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Happy international clients can be a tricky thing to master. There are many issues that can arise, such as communication barriers, embarrassing cultural faux pas, and miscalculated costs and logistics. You will learn over time. But for now, here are some handy suggestions.

Learn to Speak their Language

This might sound pretty obvious to some but far off the radar for others. However, learning to speak the language of a client is a guaranteed way to better business and make them happy. You can use apps such as Rosetta Stone. And test your language skills using a fluency assessment API. You can also enhance your customer service, sales, and even call-handling services with software like Speechace. Something the competition probably doesn't consider.

Get Happy International Clients with Custom Invoices

Further to speaking another language, it is a massive help to your international customers if you can communicate in writing in their language. It is unfair to expect them to read complicated forms, contracts, and invoices where large sums of money are involved. Communication issues like these can make doing business more complex and open up all manner of legal problems. So invoice and communicate with expert translations so they know exactly where they stand.

Be Open About Shipping and Delivery

The logistics of shipping can fill a book, and it's a hard thing to master. You might be used to shipping all over your own country. But that is easy by comparison to international shipping. First, there are major time differences. Then you have customs laws, additional costs, and duties. A reliable shipping partner can take care of all of this for you. But that's an extra cost. However, it's the best option if you don't want to disappoint clients at risk of losing business.

Amend Your Company Website

It doesn't make sense to keep your company website in one language if you have international customers. Of course, there's always Google Translate, but it can be messy. You can show much more appreciation for your customers if you adapt your site to their expectations:

• Offer multiple language versions of your website for the countries you serve. 

• Change the products you offer based on what is popular in each nation.

• Don't forget to switch currencies when a user changes the website's language.

• Offer contact details for regional customer service if this is available.

• Optimize content based on what a user from each country expects to see.

Translation of a website means more work. However, you can outsource this, and international customers will very much appreciate the extra effort, meaning more business. But be sure to research how to display a specific type of site for a particular country's audience.

Multinational Social Media Strategy

Further to your website, it can help to engage in a multinational social media strategy too. This means posting in multiple languages and in a tone these users expect. Additionally, you can appeal to different nations based on the platform you use. For example, users in the Philippines use YouTube more than any other platform and spend more than 4 hours per day on average using social media. At the same time, African nations typically use WhatsApp to communicate. 

Happy International Clients via Customer Service

Any business must focus on customer service. But when you serve international customers, it is even more vital. For example, you need to employ people who can understand international languages as well as regional dialects. Further, there are specific ways of speaking that people in certain countries will expect. For instance, Japanese customers will frown upon fake attitudes and will expect customer service to be given respectfully and to be non-transactional in nature.

Learn their Cultural Customs

Further to customer service and getting it right for different countries, it helps if you learn how to do business according to your clients' customs. Not all business is done in a suit, with a handshake and a smile as you might be used to in the UK or USA. For instance, it is customary to eat a meal together in India. Being late to a meeting generally isn't a big deal in France, but it is not appreciated at all in China. And in Italy, you can wear smart casual clothes for business.

Summary

Maintaining happy international clients could mean massive profits over the long term. But this is a tricky thing to do. You can help yourself if you learn to speak a new language. Also, offer many versions of your website, and go out of your way to learn customs before a meeting.