How to Deal withthe Foreign Accent

Call it simple kindness or call it common sense, but learning to deal with foreign accents can definitely be good for business.

More than one million immigrants enter the United States each year, most with one thing in common, difficulty expressing themselves clearly in English. Foreigners, however, represent a sizable market for any corporation marketing products or services in the United States.

To help serve this growing group of customers effectively, following is the Telephone Doctor’s five-point program on dealing with the foreign accent over the telephone.

1 Don’t pretend to understand.

If you don’t understand the person you’re speaking with, it’s perfectly OK to gently tell them you’re having a little ...

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