses going global, more global businesses coming to the U.S. and more work in general being outsourced, the need for customer service language training and cultural training is extremely evident.
Language Training for U.S. Businesses Going Global
Doing business in another country, and doing it well, means you have to understand your customers and be able to communicate with them. To accomplish this some businesses will hire native employees, but for others the importance of maintaining the company culture and brand will sometimes require sending non-native personnel to a new market. These workers need to be well-versed in the language, but they also need to be aware that service tactics vary greatly in foreign countries. For example, customer service in a Business to Consumer industry for U.S. consumers is commonly expected to be overly helpful. In other countries however, it is more expected that service representatives respect their client’s space and independence. Foreign language programs and cross cultural training can help employees moving to a foreign market learn the global business skills they will need.
Language Training for Global Businesses Coming to the U.S.
The same is true for global companies looking to expand their market to the U.S. Business customs are very different in the United States, and clients often expect to interact with a customer service representative who not only knows his or her product, but who knows English very well. Certain qualities are also expected including promptness of response and respect for the client. After all, the customer is always right! Language training for professionals looking to enter the U.S. market is imperative to allow for employees to interact and understand their consumers.
Language Training for Businesses Outsourcing Work
It is common practice for companies to outsource customer support to foreign countries – U.S. businesses often take this approach to save money. If this is done, it is often expected that the employees in the foreign country will speak the language of the client. For example, U.S. consumers expect to hear support in English when they request service help from a U.S. company. The same can be applied to consumers contacting support from their local business all over the world – they expect to be aided in their native language and in line with local customs.
The takeaway for today’s globalized businesses: be sure that you’re always treating your clients the way they expect, and that your employees are fluent in their language and customs - customer service language training and business cross-cultural training are your keys to success!
About Language for Professionals
Language for Professionals is a business oriented, language training program. We offer high quality language and cross cultural training services customized to the particular needs of any organization. These services include English as a Second Language Training, Business English Training, Foreign Language Training for multiple industries, Cross-Cultural Training and Interpreter Training Programs.
Please contact us to discuss your language training needs and we can then give you an accurate quote.
For more information contact our Language Training Department:
Phone: (617) 277-1990
Email: yfisher@languageconnections.com
