California is home to more than 11 million Hispanics and 600,000 Hispanic-owned businesses. So if you’re doing business in California, you’re doing business with Hispanics — many of whom feel more comfortable with Spanish than English.

Many companies’ telephone and other customer-facing systems do not meet the needs of the expanding Latino community. The result: lost business and negative experiences between firms and the people they are trying to serve.

Interactive voice response or auto attendant may be the system that automatically greets your callers. This system can be very simple (providing a list of forwarding extensions) or more involved, allowing callers to review accounts, listen to product information or place orders.

In your initial greeting, give the caller the option to change to a Spanish menu. Your greeting might say, “Welcome to Widgets Inc. Para español marque dos ?” This gets the caller off and running in the language in which he or she is most comfortable.

If possible, give callers the choice of opting out of your voice system to speak with a live person. Giving callers this option within the first 10 seconds of your greeting puts a warmer face on your company — something valued by most Hispanic and other customers.

If the user has chosen Spanish in your initial greeting, make sure any extension they choose routes them to a Spanish-speaking staff member. If this staff member is not available, then a voice mail message should be in both English and Spanish — again reinforcing your firm’s cultural sophistication and commitment to Spanish-dominant customers.

Even if your Spanish-speaking staff isn’t familiar with every area of your business, they can serve as the liaison to the rest of your firm. Often, Spanish speakers will be fine with English, but just knowing they can get in touch with a Spanish speaker will put them at ease and make them feel more comfortable with your firm, engendering loyalty, referrals and repeat business.

Translating your entire Web site can be a daunting task. Start with a “recursos en español” section that links to content that is most useful to Spanish-speaking customers. Company overview, product information, customer support and contact information are good places to start. There’s usually no need to translate press releases, investor information or employment opportunities. Make sure all contact information links to a bilingual staff member within your firm.

Integrating Spanish-language customer care into your firm generates positive feelings among customers your firm is trying to serve. It is a cost-effective strategy for engendering loyalty with Hispanic-owned businesses and consumers.

— Elias Terman