How do you handle language barriers with international guests?

A wise manager once told me: "It is our fault as a hotel if we don't have the tools or team to communicate in the language our guests prefers" As a hotelier, it is our responsibility to ensure we have the right tools & solutions to communicate with all our guests and provide all of them with exceptional experiences. It's easier now then before with access to advanced technology.

Don’t focus on learning phrases for the sake of learning phrases. It can across as cheesy or pretentious. Talk to people from that culture and find out how they would like to be received. Whether they want a hand shake or it, whether they want a greeting card or a gift for instance. Be relatable and empathetic.

Sometimes, words are not enough to convey your meaning or emotion. You can use non-verbal communication, such as gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and body language, to supplement your verbal communication and enhance your rapport with your guests. For example, you can smile, nod, point, or use your hands to show directions or numbers. Etc

Typically at most hotels I have worked in, we have an ongoing list of employees and the various languages they speak. If we have a guest who speaks another language and we are having difficulty understanding, we will find an employee in-house who can converse with them. This is always well received by the guest. We also use Google translate and will have it on hand via cell phone to speak to our guests if needed. Never make the guest feel inconvenienced because English is not their native tongue.

Speak slowly and clearly: Focus on enunciating your words clearly and avoid rushing through your communication. This will help ensure that your message is understood correctly Use visual aids: Visual aids such as pictures, diagrams, and videos can help convey your message more effectively Avoid idioms and jargon: Idioms and jargon can be difficult to understand for non-native speakers. Try to use simple language that is easy to understand Use translation tools: Translation tools such as Google Translate can help you communicate with non-native speakers in their own language . Be patient: Be patient and understanding when communicating with non-native speakers. Allow them time to process what you are saying and respond accordingly .

Speaking clearly and at a moderate pace is crucial, but exaggerated slowness can be perceived as offensive. While expressive gestures and maintaining eye contact enhance communication, overdoing them can also come off as disrespectful.

Again in my experience focus on relatability. Some guests from different cultures are super familiar with slang and idioms and will feel talked down to or patronized if you over simplify. There is no one size fits all rule.

As an Australian with a very strong accent, you have to learn to tone it down as a lot of guests had no idea what I was saying but as time went on I picked up a few hints and tips from friends and colleagues and not sound like a robot when I spoke to them.

I think, relaying information in a simple, clear, and universally understandable manner is a cornerstone of effective communication. It fosters a welcoming environment and ensures that everyone can engage without feeling overwhelmed or left out. In any case, the use of slang or professional jargon should be avoided when talking to guests.

In addition, engaging with the guest (or a team member) by utilizing your body language can help bridge some communication gaps.

In experience the non verbal is the most important and remember that smiling is universal kindness and goes a very long way.

While non-verbal communication is extremely important in intercultural communication, we must keep in mind that the meanings attributed to certain gestures and behaviors often do not cross cultural boundaries. This is where cultural awareness comes into focus. Employees should be trained in how different gestures and behaviors are interpreted in various cultures. This will help to decrease any misunderstandings during interactions.

Expressions non verbal are the best way to simplify explanations n understanding tried and tested many times with guests at hotel .

I agree, indeed the best way to overcome language barriers is body language. An honest smile, a nod, an invitation with open palm are international songs of welcome and universally understood. In this regard I have a small story. I remember one of my first Director, when I was working as Maitre in an elegant restaurant in Venice (20 years ago?): we had mostly tourists as guests , and most of them didn’t speak any Italian. I swear, the Director couldn’t speak any English (or other language but Italian and Venetian..) but thanks to his great body language he were always able to get understood from any guest. It was unbelievable! I had a good English at that time (andFrench&German) but still , his ability to communicate was better then mine!

Gestures, Smile, the reaching out must come forth as wholehearted and true, to put the message across that the other party is not left feeling unwelcome.

While translation apps can help in some casa they can also create terribly embarrassing situations. After all you cannot double check a language that you don’t speak and things get misrepresented dangerously in machine translation quite often. I would focus on drawing if necessary.

