Being able to interact with customers or clients on a global scale is important when it comes to providing a high standard of customer service and creating a good reputation for your business. No matter where your customers are in the world, being able to communicate with them in their own language can be a huge advantage for your company and can ensure you leave a lasting impression on your valued customers. There are translation services that you can use to help with translating websites or packaging copy for use in other countries, as well as providing help with online meetings and phone calls to reduce the risk of confusion caused by the language barrier. Here are 5 languages that you’ll need to know this year to connect with your customers.
French
French is a language that a lot of us learn in school and with a total of approximately 280 million French speakers all over the world, it is still a key language to be studied now and will be in years to come. As we know, the French language isn’t just confined to France – African countries are said to be the future of the French language, and with the African population rising, this language is only going to become more popular. French could be useful for your business to network with customers and clients all over this continent.
Arabic
Standard Arabic is spoken by approximately 274 million people all over the world. It is the official language of 22 countries from Southwest Asia to Northwest Africa. Arabic is also commonly spoken by over a billion Muslims all over the world. Modern Standard Arabic is easier to pick up than the classical version, it is the language you would learn if you chose to study Arabic.
The language itself is becoming worthwhile for businesses to invest in learning or translating so that they can reach the growing economies situated in Africa and the Middle East. Arabic is said to be the fifth most powerful language in the world, so in 2022, we expect it to continue growing and climbing the ranks of languages to become familiar with.
Chinese
It may not come as a surprise that learning or translating to Mandarin Chinese is one of the best moves your business can make this year. China is already the largest trading nation and Chinese is the most spoken language in the world. Mandarin is great for business opportunities, but with over a billion people speaking the language, choosing to use Chinese Mandarin to connect with your customers would be highly advantageous.
Spanish
With more than 480 million speakers around the world, the Spanish language can connect you to countries in South America, as well as Europe. Economies are growing in South America, so being able to communicate clearly with Spanish-speaking customers is essential. Modern Spanish is relatively easy to learn in comparison to other languages and using Spanish to connect with your customers can bring you closer to clients across the sea in Europe. Adapting to your customer or client’s native tongue is an invaluable asset to your business and shows that you care for your customers.
German
Boasting Europe’s largest population, largest economy, and the fifth-largest economy globally, it is not too difficult to see why it could be beneficial for your business to invest in learning or translating to German. Not only is it a major business language, but it is also another language that can help to connect and interact with customers in Europe. Translating to German means that you’ll be broadening your business’s horizons, as well as giving you an advantage when it comes to winning new European customers and providing high levels of customer service to loyal ones.
