Crafting the Customer Experience For People Not Like You: How to Delight and Engage the Customers Your Competitors Don't Understand

“PRESS 1 FOR ENGLISH” ISN’T A FAD

One of the first areas you need to address to provide a superior experience for your Hispanic customers is language. The latest study from global market research company Synovate shows that 60 percent of all Hispanic adults in the United States are foreign-born. So if you’re foreign-born, chances are that your native language is Spanish. And even if you become fluent in English, your mother tongue will always be Spanish, so it’s a pretty safe bet that Spanish is most foreign-born Hispanics’ preferred language.

This is particularly important if what you sell is the slightest bit complicated, is important, requires a contract, or has a layered buying process. For example, buying a new or used automobile is much more complicated—and important—than buying a burger. Not only does the vehicle cost thousands of dollars more than a hamburger, but the transaction itself is complex. You need to negotiate a price, determine how you’ll pay for the car (i.e., pay cash or finance it), figure out whether you qualify for a loan or credit, discuss additional options such as extended warranties and accessories, and so on. On top of that, most people don’t buy a vehicle very often. Once you make that purchase decision, you’re out of the market until the next time you need a car or truck, which is probably going to be years, maybe even a decade.

A burger, on the other hand, is in what we call a low consideration category. Most people don’t agonize over where to buy ...