There’s no doubt that the globalisation of businesses – no matter how big or small – has become increasingly easier and certainly more desirable in the last decade. This is, on the whole, a result of the growth of the internet and the general convenience of starting a business with an international footprint.
But, no matter what industry a business operates in, there’s one particular role that is crucial when operating globally: bilingual customer services teams.
Bilingual experts have a much easier time finding a job
When a business attempt to break into a global market, it needs ambassadors who are capable of communicating fluently in different languages. In the past, this might have been handled by translators. Unfortunately, translators are only there to translate and interpret language. They’re not there to market a brand and they often have no knowledge of the products, services or even the industry.
As a result, they don’t always deliver the level of customer services and interaction that is expected by the client or customer. They may be able to translate, but their response to enquiries is solely dependent on interpreting the information from another individual.
That’s why more businesses are looking for employees with industry experience who are also fluent in multiple languages to build their customer services teams. These individuals play a crucial role in a company’s day-to-day operations and are considered a highly valuable asset for almost every global business. This is why bilingual experts are highly sought-after in every industry, especially if you show that you also have industry-specific skills and experience.
Why work in customer service as a bilingual expert?
Bilingual experts have many career opportunities, but a role in customer services can prove highly rewarding. Not only can these positions offer you a unique career opportunity that takes advantage of your language skills, but it also allows you to learn and use other skills specific to the industry you choose to operate in.
Working in customer services exposes you to one of the most important elements of any successful business; its clients. Being able to communicate directly with customers in multiple different languages, listen to their concerns and assist with any enquiries gives you direct access and insight into how the business operates. You get to see what it’s like first-hand for customers who use your business’s products and services.
In addition, providing excellent customer services requires you to have fantastic communication skills which can be perfected during your time as a customer service representative. Perhaps more importantly, though, it can often be a highly rewarding role when you’re able to help assist individuals with any struggles or concerns they may be having.
But that’s not to say that you need to stay as a customer service representative forever. The position exposes you to the customers and their feedback, giving you a unique perspective that arguably gives you a better understanding of the brand and its products and services than many other employees.
Your knowledge and expertise, coupled with your fluency in multiple languages, gives you the perfect set of skills to help a brand go global. There will undoubtedly be many opportunities for your brand to expand into the international market, and your experience and skills will be required at the forefront of that expansion.
Customer service skills are transferable
Customer services representatives also develop a wealth of wider skills that are transferrable across sectors.
Sales skills
Depending on the sector you are acting as a customer service representative for, you may be expected to sell products to clients over the phone, via email or even in person. With your knowledge of how customers perceive your products, you can make informed decisions that are based on real-world scenarios through your interactions with customers. This skill isn’t just desirable in customer services roles, though, and individuals will find they have developed a valuable attribute for their CV.
Communication skills
Interacting with strangers on a daily basis can train you to have excellent communication skills. Understanding how to be polite and courteous creates a great first impression, but you can also use communication skills to help you manage interactions between teams and organisations. For bilingual experts, it also provides a fantastic opportunity to hone your language skills.
Marketing skills
Your time as a customer service representative will give you an in-depth understanding of the products and services your brand offers. This knowledge can be advantageous when it comes to marketing. Whether you’re writing website content, product descriptions or planning your company’s foray into the international market, your expertise will provide valuable insights into how your customers think and what they need.
Product development skills
Your knowledge of your brand’s offerings also makes you a great product development specialist. With your multilingual skills, you can find opportunities in a quality control role for different languages, and you might even be involved in changing products to suit a specific language or country.
Conclusion
Working in customer services gives you a completely different perspective of the brand that you work for. You’ll have a deep understanding of the products and services, and you’ll also interact with customers which helps you learn about their concerns, needs and preferences. No two days will be the same and you’ll have the chance to engage with new people on a daily basis.
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