Need work advice regarding customers who only speak Spanish

[snugglegirl05]

I work as a fuel center clerk for a *major grocery store chain*, and there are times when the fuel center clerks need to solve customer issues regarding the fuel pumps. This *major grocery store chain* has a program where you earn fuel points when you grocery shop. You use your fuel points when paying at the pump so you gas is cheaper. You use your rewards card to do that. The cashier scans your rewards card before you pay for groceries, and the fuel points are added to your rewards card.

The customer pays at the fuel pump and then has one of the following issues

The fuel pump stopped pumping gas for some reason. What the exact reason is we do not know since the fuel center clerk was not at the fuel pump when that happened.

The customer did not know how to use the fuel points, and just paid for the gas without using the fuel points

The customer used some of their fuel points, but they really wanted to use more of their fuel points

The problem is this...

Once you pay for gas, and pump the gas, there is not anything we can do to solve this issue.

The register and the computer inside the kiosk are not programmed/designed to 1) add lost fuel points back to your rewards card or 2) put lost fuel points back on your rewards card

There is a full-time fuel center lead and a full-time assistant fuel center lead.

The assistant fuel center lead is bilingual.

Whenever there is an issue at the pump, and the customer 1) comes to the fuel center kiosk window to let us know what the issue is and 2) only speaks Spanish, he wants us to ask the customer what the issue is and what the customer wants done. He wants us to solve the issue or to attempt to solve the issue. The problem is that I am not bilingual.

What is the best way to get across to him that I do not speak their language and so it is difficult for me to do that?

What should I tell the customer when there is a language barrier?

What should I tell him regarding the language barrier?

The best thing I can think of is to call the main store to see if there is anyone to translate.

[RealUnimportant]

Firstly, are you mentioning that the customer's asking in Spanish and that you don't know Spanish? That should be the simplest method of accomplishing what's needed. "I can't ask the customer anything, we do not share a common language." Unless bilingualism is in your contract, there's no reason they should assume you know spanish, or flemish, or norwegian, or anything else.

If the assistant lead doesn't understand what that means, ask them how to say everything they're asking you to ask, and repeat back as closely as you can what the customer says after asking "what does this mean?"

[Pixelated]

I have to admit I would simply tell the assistant fuel center lead very pointedly that I don't speak Spanish, and the customer apparently only speaks Spanish, and thus I can't do a thing. As RealUnimportant says, unless your contract specifically requires you to be bilingual, it shouldn't be a huge issue.
This would be similar to somebody in my store whose only language is French. Canada is officially a bilingual country but in my salad days, we were "taught" French by learning to conjugate verbs ... and that's it. By the end of any given year we could conjugate verbs like nobody's business, but hold a conversation? Not likely. I would immediately ask if there is anybody on the clock at the moment who does speak French and if so could they please come to register #Whatever for customer service.

[EricKei]

Apologies for the very simplified Spanish, as it's literally been 2 decades since I last had a class and I am rusty.

To the customer: "Lo siento, no hablo español." ("I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish") -- Phonetically (roughly): "Lo see-en-toh, no ah-blah ess-pah-nyol" (all o's as in "no").

Follow with "Un momento, por favor" (One moment, please) -- favor is fah-vor, others are phonetic. Then contact the ASM.

You could also just write them down on a card and keep handy to *show* the customers. In the meantime, ask the bosses for an official way to deal with this. There may be a CS line that supports Spanish speakers or something.

The ASM could probably also give you better phrases to use/help with the pronunciation.

[taxguykarl]

I agree that Eric has the best solution apart from Spanish lessons. It's not that difficult a language as it has no silent letters unlike French. Consider the age that Dora the Explorer is aimed at.

[Dreamstalker]

At one point, my company was considering "new" nametags (or flags/ribbons that could be added to nametags) that listed additional languages that each associate spoke or understood. I thought that was a great idea and it would cut down on the awkwardness a bit.

For some reason, most of our SCs assume I speak Russian or either dialect of Chinese. Russian I might get (last name is Eastern European, but not the country they think), but Chinese...?!

[Seanette]

At one point, my company was considering "new" nametags (or flags/ribbons that could be added to nametags) that listed additional languages that each associate spoke or understood. I thought that was a great idea and it would cut down on the awkwardness a bit.

I think that's a great idea, really.

[Dreamstalker]

Sadly it never went anywhere. While I can see potential downsides (Associate A being constantly paged to deal with any and all SCs who speak a given language), it would go a long way toward the inclusive image that the company has been trying to portray (especially in the present climate). Maybe it didn't get off the ground because some associates misread it as they were expected to learn another language...or the company thought they would be expected to foot the licenses for Duolingo/Babbel/etc. (that would be a cool perk, and might have the added bonus of bringing in more business if customers knew they could actually communicate with employees regardless of language)

[RealUnimportant]

Especially in tourist areas, nametags with languages on are often very popular with staff and customers alike; it's amazing how much less sucky some people can become when they don't have the added frustration of trying to handle on-the-fly translation. I did try to get a course on BSL on the company dime when I was working, 'cause it would have been invaluable in my location, but it sadly came to nothing.

[Monterey Jack]

There should be a free language translator ap for all phones, so those trying to communicate with those speaking another language could just speak into it and have the translation spoken out loud (and vice-versa). Would save so much grief.

[Ironclad Alibi]

There should be a free language translator ap for all phones, so those trying to communicate with those speaking another language could just speak into it and have the translation spoken out loud (and vice-versa). Would save so much grief.

Something like the free Google Translate that I have on my phone?

[RealUnimportant]

yeah, they do exist, but they usually rely heavily on the person speaking at a non-Karen volume and speed.

[Dreamstalker]

It also assumes that employees are allowed to be seen using their phones on the floor...

[Monterey Jack]

It also assumes that employees are allowed to be seen using their phones on the floor...

Stores should have one available for employees if the language problem is too severe. It'd save SO much grief and frustration.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Stores should have one available for employees if the language problem is too severe. It'd save SO much grief and frustration.

Really? You expect management to do something logical that would save grief and frustration for the employees? Which universe do you live in?