Archived Frustrated over language barriers

[crmcheezfiasco]

Hello! So, I work in a location with a lot of foreigners/tourists. Most of them speak Spanish or Portuguese. I speak English and French, but so far have not met a single French speaker. A lot of times while working on the sales floor, I'll have a Spanish or Portuguese-speaking guest come up to me but I am unable to help because I don't speak or understand the language. I try to communicate this with them, but many of them start raising their voices and making a scene and I am not quite sure how to handle it besides smile and be polite. Many of my other TMs only speak English (we have 2-3 that do speak some Spanish). How do you guys handle language barriers?

 

[SrTLall]

Use hand signals

 

[HRZone]

How do you guys handle language barriers?

Spanish should be easy. A smile and a "No habla ingles." Should suffice, followed by

"Team is there anyone who can assist a Spanish speaking guest?"

Hand signals are good. Also At my store we are also allowed to use Google translate on the salesfloor.

 

[NKG]

If they speak broken English ask yes or no questions only if no team members are available that do speak spanish.

 

[redeye58]

A smile and a "No habla ingles."

No habla Espanol

 

[Castagnier]

I've learned to use Google translate for guests that speak a language I don't understand. I'm fairly sure it looks weird to the guests at first, but they don't complain when their question gets answered.

 

[redeye58]

About half our store speaks Spanish, we have a few that speak Portuguese, a couple that speak Pashto & Farsi, someone who speaks German & a couple who sign.

 

[Kartman]

If you can't (in some capacity) speak English, don't waste my time babbling at me.

 

[Logo]

Eu não falo português.

Sometimes I'll break out my phone and use the translator ap.

 

[WestLoggy]

Most of our store TM's speak Tagalog/Philipino on the radios and verbally so I'm usually just standing there all . Lots of Spanish-speaking guests here so I'm okay with that (can mutter through it okay). The occasional French-Canadian comes through but if there's a major difficulty we pop out the 'ole Google Translate. The guest usually smiles when that happens as they know we are making an effort.

Now ... to just get my co-workers to translate what they are saying to me

 

[NPC]

I've had guests use their phones to translate for them. Pretty useful.

 

[HRZone]

Most of our store TM's speak Tagalog/Philipino on the radios and verbally so I'm usually just standing there all . Lots of Spanish-speaking guests here so I'm okay with that (can mutter through it okay). The occasional French-Canadian comes through but if there's a major difficulty we pop out the 'ole Google Translate. The guest usually smiles when that happens as they know we are making an effort.

Now ... to just get my co-workers to translate what they are saying to me

Lol yup that is all the stores in the big city. I love the smell of lumpia in the breakroom

 

[Yetive]

Our HR ordered the "I speak . . ." Name badges for everyone who wanted them. There were a surprising number of languages represented. Interestingly, you can't order German. (Or couldn't a couple years ago).

 

[NPC]

We have a lot of Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish speaking guests. Oddly, the only guests that don't also know English are the Spanish speaking ones. Lol.

I hate being asked "habla Espanol?" And after I say no, they continue to ask their question anyway in thick, fast, fluent Spanish. I just call on the walkie for a TM to translate.

 

[Kartman]

Lumpia? Ask them to hook ya'll up with some Balut!

 

[Yetive]

Eew

 

[NPC]

Lumpia? Ask them to hook ya'll up with some Balut!

Prefer the 1000 Year Old Egg.

 

[Pale]

Interestingly, you can't order German. (Or couldn't a couple years ago).

Because It's a scary, bad guy language. Ich denke es ist zu weich persönlich.

 

[StargazerOmega]

I haven't encountered any real problematic language barriers in the time I've worked at Spot. The most common one I have is when a HoH guest comes through, but it's easily remedied with hand gestures/signals.

We also have a bilingual TL that speaks Spanish/English, so anytime a Spanish-speaking guest needs assistance, I call him over.

 

[DoWork]

I speak a couple other languages and can put together sentences in a few others, but they're useless except Spanish because of our clientele.

I do make use of phone translate for the stray African immigrants. Awesome people, no English.

I'll add that English guests can be assholes, especially in Texas. "This is America, you should speak English." is a sly commentary I've heard many times. Pisses me off to no end. To assume one language is all you should encounter is outright stupid.

Also, I need translate for a few flow members. Their slang and pronounciation is horrible. It's like mixing ebonics with a fourth grade vocabulary and several speech problems. Surprised they don't just grunt.

 

[NPC]

Too many TMs speak "instagram." Low key fam goals squad tru.

 

[Planosss]

About half our store speaks Spanish, we have a few that speak Portuguese, a couple that speak Pashto & Farsi, someone who speaks German & a couple who sign.

To your Pashto speaker say "khair sha" from me . Pronounced "khaaair shaaa"

 

[Sebastian]

Hello! So, I work in a location with a lot of foreigners/tourists. Most of them speak Spanish or Portuguese. I speak English and French, but so far have not met a single French speaker. A lot of times while working on the sales floor, I'll have a Spanish or Portuguese-speaking guest come up to me but I am unable to help because I don't speak or understand the language. I try to communicate this with them, but many of them start raising their voices and making a scene and I am not quite sure how to handle it besides smile and be polite. Many of my other TMs only speak English (we have 2-3 that do speak some Spanish). How do you guys handle language barriers?

I mean... I don't want to sound rude but try. In many other countries the citizens speak 2 languages. Do what it takes to take care of the guest no matter the language. If you encounter this problem a lot then just learn one phrase "no hablo español, puedo encontrar una persona que hable español." Or more simply "no hablo español, un momento por favor." *team can I get someone to translate on XYZ123"

 

[Yetive]

I speak English and French, but so far have not met a single French speaker.

I have helped French speakers a couple of times. I can help in a couple of other languages, but wouldn't say I speak them.

 

[IDoStuffHere]

English or gtfo.

Every customer that speaks a different language has been an ass.