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The pandemic has forever changed the way we do things. It has forced shifts in how companies run their business, including shifts to working from home and adopting a less formal work environment.

B2B companies, too, have realized they don't have to follow old methods. A company's presenting itself on a more personal level can even improve the B2B customer experience.

There are many ways a company can present itself as more human to customers, and one of the most important is connecting with them in their language.

This article will look at how multilingual support for an international audience can help boost B2B customer experience.

What Is Multilingual Support?

So, what is multilingual support?

It means providing support to all customers regardless of the language they are using. Doing so is especially crucial for B2B businesses.

For Antoine Boquen, the CEO and a co-founder of international hiring firm Horizons, multilingual support is a must: "There are over six billion people on the planet who do not speak English as their native language. Therefore, increasing the number of languages in which you provide support won't do anything but help you gain access to new markets. Translating your website is the greatest strategy to boost the visibility of your offerings on search engines in the languages you wish to target. It is also a very useful addition to include the translation of your support resources, such as videos and content shared on social media."

Some of the benefits of having multilingual support:

  1. It displays your relevance to a broader set of clients. When clients face a language barrier, it gives them the impression that they are not welcome.
  2. It makes your client support more efficient because you can resolve issues more quickly.
  3. It facilitates entry into new markets.

If your company is seeking to open up in a new market, offering multilingual support is one of the initial steps you should take.

How Does Multilingual Support Help B2B Companies Improve CX?

Most customers are serial switchers because of poor customer experience. A negative experience as a consequence of a language barrier could well be the reason customers change their service provider.

Here are some ways that offering multilingual support helps B2B companies provide a better customer experience.

1. Improves trust

More than 70% of consumers say that they are more likely to buy a product that comes with information in their own language. Also, 56% of consumers say getting information in their own language is far more important than price. Although those stats refer to consumers of products, it's also likely the case for B2B clients.

Help from translation services can ensure that you can build trust with potential clients in different locations. Translation experts can do more than just translate from one language to another; they can also localize the content so nothing said there will be offensive to the new audience in any way.

2. Provides real-time client support

Without real-time support, your team must include someone who understands the client message and who is able to help you provide an answer. That process often takes time, and it can frustrate some of your current and potential customers.

Some 33% of customers get frustrated when they are put on hold during a call. Another 33% of customers get most upset when they have to repeat themselves.

By being able to help them in the right language the first time they contact you, you're already gaining a huge advantage.

3. Saves clients' time

Multilingual support answering questions in real time means you won't be wasting your potential clients' time. They can get the answers they are looking for right away.

Without multilingual support, how long will it take before you can get back to your customers who speak a different language? A day? Two days?

During that time, they could already find the answer somewhere else, and your company's reputation could take a hit.

4. Helps meet client expectations

Potential B2B clients will expect you to offer multilingual support. Failure to meet expectations could result in a lost lead and long-lasting blow to your company reputation.

If your business is trying to break into the international market, support in multiple languages is an element you cannot do without.

* * *

Now you have a clearer understanding of why having multilingual support is so crucial to customer experience for businesses that aim to expand into other countries. You can turn to translation service providers to create translated digital media for your business.

More Resources on Multilingual Support and B2B Customer Experience

Digital Marketing Across Borders: How to Reach a Multilingual Audience

Why a Global Content Model Makes Sense in Today's Market [Infographic]

Digital Marketing Across Borders: How to Reach a Multilingual Audience

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

image of William Mamane

William Mamane is the head of digital marketing at Tomedes, a professional translation services company.

LinkedIn: William Mamane