enquiries@rodlaird.co.uk »
Freephone 0800 612 0910
Freefax 0800 612 0920
Now taking bookings
Bookmark and Share

10 ways to save money and provide a better service to your Non English speaking customers (30 Nov 07)

Including how a £2 phone socket saved one organisation thousands of pounds and hours and hours of valuable interpreting budget

1. Make sure your staff know which questions to ask

When non-English speakers arrive at busy reception areas staff can sometimes get frustrated as queues can quickly build up if they are not able to help them quickly.

Staff need to know which questions they have to ask when a non-English speaking customer arrives at the counter:

Questions such as these:

Once staff know what the customer wants, if they can’t deal with them straightaway, they can be put into a holding area so that queues don’t build up.

This way non-English speakers are more likely to get the help they want and it keeps queues down for everybody. Staff also feel more confident, because they know which questions to ask and in what order.

2. Make it easy for the customer to identify their language to staff

Keep it simple. Have large easy-to-see visual displays in reception areas, listing languages so customers can quickly identify their language to staff. This saves everybody time and effort.

Use welcome posters, Language Identification Cards and desk cards to let the customer know that interpreting is available.

3. Try using 2 handsets connected to one phone socket

I am sure you recognise the situation where a non-English speaker uses your reception phone to talk to an interpreter. Usually what happens is

Like to read more or make a comment? Log in or register below

Why not join the discussion!

Or even better still offer your own advice and tell us about things that others can learn from.

We moderate comments lightly so bear with us and we'll get your thoughts listed as soon as we can.

You must be logged in to post comments.

Not registered yet? Simply fill in the box below.

Email
Password
Forgotten your password?

Like to have access to this and hundreds of other articles like it? Register now!

Just pop your details in the form below, and you'll have full access to our library as well as receiving the free articles you have requested.

Research and evaluation
Resident involvement
Community involvement
Patient involvement
Communications & marketing
Equality and diversity
Community safety
All of these
Your work email

Already subscribed? Want to manage your account? »

Log in

New?

Register now to benefit from hundreds of free hints, tips, articles and interviews

Your email address:

Contact us»

Latest Twitter updates

Courses that might interest you

Why not try these articles?

9 things to think about when communicating changes in welfare benefits to non English speakers

 

10 ideas for cost effective communications with non English speakers

10 ideas for cost effective communications with non English speakers


10 problems with translated materials

 

10 ways to save money and provide a better service to your Non English speaking customers

 

Five guidelines for using translated material

 

Good interpreting is essential – but how on earth can you afford it?

 

If you market to ethnic minority communities these might interest you

 

The seven stages of effective communication to English and non-English speakers

 

What do different ethnic groups think about smoke detectors?

 

What London Borough of Newham has learnt from providing interpreting services to over 110 different languages and dialects

 

What the research found about ethnic minority groups and fire safety issues