“I learned conversational Spanish targeted to communicate with and better service our bank. I also learned basic grammar and vocabulary to feel comfortable communicating with Spanish speakers.”
The challenge
As community demographics shifted, the bank's frontline staff and communications struggled to keep pace with the language needs of a growing Spanish-speaking client base. The result: delayed service, communication missteps, and missed opportunities to build trust with new customers.
Our approach
- Localized the bank's most-used informational and marketing materials into Spanish
- Deployed on-site interpreters for critical face-to-face customer meetings
- Delivered a 16-week instructor-led Spanish for Bank Tellers course for English-speaking staff
Outcomes
- Spanish-speaking clients access accurate information and meaningful service in their own language
- Tellers who completed the program report stronger engagement and rapport with customers
- A long-term signal of commitment to the diverse communities the bank serves
- An adaptable playbook for scaling language access as needs grow