Implementing Multilingual Support in IT Help Desks

Calling a Helpdesk should not be an ordeal. But it often is. Speaking the same language does not guarantee mutual understanding. Imagine if you did not speak the same language, and your whole computer system had just gone berserk. Despair 101.

In an age when the client’s experience is the top priority, offering multilingual services seems a must. In the case of IT Help Desks, it sounds irreplaceable.

The Way to Go

Each team finds its most fitting tools and process. Then again, we could consider a few ideas to implement multilingual support that might be useful to most scenarios.

The first step includes knowing their turf, and the clients’ needs. In this case, we are focused on English and Spanish, but each client base is a different story.

We all know that numbers rule. You have to know your stats from previous historical data. This is the base to analyze support requests, and stay on top of trends.

Choosing the Right Tools for the Job

Next, you should consider the best option in terms of technology applied to translation and interpretation.

Your job includes personal contact with your clients’ and deep knowledge of IT related information. Consequently, the best approach might be a combination of machine translation and human linguists.  

Integrating translation into Helpdesk Software would be the next step in the process. Your chosen helpdesk platform should enable language selection. This will allow users to choose the language they prefer, when submitting claims, tickets or engaging with human agents.

A Well-Trained Team

There should always be a specialized human team behind the helpdesk software. In many occasions, claims, calls or support queries might prove too much for the bots to handle. Just out of human nature and its intricacies.

That is why you need to rely on a human team proficient in Spanish, and available to handle complicated queries professionally. Part of their training should include translation tools, and frequent tech updates to stay on top of their game.

Sharing the Load

In the IT Helpdesk world, many tickets and queries repeat over time. These are the simplest and easiest to handle. For those tickets, your best bet would be automated translation. The smart move is to integrate machine translation into your helpdesk software. Thus, your company will be able to seamlessly translate usual incoming tickets and queries in real-time.

Now, for complex requests or sensitive issues, your human agents should take the lead, and apply both their tech and Spanish proficiency.

Make sure to let your client base know that you provide services in Spanish, and publicize your communication channels in your website, and social media. They need to be aware of this. This knowledge will encourage them to call, and they will not fear to find that they are not understood.

Feedback Rules

Knowing your business means having frequent access to clients’ feedback, and results. Conscience about your strengths and weaknesses will keep you sharp, and adapt to new challenges. After each call, offer a kind and short survey to collect feedback. Ask users to briefly comment on their experience with multilingual support. This will provide you with a feel of “reality”.

Information alone does not improve any business. You need to analyze performance based on historical records. Stats will be your best friend at this stage. Response time and accuracy should be checked, verify resolution rates, and measure user satisfaction in different scenarios and level of query difficulty.

All the above data aims at your company’s ongoing improvement. Your business analysis will inform your multilingual support strategies to come.

Legal Considerations

Always be aware of the legal requirements you have to adhere to in terms of data privacy. This is particularly relevant when using third party translation software.

By applying these actions and your own business mindset you can successfully implement Spanish support in your IT helpdesk. This feature will, undoubtedly, enhance user experience and satisfaction for Spanish-speaking users.