How To Solve Language Problems in Business

Posted by John Kerri
6
Jul 8, 2016
494 Views
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Language is very important in any business, though it’s an online business or not. The way people communicate and understand each is all about language so it plays a big role in business. People run businesses across borders are faced with various language problems or barriers. This is why business owners should embrace translation services to help them solve or deal with language barriers.

Business documents that require translation services

Translating business documents such as

  • Product user manuals
  • Business brochures
  • Financial documents
  • Catalogues
  • Presentations
  • Marketing materials
  • Datasheets
  • Product specification
  • Etc

If the above business documents are clearly translated into the client’s native language, then language barrier issues will be reduced.

If your business documents remain in English as a source language, then how do you communicate or explain to client’s who are limited or can’t speak and read English and how will you be able to negotiate with them? For a clear communication with the buyers, language inabilities should be eliminated otherwise, there will be no room for your business in a particular market you are seeking to trade from.

Make sure your business documents are properly and accurately translated by professional native speaking translators of the target language from a professional translation company and cater for all your client's language needs.

Other ways to deal with language barriers in business

We’ve looked at translation as a common and important tool used by business dealers to deal with language barriers, but we can also have techniques such as;

You can control and deal with language barriers by showing some emotions like joy, pleasure, aggravation,  fear and anger which are universal. For what you need to do is to dress up the clients’ behavior because some people’s cultures are more or less restrained in  their expression

Slowing down when explaining to a customer; talk slower, clearly and not louder, this can help people of different languages and cultures to understand you better. Even though your clients know English, it does not mean you speak to them faster and too loud because their fluency in the language may vary. So maybe you are trying to explain to clients particular product, but the speed of communication is so fast, some may go when they have grabbed nothing. Even the English words you use to speak to your clients matter a lot, you may be using words that are hard for clients comprehend.

Use images or pictures; just like in website localization and translation, images speak a lot to clients who are viewing it. So when you decide to use pictures to communicate an idea to the customer, it might be a great advantage to make him or her to understand you well. Drawing such simple images can help you avoid repeating some words over and over.

Asking for help is better than keeping quiet, it can’t be a mistake for you and your customer if you can’t help him in his language, there are bilingual speakers who are always willing to help those who can’t speak the required language so you could ask for help from such people, they can provide interpreting services for you and your client.

You also need to learn how to speak your client's native language.  Try learning your client's language basics. Indeed, if you want to communicate effectively with your clients which is a must in business, you need to spend some time to learn their language, with some clients, when they see you struggling to learn their way of life, culture, and language, they can start teaching whenever you interact with them, but to learn that new language needs you to be an active listener and how you interact with the native speakers either person to person or online.

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