Breaking Down Barriers
Columbia Gas of Ohio employees found a better way to communicate with Haitian customers
Effective communication is essential—especially when providing critical services like natural gas maintenance. However, for Columbia Gas of Ohio technicians, a language barrier made it difficult to serve a growing Haitian community.
With approximately 10,000 Haitian immigrants moving to Springfield in the past six years, technicians Justine Larocque and Ben DeHart struggled to communicate with new customers. Rather than putting the onus on the customers to adapt, they acknowledged the depth of the challenge and took proactive steps to bridge the gap.
Larocque and DeHart connected with Columbia Gas of Ohio’s communications team for support. Former communications manager and now communications director, Erica Chronaberry helped foster a plan founded on mutual respect. Together, the trio created a list of commonly used operational phrases such as, “I’m here to turn on your gas,” “Where is your furnace?” and “Who owns this property?” Within a month, a simple yet powerful solution was in place: a translated list of common technician phrases in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and French.
“We rely on our frontline employees to help us identify opportunities to improve their day-to-day work life, as well as how we can better engage with our customers and communities,” Ashley Weaver, vice president of gas operations for Columbia Gas of Ohio, told American Gas. “Our focus is always to provide safe, reliable service to our customers. Once we realized how much the language barrier was impacting our field employees, we knew we needed a plan. The collaborative efforts of all involved parties really helped us put our plan into action and, in turn, achieve positive results.”
When a technician can’t understand a customer’s concerns or clearly explain the repair process, it can lead to frustration and negative experiences. Addressing the language barrier reduces miscommunication, improves customer satisfaction, and strengthens trust within the community.
“Thanks to our field team members for bringing this to our attention, we were able to work together to offer some simple tools to help break down the language barrier, educate customers and improve their safety,” Bob Heidorn, Columbia Gas of Ohio president and chief operating officer, told American Gas. “This was a team effort that is helping us move the needle in the right direction when it comes to meeting our customers’ needs.”
5 Ways to Improve Cross-Language Communication:
1. Plan ahead
2. Learn a few essential phrases
3. Have a translation app handy
4. Use simple terms and phrases
5. Enunciate slowly and carefully