Parlez-Vous Anglais? Français? Grec?
by Citrix Online

IDC analysts report that “Web users are up to four times more likely to purchase from a site that communicates in the customer's language.” If you don’t provide international prospects and customers with multi-lingual information and support, your success in making headway abroad will be greatly compromised. Here’s another astonishing statistic: According to a recent WorldLingo survey, “91% of Fortune 500 and Forbes International 800 companies cannot respond correctly to a foreign-language email.” That 91% represents lost opportunities, failed business relationships, and untold lost revenue.

Forging successful global business relationships is not just about selling your wares in a foreign land. What’s more, it’s a terribly outdated stereotype to assume that individuals in other countries will be able to communicate with you in English. That may occasionally be the case with B2B interactions (although one should never assume that it will be), but in B2C exchanges, it can be a dangerous assumption and cost your organization millions.

Global Reach reports that there are approximately 172 million English speakers and 163 million non-English speakers online and that “43% of Web users do not speak English at all.” Let’s set aside the fact that it could be seen as ethnocentric to assume that the rest of the world will learn English and become your loyal customer at the same time. What about the dangers of unforeseen misunderstandings? Plus, by not providing multilingual information, non-English speakers will surely feel frustrated and excluded, perhaps regarding the experience as egregious enough to take their business elsewhere. Quelle horreur!

If you’re ready to provide multilingual information to your global customers, don’t just plug your text into a computer-generated translator. That doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands of dollars outsourcing your text to expensive human translators either. First see what language resources you can take advantage of in-house. Then wrack your brain for associates, bilingual friends or old college buddies who might have the language skills you need. You can also check with the foreign language department at your local college or university. It’s likely you’ll be able to find an enthusiastic language student looking for some good translation experience.

Forrester Research reports that by 2004, “50% of all online sales are expected to occur outside the U.S.” If you’re communicating with your customers in their native languages, those numbers won’t scare you. In fact, the next time your customers tell you, “It’s all Greek to me,” you’ll know that they’re actually located in Greece.

About Citrix Online
Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTXS), offers the leading Web-based access, support and collaboration software and services. The division offers Citrix GoToMyPC®, the easiest-to-use solution for remote, secure and managed desktop PC access over the Web; and Citrix GoToAssist™, the most secure, reliable and powerful solution for Web-based technical support and customer collaboration. Citrix Online products are used by more than 4,000 companies worldwide, including Cisco Systems, Siemens, Intuit, Cablevision and Microsoft Business Solutions. The division is based in Santa Barbara, California, and is on the Web at www.gotomypc.com, www.gotoassist.com and www.citrix.com.