Trends

Why Localization is a Necessary Part of Hyper-Personalization

Lights being strung between to buildings with small country flags hanging from them

It's now understood that in order to drive exceptional customer experiences brands need to extend personalization beyond just recognizing customer names. Since customer data is part of a value exchange system that consumers are increasingly conscious of, it's becoming even more important to zero in on the contextual customer insights that allow you to create hyper-personalized experiences.

What is personalization & why is it valuable?

According to a Deloitte report, one in five customers interested in personalized products or services is willing to pay a 20% premium to get them. Additionally, companies that are creating personalized customer experiences are increasing revenue two to three times faster than their peers. When you consider the prediction by Domo, that by 2020 there will be 1.7MB of new information every second created by every human, there is no question that the data exists. What’s needed is technology that allows companies to create individualized services and proactive customer experiences while incorporating real-time customer feedback and making real-time adjustments.

"What’s needed is technology that allows companies to create individualized services and proactive customer experiences while incorporating real-time customer feedback and making real-time adjustments."

For global businesses, localizing products and services for individual regions is a key aspect of personalization. Even if your business doesn’t operate in multiple countries, you likely have customers from all over the world. A study from Shopify reports that on average, 57% of consumers make purchases from overseas retailers. Language in particular remains a frontline issue. 75% want to buy products in their native language and 67% prefer some content and navigation to be translated. Perhaps even more notable is the importance of translation when it comes to the post-sales customer experience. Data from Common Sense Advisory reveals that 74% of consumers are more likely to repurchase if after-sales care is offered in their language. 

How to speak the same language as your customer?

The reality of contact centers is that most don’t have employees who are native speakers of the language of all the customers they serve. In the hotel and hospitality businesses it’s nearly impossible to have native speaking employees in each language of the customer base. However, since more and more interactions are taking place through digital devices, it’s increasingly possible to provide highly personalized customer communications at scale, including translations into the customer’s language.

Local Measure’s real-time feedback tool, Pulse, allows you to learn how the customer’s experience is going through a simple interface that can be displayed in 18 languages. The language displayed for customers is based on their device or browser settings. If the customer’s language is not on the list of 18 languages, then the language defaults to the language set by the Pulse administrator. For example, a hotel in Thailand can automatically display a feedback request in the customer’s native language, say German, but if the customer’s language is Njerep (not on the list) then Pulse will offer the feedback request in the next best language for their customer base as determined by the hotel. Customer feedback is then translated for employees through Pulse using Google Translation, ensuring an uninterrupted line of communication between the customer and the teams who are capable of acting on feedback. When it comes to customer feedback, it’s especially important that critical details are not lost or left out because the customer doesn’t understand what’s being asked or feels the need to respond in English or another language that they are not fluent in.

The during-visit customer feedback request is just one touchpoint in an omnichannel customer journey where localization has been made easier to incorporate. Localizing content for social media, online advertising, emails and apps will help build consumer trust and customer engagement, ultimately resulting in higher revenue.

Learn more about Local Measure's customer experience platform and how it has been designed for businesses to deliver personalized customer experiences at scale.

November 18, 2021

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