Skip to content
AYARUX

How to message customers who speak another language

When a customer writes from abroad, not speaking their language shouldn't cost you the sale. Translation tools can do the job; the difference is in how you write the original sentence and how you write the numbers.

Last updated:

Mistakes cost more with customers

A small translation slip in a message to a friend is something to laugh about. A message to a customer carries prices, quantities, delivery dates and payment terms; a misread number means a lost order or a dispute later.

So customer messages follow two rules: write the original so it translates well, and state the important details in a way that doesn't depend on the translation.

Get your own sentence right first

A translation can't be better than the sentence you give it. When writing to a customer:

  • Keep it polite and formal. German, French, Spanish and many other languages have a separate formal address, and the translation takes its tone from your wording.
  • Write short, complete sentences with a subject. "We'll ship your order tomorrow", not "Shipping tmrw".
  • One topic per message: price, delivery date and payment in separate messages.
  • Skip trade slang and casual shortcuts — "we'll sort it", "no worries", "ASAP" can come out oddly.

The number trap: points and commas

In English 1,500 is one thousand five hundred and 1.500 is one and a half. In Turkish, German, Spanish and much of Europe it's the other way round: 1.500 is fifteen hundred. Translation tools usually leave numbers exactly as typed, so they won't fix this for you.

The safe way is to write prices so they can't be misread:

  • Leave out the thousands separator: "1500 USD". If there are cents, round them or write them out.
  • Put the currency next to every price: USD, EUR, GBP.
  • Write the month's name in dates: "3 February" — "03/02" reads as 2 March in many countries.
  • Always give the unit with quantities: "500 pieces", "20 kg", "2 metres".

Ready sentences for common messages

These sentences are built to translate cleanly; fill them in for your own business:

  • Greeting: "Hello, thank you for your message. How can we help you?"
  • Price: "The total price for 500 pieces is 1200 USD. Shipping is not included."
  • Delivery: "Your order will be ready on 14 November. We will send you the tracking number when it ships."
  • Payment: "You can pay by bank transfer. We are sending our account details in a separate message."
  • Delay: "Your order will be 2 days late. We apologise. The new delivery date is 16 November."
  • Closing: "If you have any other questions, please write to us. Have a nice day."

A two-second check before sending

Before you send anything with a price, a date or an address, translate the result back into your own language. If the meaning holds, the message is very likely fine; if it drifts, write the sentence more simply and translate again.

It also pays to sum up the deal in one message at the end and ask for written confirmation: "To confirm: 500 pieces, 1200 USD, delivery on 14 November. Is that correct?"

Understanding what they wrote

To read the customer's message you can copy it into a translation app. WhatsApp also offers its own translate option for received messages in some languages when you long-press them; supported languages vary by version.

If something is still unclear, don't guess — ask: "Could you write that a little more clearly, please?" translates well in every language and doesn't put the customer off.

More to read

All posts