Cost of Poor Communication: Language Barriers in Customer Service

In this post, we'll explore how language barriers affect customer service - and how you can overcome them to provide better experiences for everyone involved.

‍The Cost of Poor Communication

The cost of poor communication due to language barriers in customer service can be significant. Customers who cannot effectively communicate with customer service representatives due to language barriers are more likely to experience frustration, confusion, and dissatisfaction with their interactions. This can result in decreased customer loyalty and lost sales. Additionally, poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, mistakes, and errors in service delivery, which can further damage the customer relationship and harm the reputation of the company. This can result in negative reviews, decreased word-of-mouth referrals, and even legal action in some cases due to financial misrepresentation or impact on welfare.

Overall, companies need to invest in effective communication strategies and language training for their customer service representatives to avoid the cost of poor communication due to language barriers.

‍Negative Customer Experiences

Language barriers can lead to a wide range of subpar customer experiences, including:

• Misunderstandings: Customers may have difficulty understanding customer service representatives, leading to misunderstandings that can result in frustration and a negative perception of the company.
• Inability to express concerns: Customers may have important concerns or questions but be unable to communicate them effectively due to language barriers, leading to unaddressed issues and dissatisfaction.
• Lengthy interactions: Language barriers can lead to longer call times as both parties try to understand each other, resulting in frustration and decreased efficiency.
• Transfers and call-backs: When language barriers prevent customer service representatives from resolving issues, customers may be transferred to other representatives or asked to call back later, resulting in inconvenience and frustration.
• Cultural misunderstandings: Language barriers can also lead to cultural misunderstandings, such as misinterpretation of tone or meaning, which can further exacerbate negative customer experiences.
• Decreased trust: Customers may be less likely to trust a company that is unable to communicate effectively with them, leading to decreased loyalty and potential loss of business.
  
  

Overall, language barriers can significantly impact the customer experience, leading to frustration, misunderstandings, and decreased trust in the company. It is important for companies to invest in effective support strategies for their customer service representatives to avoid these negative outcomes.

The Prevalence of Language Diversity

The number of people who do not speak English across Australia and New Zealand is quite high. In fact, according to the 2016 census, almost 30% of Australians speak a language other than English at home and in New Zealand, it is closer to 20%. These numbers have increased since then due to globalisation and immigration policies that encourage migrants from non-English speaking countries.

The prevalence of language diversity in these countries makes it imperative for businesses to provide multilingual customer service if they want to stay competitive in their industry.

The Benefits of Interpreting Support for Improved Customer Service

Although most businesses are aware of the importance of providing multilingual customer service, many have yet to implement it. This is because they don’t know how much it will cost or if it will be worth the investment. The truth is that there are many benefits associated with offering multilingual customer service, including:

• Increased revenue
• Better customer satisfaction
• Improved brand reputation
• Increased engagement with customers and potential customers

Overcoming Language Barriers in Customer Service

Several best practices can help overcome language barriers in customer service:

• Partner with an experienced Language Services Provider
• Localise your digital channels
• Consider Website Translation
• Simplify language
• Provide cultural competency training
• Be patient and understanding       

Overall, effective communication is key to overcoming language barriers in customer service. By following the above strategies, companies can help ensure that customers can effectively communicate their needs, leading to a more positive customer experience.

Conclusion

Language barriers are a significant problem for companies that rely on customer service.

A lack of language support can lead to poor customer satisfaction and even lost revenue.

Companies should prioritise language support in their customer service strategies, as it's an investment that pays off in the long run.