12 Strategies to Enhance International Customer Experience

Businesses that serve international customers face an especially unique challenge: how to create a satisfying experience for people from different cultures and regions. Making sure that customers from all over the world feel valued and comfortable can go a long way.

In this article, we’ll be going over 12 actionable strategies that businesses can use to improve service for their international clients.

Multilingual Support

If there’s a significant language barrier, it can negatively impact an international customer’s experience. You should always offer customer support in multiple languages (whether through chat, phone, or email). This will help your international customers feel more comfortable.

Diverse Payment Options

Different countries have different preferred payment methods. While some customers may be comfortable using credit cards, others might prefer bank transfers, for example. 

We’d recommend offering your international customers several different payment options. By doing so, you’ll be increasing your chances of making a sale.

Local Currency Options

Customers feel more comfortable when they can pay in their own currency. Using systems like DCC from Planet (Dynamic Currency Conversion) at checkout will allow international customers to see prices and pay in their home currency.

Create Localized Websites

To make the experience even smoother for international customers, you might consider creating localized versions of your website for different markets. A localized website shows that your business understands the needs of each market, and will help international customers feel more connected to your brand.

Adjust Service Hours for Time Zones

International customers often struggle to reach customer service because of time zone differences. Expanding your support hours to cover different regions (or offering 24/7 service) is a great way to make sure that your customers - no matter where they are - can get help when they need it.

Clearly Communicate Shipping and Return Policies

Shipping costs and return policies are common concerns for international customers. Make sure to clearly outline shipping fees, delivery times, and return processes to avoid any confusion. Being transparent about these details is a great way to build trust with your international customers.

Culturally Sensitive Marketing

Marketing that isn’t tailored to local cultures could offend some audiences. Make sure to adjust your messaging to be culturally aware and sensitive to the different values and customs of each region.

Use Geolocation Tools to Personalize Content

By using geolocation tools, you can make sure that your website automatically adjusts content, pricing, and language based on where a customer is located. This eliminates the need for customers to manually select their country or currency.

Personalize Each Customer’s Journey

You can also use customer data to create personalized experiences for international clients. Personalizing recommendations or emails based on their browsing history or location will help your international customers feel more connected to your brand.

Leverage Social Media/Local Influencers

Customers tend to trust feedback from people in their own country or region. We’d recommend partnering with local influencers or displaying customer reviews from the same area, as this can help build credibility and customer loyalty.

Simplify International Shipping

International shipping can be tricky sometimes. That said, partnering with reliable global carriers and offering multiple shipping options can make a huge difference. Always be clear about delivery times and provide your International customers with tracking information.

Improve the Mobile Experience

A lot of international customers do most of their shopping on mobile devices like phones. Make sure that your website is mobile-friendly (i.e. loads quickly and is easy to navigate). This will improve your international customers’ shopping experience.

Conclusion

It’s important that businesses are able to adapt to the needs of their international customers. Follow these strategies, and you should be well on your way to enhancing the experience of your international customers.