Crafting the Customer Experience For People Not Like You: How to Delight and Engage the Customers Your Competitors Don't Understand

IMMIGRANTS AND RECENT ARRIVALS

Why do people move from one country to another? The top two reasons are (1) economic opportunity, the pursuit of a better life, and (2) family reunification. People all around the globe leave their home countries behind to follow their dreams and build better lives for themselves and their loved ones.

Whether they stay for a few months, for a few years, or for the rest of their lives, immigrants are an important part of every country’s economy. New arrivals to a country buy goods and services. And if you treat immigrants as welcome customers to your business, most of the time you will be rewarded with loyal customers who will bring you even more business through referrals. Imagine yourself moving to a foreign country and really not knowing your way around, where to shop, where to do business—not even being aware of basic things like where to get your hair cut or do your grocery shopping. What would you do? How would you begin to figure it all out?

One of the first things you might do is find out where the communities of your fellow compatriots live. In almost every city and country, there are communities of immigrants who live in close proximity to one another. When you think about it, it’s quite logical: as you adapt to a new home, you’d initially want to live around others like yourself—people who speak your language and understand your native culture. These people would be able to show you the ropes and help you adjust to your new life in this ...