Infosearch is a global BPO services company providing various BPO and Call Centre services.
Addressing language issues in BPO outsourcing is an important factor that facilitates light communication and cooperation with employees from other countries and, therefore, a basis for the successful delivery of high-quality services. Here are some tips and tricks to help overcome these barriers:
1. Select the Proper
Outsourcing Site
• Consider Language Proficiency: In outsourcing,
bear in mind the efficiency in the language you and your business operate in is
high in the countries or regions. In English-speaking organizations, India,
Philippines and some of the countries in Eastern Europe have many people
with good command of English.
• Cultural Considerations: Select a site
where there is language and also a culture favourable to your business
operations. Many problems that arise from intercultural communication can be
mitigated, and customer experience can be enhanced, significantly when the team
has better cultural knowledge, particularly in call centre agents.
2. Use Staff that can
speak different languages
• Multilingual Teams: If you supply your
products to many countries or if you have customers from different countries or
speaking different languages, then, you should seek the services of BPO
companies that can speak and understand different languages. The availability
of bilingual or multilingual agents reduces the barriers and restraints that may
exist between the customers and enables customers with diverse cultural
backgrounds to transact successfully.
• Local Language Support: In some
specific regions, it is essential to have a team that will hire the speaking
language fluently to be able to provide better services with understanding the
corresponding details. It can also help you avoid a misunderstanding and be
sure that the message got through to the intended recipient.
3. Have well-categorical, complete and precise documentation with easy-to-understand instructions.
• Standardized Terminology: Create lexical lists of trends, phraseology, and terminology related to the industry or
specialization that can be unfamiliar to foreign language speakers. This
enables dissuading misunderstandings that may arise from having different
ideas and perceptions among the team members.
• Effective Training Programs: Give comprehensive training on matters concerning communication protocols,
language, and other organization’s special phrases. Stress clear and
understandable materials and proposals and organize role-playing or language-enhancing activities for agents to make them more or less shy of the language.
4. Take Advantage of
Technology to Downplay Barriers Singular to Languages
• Translation Software: Use translation
options that may include an application, or a tool to aid the teams or customers
handle communication in different languages instantly. For example, some chat,
email, or call helpers during the translation may be Google Translate,
Microsoft Translator or another, more suitable industry.
• Language Learning Tools: Suggest that
BPO employees practice their language skills on the Internet using applications
similar to Duolingo, Babbel or any other similar service which offers language
classes and real-time training.
5. Develop Clear
Communication Protocols
• Simplify Language: Avoid the use of
complex, redundant and ambiguous language when conducting communication with
outsourced teams. Do not use idioms, slang or phrases that are specific to
certain regions or cultures since these may not be easily understood by the
targeted population.
• Active Listening: Promote effective
listening climaxes in your teams by prompting them to paraphrase; engaging
other team members in case they have any questions with regards to a certain
topic and by the use of confirmation checks on some of the important aspects to
ensure that every person understood the same thing.
• Written Confirmation: Provide a brief
outline of the main points, decisions made and action plans for the points
discussed or reached in a critical stage of an important discussion or a meeting.
It also helps to avoid confusion in case there are some misunderstandings
related to words used within the working process; all participants can be
oriented.
6. Cultural
Training and Sensitivity Imperialism
• Cultural
Awareness Programs: Cultural training must be taken with the internal team
members and to the BPO provider so that cultural understanding and
appreciation will be achieved. It also means that there should be more
understanding of each other’s cultures to prevent misunderstandings that may hinder working relations.
• Adapt
Customer Service Approaches: It’s also crucial to consider that in case the
customer-facing positions are outsourced, the BPO team should be taught how to
interact with a customer according to local expectations. For instance, some
cultures may need to be more business-like while others may like it more
relaxed.
7. Implement a Feedback Loop
• Regular
Feedback Sessions: Establish a forum through which your internal employees and
the BPO supplier can freely talk about areas of communication that are
difficult or could be enhanced. Such feedback can be utilised in a way that
makes sure if any arising issues have to do with language, they
are corrected on time.
• Continuous
Language Skills Development: Another factor that you want your BPO provider to
incorporate is to encourage language skills developmental training for their
employees. Such may comprise regular language classes or seminars perhaps aimed
at enhancing· communication capability.
8. To add more persuasiveness to the
recommendations, one needs to make use of the following:
• Visual
Communication: As often stated, the best moments even in friendly conversation,
mean a lot more than just the words that are said. Use illustrations such as
charts, diagrams, flow charts or even video presentations especially when
writing about processes or concepts. When people fail to understand each other
due to different languages then visual communication is very helpful in
explaining instructions.
• Video
Conferencing for Clarity: This is to avail for video conferencing apart from
the regular typing or making calls to the said individuals or group. Nonverbal
cues such as posture and faint expressions will also give further information
which may not be conveyed orally.
9. Always Provide Liaison or Translator in
Core Conversations
• Designate
a Language Liaison: Make sure that you find an individual either in your
organization or within the BPO provider who is able to understand both
languages as a middleman. They can assist in discussion, define the terms and make sure that all the messages conveyed are received in the best way
possible.
• Translator
for Critical Conversations: When it comes to attending vitally strategic
sessions such as meetings, bargaining sessions or even analytical discussions
where details of a technical nature are of paramount essence, it is advisable to
seek services from an expert translator so as to avoid misleading information.
The following is worth noting especially when the conversation is related to
legal or financial matters or any matters of high importance.
10. Emphasis to Cultivating Long Term Customer
Partnership
• Consistent
Team Members: It is preferred to have continuity on your team by working with
the same people most of the time. By creating awareness of each other’s
communication, the strength and preferred modes of communication as well as
work cultures, most language-related misunderstandings are likely to be solved.
• Trust
and Patience: There is a need to create trust and also time in the
relationship. Frankly speaking, language brings out the barbaric best at times
but with time and better translation possibility of health, we will deem to
improve our communication and effort.
Conclusion
