Retail
Languages can be a big bonus in the retail industry, where there is a high level of interaction with the general public. Long-established research shows customers are much more likely to make a purchase if addressed in their own language and, for an increasing number of stores now, language skills are very much a part of delivering excellent customer service. Whether you are in a niche market serving Japanese tourists, or a busy store in a multicultural area, talking to customers in their own language makes the experience more pleasurable, more accessible and is setting the trend in the retail industry. If customers feel more comfortable and confident in their surroundings they are more likely to buy and sometimes it’s just the greeting, plus an awareness of cultural factors that can make all the difference. In e-commerce, where it is relatively easy to track the relationship between the language used and the purchases made, languages make an incredible difference. A large scale international survey in 2006 found only 10% of buyers with little or no English would buy from English language websites, and two thirds would prefer to buy a higher priced product in their own language than a cheaper one in English. With so many multi-national stores now, languages can help boost your career in retail. They can give you access to international experience which employers often want for promotion within the company – as well as the enjoyment of working abroad.
Sales assistant, Harvey Nichols
Sales consultant, Harvey Nichols, Leeds
Supply chain coordinator, Europe, Middle East and Africa, The Body Shop