Pop quiz: which country is home to the second-largest Spanish-speaking population in the world?
A) Columbia
B) Honduras
C) Guatemala
D) The United States
If you answered D… you’re correct! If you answered A, B, or C… well, thanks for playing (and please stick around!).
In the past, we’ve discussed some relevant statistics about Spanish speakers in the United States. Here are a couple of key takeaways from this post that small business owners should be aware of:
- The US Census estimates that by 2050, the number of Spanish speakers residing in the U.S. will reach 138 million—the highest in the world.
- The majority of Spanish speakers in the U.S. are fluent in English, but one-third of our Spanish-speaking population is not.
But nationwide data doesn’t always translate to our lived day-to-day experiences. In fact, some small businesses may question if these statistics are relevant to their specific industry or market.
The short answer: they are.
Here are three reasons why your business may seriously want to consider investing in bilingual customer service.
1. Your business serves (or has the potential to serve) a number of Spanish-speaking customers.
Local demographics in the U.S. change greatly over short periods of time. For example, states such as North Dakota, Kentucky, and Louisiana have seen a massive boom in their Hispanic population over the past 20 years.
With these shifting demographics, native Spanish speakers often feel underserved and alienated within markets that neglect to serve them. A business that doesn’t offer bilingual customer service in these markets is missing a chance to make lasting connections within its community.
2. You’re looking to attract more business and opportunities for growth.
Bilingual customer service can help build a reputation for your business among your local Spanish-speaking communities, especially in areas where market competition is low. When potential clients and customers feel as though their unique needs are being met, you increase the chance for brand loyalty.
This brand loyalty can extend to wider communities through word of mouth and targeted marketing strategies. If your business is looking to offer bilingual customer service, don’t do it quietly. Call out the service in your marketing and communications and let Spanish speakers in your community know that they can rely on your business to meet their needs.
3. Your business is not as equitable or accessible as your competitors.
You may not be aware of your competitor’s exact outreach strategies, but you can pay attention to the ways in which they are servicing the local community. If your business is not offering equitable and accessible customer service, you may be missing out on customers and clients that are flocking to your competition instead.
As the population of Spanish-speaking people in the United States continues to grow, bilingual service is on its way to becoming the norm. In many parts of the country, it already is. That means that creating spaces for equity and accessibility are necessary for businesses wanting to operate at their highest levels, now and into the future.
If you recognize any of these signs or others that suggest your business would benefit from bilingual customer service, Ruby can help. Head over to our bilingual service page to learn how we provide consistently excellent experiences for callers in their preferred language.
