Why Language Skills Are Key Drivers For Business Growth

The human resource team, executive leadership, senior management, and workers at TORQ Commodities recognise that in order to build long-term relationships with our clients and form lifelong bonds, we must all speak the same language while understanding and accepting cultural variations. The introduction of French lessons for our employees in our Mumbai office is a first step in this direction.

Global community

Our primary focus has been on Western Africa, and we must do business responsibly and in the same language as our partners. Consequently, TORQ's endeavour to teach our associates, traders, procurement, and trade operations teams to read, write, speak, and comprehend French is a crucial step toward proactive and thoughtful business in the region. After all, there are around 120 French-speakers throughout 24 francophone countries on the continent.

Several West African nations are major producers of the world's most valuable crops. Among the many popular commodities in the area are cashew, soybean, sesame, millet, and sorghum.

Many local stakeholders, particularly farmers, do not speak English fluently. As a result, when foreign firms trade with them, significant complexity of agreements may be overlooked.

We feel it is critical that every member of the supply chain knows and agrees to the terms of the industry's partnerships. It is only fair that everyone participating has an equal platform. Speaking a shared language not only helps to develop good, long-term relationships, but it is also an ethical option.

Common goal

As a growing organisation that services a worldwide clientele, it is essential to make judgements based on cultural differences rather than on preconceived notions. These methodical judgements are aided by multilingual proficiency.

In practice, speaking with clients and consumers improves our ability to communicate to and bargain with the other party by helping us to appreciate their perspective. Additionally, adopting a common language helps us comprehend other cultures and behavioural tendencies. Consequently, cultural divides are overcome.

We endeavour to be part of societies, working together in a coordinated mission. With clear communication, industries can continue to develop and find solutions to catering to the ever-changing requirements across the globe. This approach is crucial when it comes to meeting growing consumer demand.

“Linguists make the content culturally, regionally, and linguistically appropriate. They put themselves in the customer's shoes. In this way, they can interpret the content from the customer's point of view. As a result, they can provide customers with a good experience. Linguists can portray the original message without hampering the intended message. In short, these linguists make your content the voice of the audience,” Mars Translation highlights.

“For the localized services, the linguists must be from the country in which they are born. This makes them proficient in the language. Moreover, they know the cultural values and tailor the content in the best way possible.”

Across the spectrum

Notably, approximately 20% of Switzerland's gross domestic product (GDP) is due to its multilingual history. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom loses an equivalent of 3.5% of its GDP yearly due to the country's relatively low level of multilingualism.

Overall, the benefits of learning a language are not exclusive to one sector. There are clear advantages across several markets, including manufacturing, healthcare, education, and finance. So, learning a new language is a fantastic solution to help link the supplier and customer.

Source: Mars Translation; World Economic Forum; Statista