How Eurostar boosted CX 50% by bridging language gaps
By Viviana Bertinetto, Chief Customer Officer at Language I/O
In the interconnected world of rail travel, language barriers can derail even the smoothest journeys. But what if technology could bridge the gap? This case study dives into how Eurostar slashed response times and bolstered customer satisfaction by integrating a cutting-edge language translation platform with its CRM system.
Breaking down language barriers can fuel lightning-fast response times and customer loyalty that transcends borders — multilingual customer care is the ultimate express ticket to success.
The company
As it zips across Western Europe, Eurostar boasts the most extensive high-speed rail network, connecting passengers to 28 destinations in Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the UK. In 2022 alone, Eurostar welcomed over 14.8 million passengers, proving its popularity as a seamless and swift way to traverse the continent.
The problem
Eurostar faced difficulties providing timely customer service in French and Dutch due to having too few employees fluent in those languages, and scheduling sufficient, comprehensive coverage for all languages across different time zones and work shifts became a real challenge. Because agents struggled to efficiently address the high volume of inquiries from French and Dutch speakers, some customers experienced frustratingly long wait times for answers.
Negative customer experiences harm brand reputations, but the consequences of bad CX don’t stop there. According to a recent PwC study, 32% of customers will abandon a brand — even a brand they love! — after just one poor experience. Furthermore, according to recent research, the number of customers who tried communicating with a bot in a different language doubled over the last year. Without comprehensive multilingual support, Eurostar risked losing once-loyal customers.
Eurostar’s limited French and Dutch support also strained the few agents capable of handling those interactions. They were overwhelmed by the extra assignments required to handle the shortage; their work happiness and satisfaction took a hit. Between the low morale and the lack of polyglots, management struggled to appropriately allocate tasks among the team.
Eurostar prioritized providing prompt, clear responses to customer inquiries. The company prides itself on embodying multicultural values and delivering excellent service across all its European markets. Failing to quickly resolve issues for its French- and Dutch-speaking customers threatened to tarnish the brand’s reputation.
Eurostar needed to expand its linguistic capabilities to provide consistent, timely support. Implementing cutting-edge translation technology to handle the inquiries in French and Dutch would relieve the pressure on existing staff. This tech would also enable Eurostar to deliver the quality of service its brand was built on, upholding the company's commitment to celebrating multiculturalism through superior customer experiences. Enter Language I/O.
The solution
Eurostar’s journey beyond borders extended to its customer conversations when it partnered with Language I/O. Eurostar incorporated Language I/O’s translation capabilities into its communication ecosystem, prioritizing email translations. Recognizing the importance of accuracy and nuance, Eurostar deployed a team of trained language experts to fine-tune the translations during the first two months. This meticulous approach ensured that every message precisely conveyed the brand's voice and intent.
To achieve this impressive shift, Eurostar went beyond a simple integration, investing in optimizing the experience for both agents and customers by:
- Refining training documents and tips for end users. Making sure agents felt confident navigating the translation platform empowered them to handle multilingual inquiries more effectively.
- Fine-tuning the glossary. Tailoring the bespoke glossary to reflect Eurostar’s specific terminology and industry nuances ensured accurate and consistent translations.
- Decreasing the volume of incoming calls. By resolving email inquiries promptly, Eurostar streamlined its overall workflow and freed up resources for other channels.
Initially drawn to Language I/O’s solution because of the dual appeal of a pilot program to test the waters and flawless integration with the existing Salesforce CRM, Eurostar originally embarked on a three-month trial that first focused on email and live chat interactions. Once implemented, the platform swiftly bridged the language gap, enabling Eurostar to connect with a broader audience.
But Eurostar’s appetite for multilingual engagement didn’t stop at chat and email. The company is currently trialing Language I/O’s innovative Chrome extension, testing its potential to translate social media interactions on select platforms. This forward-thinking initiative demonstrates Eurostar’s commitment to creating a genuinely inclusive customer experience — in any language.
The results
Eurostar took customer service to the next level with Language I/O, slashing response times for French and Dutch email cases by a staggering 50%. This feat wasn’t just about speed but about bringing the service in line with the brand's image of quality and efficiency.
By implementing Language I/O, Eurostar has rewritten the script of customer service, proving that seamless communication can bridge cultural divides and fuel business growth. As it continues to explore the platform’s potential across social media and beyond, one thing is clear: Eurostar is setting the pace for a future where every traveler feels welcome, understood and well-prepared to embark on extraordinary rail adventures.
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About the Author
Prior to working for Language I/O, Viviana spent ten years working in the language industry for various language service providers managing projects and vendors. Throughout her experiences, Viviana has worked closely with her customers to automate their processes and fully support their localization efforts.
Viviana is passionate about working for a woman-owned company and places high importance on women being successful in the tech industry.
She was born and raised in Italy and has a Master’s in Foreign Languages and Translation from the University of Turin.
Viviana also speaks Spanish and Italian.
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