Did you ever imagine a day when a roadside vendor will also accept online payment? With the increased usage of internet enabled devices and affordable high-speed internet, the number of internet users in India is growing at a CAGR of 18% and as KPMG report says, there will be more than 500 million new internet users in India who will prefer using Indian languages on the internet. We have already discussed how localization can bring financial inclusion. However, it is not enough to just localize the online transaction processes and the communication channels. It is also important to localize the receipts which are available through different channels.
Indian language vs English receipts:
Whenever there is a financial transaction, a receipt is generated. These receipts are really important since it helps one keep a proof of all monetary transactions and also keep a record of his/her expenses. In fact, with localized mobile wallets coming into existence, online financial transactions have been made possible in Indian languages. However, we are still overlooking a huge part of e-payments i.e. the receipts. After every financial transaction, a receipt is sent to the users either via email or SMS. Push notifications are also sent to notify the user of a successful or failed transaction. But, mostly these messages are sent in English to the users. In a country where 90% of people are not comfortable with English language, how can receipts in English be useful to them?
Building trust of the customers with localized receipts:
We have mentioned earlier how localizing cross channel communication for digital banking can help people use online banking services with ease. Not only that, language technology is not just for direct business purposes, it also helps build trust through a shared language. As stated by the KPMG report, 68% of users consider that local language internet is much more reliable than English. This is especially important when money is involved. But missing out a major part of online banking, i.e. e-receipt which is a proof of any financial transaction, can waste the entire effort to reach out to the maximum number of people. India can only be cashless when people will start trusting the entire online payment system. Keeping the Indian language internet users clueless about the receipt will only result in a loss of customers, while providing them with receipts in their own language can help any business create a strong customer base.
Benefits of localized receipts:
After an online payment, if a user does not know English, he or she will certainly feel confused and sometimes panicked too.Words like “Debited” and “Credited” are not easy to understand for non-English speaking Indians who communicate only in local languages. As a result, they avoid using online payment options and rely on cash payments even though the facilities are available. If the users do not understand where their money has gone, they will not be able to trust e-payment platforms. When users make payments through their mobile phones in a particular language, they should receive the receipt in that same language. This is why localization of online receipts is an absolute necessity. Below are some benefits of the localization of receipts.
- Receipts in Indian languages will build trust among the Indian customers and thus create a strong and steady user-base. Localization of receipts can be a smart strategy to maintain a strong customer-base.
- Receipts can be easily templatized in different Indian languages which can cut down the localization cost but at the same time make a huge difference in customer retention and conversion.
- When it comes to return or exchange of any item via online mode, a receipt plays a huge role. If the customers receive receipts in their own language, it will help them understand last date of exchange or the terms and conditions of exchange as mentioned in the receipt.
