Comments on: Business Spanish Call Center Certification – Improving Customer Satisfaction http://www.hispanicmpr.com Providing you essential information on America's largest minority Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:28:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: oliviaostergard http://www.hispanicmpr.com/resources/articles/business-spanish-call-center-certification-–-improving-customer-satisfaction/#comment-346482 oliviaostergard Thu, 09 Aug 2007 19:22:15 +0000 http://www.hispanicmpr.com/resources/articles/business-spanish-call-center-certification-–-improving-customer-satisfaction/#comment-346482 i need help with learning spanish i need help with learning spanish

]]> By: Administrator http://www.hispanicmpr.com/resources/articles/business-spanish-call-center-certification-–-improving-customer-satisfaction/#comment-12263 Administrator Wed, 13 Sep 2006 15:53:07 +0000 http://www.hispanicmpr.com/resources/articles/business-spanish-call-center-certification-–-improving-customer-satisfaction/#comment-12263 Lilia, It's the first time I read such a practical and accurate analysis of the linguistic differences and their meaning. Thanks! Elena Lilia,

It’s the first time I read such a practical and accurate analysis of the linguistic differences and their meaning. Thanks!

Elena

]]> By: Lilia Mayer http://www.hispanicmpr.com/resources/articles/business-spanish-call-center-certification-–-improving-customer-satisfaction/#comment-12254 Lilia Mayer Wed, 13 Sep 2006 12:59:47 +0000 http://www.hispanicmpr.com/resources/articles/business-spanish-call-center-certification-–-improving-customer-satisfaction/#comment-12254 This is an excellent article. The principles described may be applied to other settings where bilingual staff interacts with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) populations. Institutions and providers delivering health care services are definitely grappling with these issues. I am involved, in fact, in promoting a web-based program that offers cultural competency training to family physicians and other primary care providers. There is a focus at the national, state, and local level to improve communication between health care providers and LEP patients. A side note: as a bilingual and bicultural individual (Spanish/English and American/Latina), a writer, and a social marketer, I am keenly aware of the differences between English and Spanish composition. The bottom-line thinking built into English is at odds with the Hispanic approach to persuasion. Whereas English favors a brief synopsis of the main idea delivered right away; Spanish favors a description of factors that support the main idea before the conclusion is articulated. Native English speakers grow impatient when they hear a native Spanish speaker go on and on before delivering the bottom line. Native Spanish speakers assume that a bottom line makes no sense if one does not first understand the context and reasoning that support whatever claim is made. English is precise; fast; and compact. Individuals who communicate with LEP customers, for example, need to become aware of the English language's inherent bias; and consider how to broach key differences. Patience (ie - more time allocated to interaction) may appear inefficient at first; but in the long run, patience is necessary for respectful listening, a key element of effective communication. This is an excellent article. The principles described may be applied to other settings where bilingual staff interacts with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) populations. Institutions and providers delivering health care services are definitely grappling with these issues. I am involved, in fact, in promoting a web-based program that offers cultural competency training to family physicians and other primary care providers. There is a focus at the national, state, and local level to improve communication between health care providers and LEP patients.

A side note: as a bilingual and bicultural individual (Spanish/English and American/Latina), a writer, and a social marketer, I am keenly aware of the differences between English and Spanish composition. The bottom-line thinking built into English is at odds with the Hispanic approach to persuasion. Whereas English favors a brief synopsis of the main idea delivered right away; Spanish favors a description of factors that support the main idea before the conclusion is articulated. Native English speakers grow impatient when they hear a native Spanish speaker go on and on before delivering the bottom line. Native Spanish speakers assume that a bottom line makes no sense if one does not first understand the context and reasoning that support whatever claim is made.

English is precise; fast; and compact. Individuals who communicate with LEP customers, for example, need to become aware of the English language’s inherent bias; and consider how to broach key differences. Patience (ie - more time allocated to interaction) may appear inefficient at first; but in the long run, patience is necessary for respectful listening, a key element of effective communication.

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