At Balboa Digital, the role of a bilingual agent is not just about bridging language gaps; it’s about creating meaningful connections and providing exceptional service to clients. Kaye, a Spanish bilingual representative, shares her experiences and insights on the benefits of working at Balboa Digital.
A Day in the Life of a Bilingual Agent
Kaye has been with Balboa Digital for a year as a Spanish bilingual representative for a debt settlement program. Her daily responsibilities include handling a wide range of client inquiries, from payment schedules and account updates to obtaining authorizations and reviewing statements. She explains, “So every typical day, normally, I mean, for the calls that we handle, again, it varies, because it’s a wide range for our team. It’s a customer service team.”
One of the unique aspects of her role is the seamless transition between English and Spanish during calls. Kaye describes the process: “We generally greet our clients in English. And then, because we will not know if it’s an English call or a Spanish call. We don’t have a notification about it. So if I hear that the client is speaking in Spanish or I hear cues that the client is more comfortable in speaking Spanish, then I transition to Spanish.”
Building Personal Connections
Communicating in the client’s preferred language helps build a stronger, more personal connection. Kaye believes this is a significant advantage: “I believe it helps me connect more with the clients because they feel more comfortable if the person they’re talking to is knowledgeable about their native language. So they have no need to think about how to translate it into English.”
This approach is supported by research showing that bilingual customer service representatives can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. In the United States, the percentage of bilinguals has doubled since 1980, highlighting the growing need for bilingual support.
Overcoming Challenges
Working as a bilingual agent comes with its challenges, especially when clients face difficulties adhering to their draft schedules. Kaye highlights the importance of empathy and clear communication in these situations: “One challenge would be when clients are calling in because they’re not able to follow the draft schedule. Because it’s important for a debt settlement program that the draft schedule is followed. And if it’s not, there are some risks involved.”
Continuous Learning and Support
Balboa Digital ensures that its agents are well-equipped with the necessary tools and training. Kaye appreciates the continuous updates and support provided by the team: “I receive training on various policies and was provided with all the tools needed like those documents or whatever files we need. So it’s always handy for us. So every time there are new updates, we’re always updated about that.”
This ongoing support has significantly improved Kaye’s communication skills in both English and Spanish. She notes, “I’ve seen significant improvement with my communication skills, both in English and Spanish, because for our clients, these are not short calls, especially if they want an update about their account and all that.”
Team Collaboration and Visual Learning
Kaye emphasizes the ease of reaching out to the team for support: “If we need verifications or need to reach out to the team, then you are just a chat away. And then if sometimes some questions need to be explained in detail, the team can just ask for a meeting so that it will be explained clearly.”
As a visual learner, Kaye finds the visual explanations particularly helpful: “Me being a visual person, I like seeing things explained to me visually. That really helps that anytime we need that assistance, they can just set up a meeting for us to jump on it.”
Confidence and Professional Growth
With the support of her team, Kaye has gained confidence in handling complex questions and difficult clients: “I’m proud to share that with the support of the team, I can now confidently answer questions, even complex questions about the debt settlement program that we have without being flustered if some clients are difficult.”
Making a Meaningful Impact
Kaye finds her role at Balboa Digital to be highly rewarding: “I would emphasize that this is an excellent job to make a meaningful impact by utilizing your skills and your ability to communicate with a more diverse set of clients.”
Achieving Work-Life Balance
One of the standout benefits of working at Balboa Digital is the flexibility of remote work. As a new mom, Kaye finds this particularly beneficial: “I have achieved a work-life balance with it, which I have been dying to achieve years back. I’m able to be more hands-on with my son, with my family, and at the same time, still making sure that I’m doing my job and responsibilities as a Spanish bilingual agent.”
Client Appreciation and Job Satisfaction
Kaye cherishes the moments when clients express their gratitude for completing the debt settlement program: “One of the best aspects of the job for me is when clients call in and appreciate that they have completed the program. They’re very thankful that we’re able to help them save money and get out of the financial situation they were in.”
Opportunities for Growth and Recognition
Promotions and recognition are frequent at Balboa Digital, as Kaye observes: “I noticed that promotions are quite frequent. Employees who excel in their roles are recognized through team meetings and company communication tools like emails. This boosts employees’ confidence and motivates others to keep working hard.”
A Welcoming and Supportive Environment
Kaye highlights the welcoming nature of Balboa Digital: “From the start of the recruitment process, I felt that the employees are very welcoming. If you have any questions or need help, they’re glad to adjust. Even if we’re in different parts of the Philippines, we all feel very connected.”
Encouragement for Aspiring Agents
Kaye encourages aspiring Spanish bilingual agents to join Balboa Digital: “I want to encourage aspiring Spanish bilingual agents to give it a try here at Balboa because we are a very employee-centered company and we are very happy to extend our help to them in being more productive as a Spanish bilingual agent.”
Working as a bilingual agent at Balboa Digital offers numerous benefits, from building personal connections with clients to enjoying a flexible work-life balance. The supportive environment, continuous learning opportunities, and recognition for hard work make it an ideal place for those passionate about helping others and bridging language barriers. If you’re an aspiring bilingual agent, Balboa Digital provides the perfect platform to grow professionally while making a meaningful impact. And if you are a company in need of bilingual contact center services, please reach out via the form below and we would be happy to discuss the opportunity.
