“Order place krne me problem ho rhi hai…” (I’m having trouble placing the order)
Well! This was the message a leading global e-commerce company received multiple times from one of its customers in Uttar Pradesh. The customer was a middle-aged man trying to place an order for his son, a gadget. His message was sent as it is, ie., in simple Hindi – everyday language. And what he was getting in response was a chatbot reply explaining the issue in English.
Frustrated, he dropped off the plan of placing the order from their website. It was not only a matter of a lost sale but a lost customer and a missed trust-building opportunity.
Why is the Multilingual Option Important in India?
India is home to 22 official and over 121 spoken languages with millions of diverse native speakers. Yes, English is a widely spoken language, but mostly or only in urban or professional circles. Meanwhile, approximately 90% of Indians prefer speaking and communicating in their local language. And yet, many online buying customers’ journeys in India are still designed with an “English-first” strategy.
Today, more than 100 million digital users in India come from rural regions, comprising Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. However, they trust the websites using their native language like Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi, Marathi, and Kannada among others. They find these languages more trustworthy and feel comfortable and confident to use them in the language they know and use in their everyday life.
Whether it’s a fintech app, an edtech platform, or an e-commerce brand, users expect the same experience in their language as someone in Delhi or Mumbai does in English. Therefore, the multilingual option has become very significant in India.
How Does Multilingual Support Make a Difference in Indian Customer Journeys?
Here’s where multilingual support plays a game-changing role for the Indian customers:
1. First Impressions – Onboarding, Registration
A user’s first interaction with your brand, whether it’s app onboarding or website registration, should speak their language. This reduces friction, confusion, and bounce rates.
2. Customer Support & Retention
Resolving a customer’s issue in their native language creates emotional connection and loyalty. By offering multilingual support, you are not just giving an option; you are showing respect and building relationships with your customers.
3. Feedback & Personalization
Feedbacks play a crucial role in any business. When customers get the freedom to speak in their language and share feedback in their mother tongue, your brand gets richer and more honest insights, which helps make product and service improvements.
4. Trust-building in Regulated Sectors
In businesses, especially healthcare, banking, or insurance, language clarity is non-negotiable. A mistake due to misunderstanding can erode trust irreversibly and often land your business at major risk.
Conclusion
In India, language is not just a medium; it’s a market lever. Here, you are not just translating; you are unlocking emotional trust, business growth, and deeper relationships.
In today’s India, if your brand is not speaking their language, then you might get lost or overlooked in the conversation.
So, the next time a customer sends you their concern in Hindi or any other native language, make sure your brand knows how to offer them help in their language. Worry not if you need any assistance. From your target market insights, and audiences’ preferences to localization and short videos for information spread – our professionals are here to help you brand at every step.
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