1. **Use of Translation Apps**: 2. **Multilingual Staff** 3. **Visual Aids** 4. **Simplified Language** 5. **Cultural Sensitivity** 6. **Marketing Preparation** 7. **Written Communication** 8. **Non-Verbal Communication** 9. **Patience and Empathy** 10. **Feedback and Confirmation** Whichever method you choose, make sure you deliver it with a smile ??

A photo speaks a thousand words, and a photo speaks every language. In my experience, multilingual teams communicating together using photos (and video) can be super effective.

In my experience i can say translation through internet is really helpful but i still prefer the old way in order to give directions for example by giving notes to a paper (some drawing).

Utilize a strong SMS provider to enhance all communication to all guests. Some strong companies like Salesforce or Zingle already have the technology installed to translate most languages pretty accurately most of the time. My experience in using these companies has given us the ability to now converse with guests of all nationalities almost flawlessly. This really goes hand in hand with understanding who your customers are before they arrive and then of course implementing this tool to be successful.

Having an interpreter breaks down barriers quickly. But again if you down this direction ensure you are bringing people who can truly execute well the complex job of interpreting. Otherwise they can do more harm than good.

We are based in Switzerland, a multilingual country. As a result, our staff are native speakers of either French, German, Italian or English. It’s a must in our environment- although a large number of people do speak English, a message is far more meaningful if it is expressed to the target audience in their native tongue and with their cultural references. The mistake is to think the French, Canadians and the Swiss all speak the same “French.” Therefore, localization, is important and a multicultural and multilingual team is an asset to any business operating in a international environment.

Have multilingual staff is the best solution to handle international customers . At least fluent English your staff should speak fluent because it’s is the international language and also give incentive mainly to the from desk personals to learn at least one more language other than English

Again working and living on an island resort has taught me a lot on this subject, one of the best ways to handle language barriers with international guests is to hire or train multilingual staff who can speak their language and assist them with their needs and requests. Having multilingual staff can improve your service quality, guest satisfaction, and reputation. You can also encourage your staff to learn new languages or offer them incentives or rewards for doing so. For example, you can provide them with free online courses, language books, or apps that can help them learn new languages. You can also give them bonuses, recognition, or promotions for achieving certain levels of proficiency.

It is always an advantage to have people in your team that can communicate in a lot of languages, still try to be sure that you all share the same team spirit otherwise sometimes we can say things by accident(about something that happened to us at work or in our private life or generally something) that crosses the limit between us and our guest

As i mentioned above we have to remain calm and kind all the time!! No matter what we have in our head is not our guest's fault!!! They chose our place/hotel/restaurant etc in order to feel our hospitality and get in touch with our culture!! So a big smile , a heartwelcome greeting is the beginning of a nice co-existence with our guests

Great reminder. Be respectful and patient, not only with your guests or team members who speak a different language, but also with the elderly. They operate on a lower pace and after many years of collecting wisdom and being awesome, their hearing may not be the best. Kindness goes a long way.

Kindness and patience is key. And finding anything to relate to them, even if it's something small will help them feel comfortable.

Consider examining every aspect of your customer journey. Ask yourself if your brand provides a translated website, ensuring that it caters to individuals who may not be proficient in your primary language. Furthermore, take a closer look at post-experience surveys. Are these surveys accessible in multiple languages? If not, it might be time to expand your by adding the most relevant languages to your survey offerings, particularly those that align with your target market.

In my experience, it is always good to have some people who can communicate in the guest language. Language training is always in our training list to be able to care for all guests. Nowadays there are mobile apps and the x and y generations are well at ease with these tools. For any difficult situation, these apps will help. We don’t have big issues in terms of communication. There are ways to understand each other. English and French are Universal languages and as our people learned both languages at their younger age, 3 years old, so they communicate with the guests.

One thing I have found helpful is to display signage in multiple languages as this would be a great asset for the international guests. Also, it would be great to hire multilingual staff as they could help and interact positively with the guests from the different countries.

Learn at least English l, it will help you out with most clients. And also use google translate as a staring tool to better communicate.