How to Succeed in Overcoming the Language Barrier in Multilingual Markets

As entrepreneurs continue to look for ways to expand their presence globally, they often face a major obstacle: the language barrier and the risk it presents. Miscommunication and misunderstandings can lead to costly mistakes, costing the company time and missed opportunities.

As the CEO of INS Global, I have seen firsthand thousands of success stories of businesses that have successfully jumped into multilingual markets. Although it may seem counterintuitive at first, bridging the language gap and expanding into a new market can be one of the most profitable ways to grow a business today. Strategically equipping your company to overcome language barriers will set you up for long-term success in future markets.

Related: Going global? 3 tips to ensure nothing is ‘lost in translation’

Find language and cultural challenges

The current workforce’s lack of language skills in the target market’s language is the most obvious obstacle for businesses expanding into a new market. Therefore, the most obvious solution to identifying language barriers is to simply “hire bilingual employees,” but this short-sighted and reductive thinking may not be the best long-term solution. Bilingual employees will certainly improve the ability to communicate with customers, suppliers and employees. However, cultural differences can make things difficult, as what is considered respectful or honorable in one culture may be offensive in another.

The potential risks of miscommunication are significant and can lead to lost sales, damaged reputation or legal issues. For example, marketing campaigns that push a simple button by making literal translations run the risk of failing to fully capture idioms in other nations that may offend the target audience. In the 1980s, when KFC was first launched in Beijing, it made a translation mistake in its logo. Although “finger-lickin'” chicken sounds fun, its literal translation is made to read “eat your fingers.” Learn from the same embarrassing translation mistakes made by multinational companies including McDonald’s, Clairol, Sony and Rolls Royce, and make sure you consider both languages. again cultural nuances in your workflow.

Effective communication strategies

To overcome such language barriers, businesses that prioritize effective communication as a business strategy are likely to find better success in their new target market. Here are some strategies that work:

• Translation services: Hiring certified translators ensures that messages are conveyed accurately. Although machine translation tools have improved, human translators can better handle nuances and cultural context and ultimately save you time and money by getting it right the first time.

• Language training: Investing in language training for employees who interact with customers, suppliers or partners can greatly improve communication. This can be done through online courses, language exchange programs or in-person classes.

• Multilingual customer support: Providing customer support in multiple languages ​​demonstrates a commitment to serving customers worldwide. This can be accomplished by hiring multilingual staff or partnering with customer support providers that offer multilingual services.

• AI-driven translation software it has become more sophisticated, providing more accurate and sound versions of nature. This software can also be used by website chatbots in multiple languages ​​to help with customer service and problem solving.

• Cultural sensitivity: Understanding and respecting cultural differences is essential to effective communication. Businesses should conduct cultural research early on in product development and marketing campaigns and train employees to be aware of cultural differences, especially if employees will be living in multiple countries working for the same company.

Related: Multilingualism and Cultural Fluency Are Developing the Future Workforce

Localization for success

Localization the process of adapting products, services or marketing materials to a specific market. It involves more than a literal translation of the content; including consideration of cultural preferences, local customs and legal requirements. For example, a company that sells food products may need to adjust ingredients or packaging to meet local tastes and dietary restrictions.

Netflix used localization to its advantage when it entered the video-on-demand streaming market in India in 2016. The company deliberately bypassed traditional translation services to enter the market by also considering the cultural and consumer ecosystem in India. Netflix has intelligently used social media influencers, dubbed in Indian dialects (in addition to adding translated subtitles), developed a budget-friendly mobile app for viewing due to Indian viewing habits and developed original content for this new market.

Netflix has gone beyond buying Bollywood movie rights to increase its market share in India and has instead embraced adapting to the Indian market as a core market, rather than just an “additional” market. As of July 2024 Q2 Earnings Report, India is now Netflix’s second largest market.

By localizing operations in new markets and considering consumer preferences, businesses can better engage with customers and increase their chances of success in new markets.

Partnership as a solution

Working with a regular company with multilingual staff can provide peace of mind and market intelligence businesses may need to break into with minimal risk and high reward.

Companies like INS Global can partner with businesses looking to expand into multilingual markets by providing invaluable support and expertise. As an Employment Provider of Record (EOR), we offer local HR solutions, including payroll, benefits and compliance. This ensures that language barriers and local regulations do not hinder employee interaction or efficiency. For example, through EOR, businesses can get help recruiting local talent, which will provide them with access to skilled professionals who understand the language and nuances of their new target market. EORs can also ensure that businesses comply with local laws including wage, overtime, benefits and tax requirements.

Related: Multilingual Support: Speak Your Customer’s Language

By using effective communication strategies, embracing localization and leveraging like-minded relationships, businesses can effectively address the challenges of operating in multilingual markets and minimize unnecessary risks. Overcoming language barriers should be considered as the next and best way to achieve sustainable growth.