Go Global 102: Localizing Your Digital Business Tools

Introduction

Welcome back to our Going Global 101 series! In case you missed our first installment, we covered the difference between international marketing and international strategy and how website translation plays a role in globalization. Once you make the decision to expand to new, multilingual markets, you need to make sure your new customers can navigate any software or B2C tools with ease. 

To successfully venture into new territories, companies need to adopt a localization strategy that goes beyond language translation. This blog explores the importance of localizing business tools and software for global expansion, focusing on apps, payment portals, digital kiosks, and other B2C tools. By understanding the significance of translating and localizing these tools, companies can enhance the customer experience, foster customer trust, and drive business growth. 

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Localizing Your Business’ B2C Tools 

Global business expansion is fueled by localization efforts. A strong localization strategy involves adapting products, services, content, messaging, marketing, and brand to meet the specific needs of target markets. It encompasses language translation, cultural customization, and product design modifications to ensure relevance and appeal to local customers. This is going to involve localizing B2C tools like apps, payment portals, and digital kiosks. 

Apps 

When expanding globally, companies must localize their apps to cater to the preferences, cultural nuances, and language of the target audience. Translating the user interface (UI), app descriptions, menus, and notifications enables users to interact with the app seamlessly in their native language. Additionally, adapting functionalities, features, and user flows based on regional preferences improves user satisfaction and engagement. 

Payment Portals 

Localizing payment portals is crucial for providing a frictionless and familiar experience to customers. This involves accepting local currencies, integrating popular payment methods, and ensuring compliance with regional regulations. By offering localized payment options, companies remove barriers to purchase and instill trust among customers, leading to increased conversion rates. 

Digital Kiosks 

For businesses with physical presence, digital kiosks play a significant role in delivering localized experiences. Localization involves translating kiosk interfaces, instructions, and prompts to the local language. Moreover, customizing the content to align with the cultural context and preferences of the target market enhances user engagement and improves overall customer experience. 

Curious how investing in localizing these tools can impact your business? When a global Top 3 leader in the cruise line industry wanted to generate more business among international customers, it turned to MotionPoint to localize its digital customer experience 

We were able to provide a superior “one stop” turn-key solution that could localize the company’s complex portal, website, and omnichannel content. Learn all about the challenges we overcame and the incredible results we were able to achieve for our customer. Read about it here. 

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Impact on Customer Experience 

Of course, localizing your digital business tools will help you reach and acquire new customers in a foreign market. This will give the consumer a significantly more enjoyable and seamless experience, meaning they are more likely to follow through on the buyer journey. 

Some other benefits of high-quality software localization are: 

• Language and Cultural Relevance: By translating and localizing business tools and software, companies demonstrate respect for local culture and language. Providing content in customers’ native language not only facilitates understanding but also creates a sense of familiarity and trust. Customers are more likely to engage with and make purchases from businesses that communicate in their preferred language.
• Enhanced User Experience: Localized tools and software offer intuitive interfaces, relevant content, and seamless interactions tailored to the local market. A well-localized app, payment portal, or digital kiosk provides a user experience that feels native, reducing confusion and increasing customer satisfaction. This, in turn, fosters positive brand perception and encourages customer loyalty.
• Improved Customer Support: Localization extends to customer support, where providing multilingual assistance becomes essential. Offering localized customer support channels, such as chatbots or help centers, enables customers to seek assistance in their preferred language, resolving issues efficiently. Prompt and effective support further enhances the overall customer experience. 

Tips for Successful Localization Strategy 

Software localization, much like website translation, requires strategic planning and a certain level of understanding of multilingual marketing and cultural nuance. That’s why it’s always best to work with a concierge-level translation partner who can help you connect with a new market, at scale and without breaking the bank. 

A company like MotionPoint can help you through some important steps in the process: 

• Starting with a Localized Marketing Strategy: Localization marketing focuses on adapting the entire customer experience, not just messaging. Investing in professional language services will help make the process easier, from scaling marketing efforts through localization to considering factors such as company stage, scale, and target market readiness.
• Inclusivity and Humanization: Localization goes beyond translation and involves adapting content to cultural nuances and preferences. By humanizing the localization process, companies can ensure their offerings resonate with local audiences, leading to greater acceptance and engagement. If you try to handle translation and localization in-house, you may not have the knowledge or resources to adapt your content to your target culture. At MotionPoint, we have expert linguists who can tailor translations to various cultures.
• Continuous Monitoring and Iteration: Localization is an ongoing process that requires monitoring and analysis. By collecting feedback, tracking user behavior, and leveraging data-driven insights, businesses can iteratively improve their localized tools and software, refining the customer experience over time. MotionPoint’s platform allows for constant updating and helps you customize your translations to your preferences. 

Reach New Multilingual Markets 

In the era of global expansion, localizing business tools and software is critical for achieving success in new markets. By adopting a comprehensive software localization strategy, companies can deliver personalized experiences to customers worldwide. From apps to payment portals and digital kiosks, each tool plays a vital role in shaping the customer journey.  

The translation and localization of these tools, along with a focus on cultural relevance, greatly impacts customer experience, fosters trust, and drives business growth in the global marketplace. After website translation, this step is the best way to ensure your target market is able to navigate your business tools and complete a purchase, book a service, or just find the information it needs. 

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