Build bridges with a multilingual speakers bureau.

Sleeping giants no longer slumber. Asians and Hispanics are awakening to the realization that in the United States their growing numbers have resulted in a formidable demographic force.

Communication professionals in such disciplines as advertising, marketing and public relations are beginning to recognize the value in addressing the needs of society's increasingly diverse cultural fabric.

Asians and Hispanics combined comprise nearly 11 percent of the US population. Hispanics number about 20 million, while Asians (including Cambodian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese) are estimated at about six million.

Demographers predict that in 30 years the number of Hispanics (including Cubans, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans) will double. By die year 2050, the number of Hispanics, the fastest growing ethnic group in the US, is expected to triple. The Asian population is expected to increase by 165 percent before the year 2000. Clearly, these two groups are significant economic and political constituencies.

The business community in general and business communicators in particular must reach out to this cultural patchwork to build bridges of understanding and establish productive links to achieve mutually beneficial goals and objectives.

A number of effective tools and techniques can be found in a professional communicator's quiver for reaching specific target audiences, regardless of ethnicity. The keys to effective intercultural communication are awareness, sensitivity and sound research.

Southern California Edison recently developed a multilingual speakers bureau to augment the utility's existing multi-ethnic communication programs. Edison's 50,000-square-mile service area in central and southern California has a long and rich tradition of ethnic diversity.

For example, the electric utility serves 3 million Hispanic customers, 26 percent of whom do not speak English, and 78 percent of whom speak their native language at home. Edison also serves 600,000 Asian customers, 16 percent of whom do not speak English, and 70 percent of whom speak their native language at home.

Employees Key Components in Forming Speakinrs Bureau

In recognition of this challenging communication opportunity, Edison conducted an extensive search among its nearly 17,000 employees to identify those persons who were fluent in English and one of five languages; Cambodian, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Edison's multilingual speakers bureau is available to community groups, neighborhood associations, schools, churches and various civic groups, free of charge. The bureau consists of 11 company employees who are fluent both in English and one other language.

"I've always helped Spanish-speaking customers with their questions about Edison over the telephone," said Esther Abijana, a 12-year company employee. "Now I have the opportunity to meet people in person and respond to their various questions and concerns. You'd be surprised how receptive they are when you communicate with them in their own language."

Those sentiments are shared by Annie Tong Lee, who said, "I answer the Chinese customer service line. Many of our Chinese customers are very eager to hear about programs we offer, but the language difference is such a barrier for them they are hesitant to call someone they can't understand or who can't understand them. Now, I'll be able to go out to one community center and assist more people in one hour than I can help in an entire week on the telephone."

The most frequent topics requested thus far from groups include energy conservation, earthquake preparedness, electric safety and consumer services.

"As the word spreads about our new service, I'm sure we'll be receiving requests for more diversified subjects," said Roxanne Patmor, speakers bureau supervisor. "But for right now, I'm very pleased to have succeeded in developing this multilingual service for customers who live in or near a geographic area where more than 100 languages are spoken."

From conception to implementation, Edison's speakers bureau was developed in three months. Now nearly six months old, several significant lessons learned are worth sharing.

Communicating to an Unknown Entity Offered Challenge

For example, one of the key strategies in promoting a multilingual speakers bureau is the challenge of marketing to an unknown entity. In some respects, marketing a new multilingual service in a heavily mixed ethnic community is like shooting an allow in a dark cave; you know you're going to hit something, you just don't know if you'll be anywhere near the target.

While the new immigrants are members of their own respective community groups and civic organizations, locating these groups is not like contacting the local Kiwanis Club. A company must have strong and established community ties. Initial overtures offering a multilingual presentation may be met with a degree of suspicion, e.g., "Why do you want to speak to our group"?

New ways must be explored to locate and target these publics with rifle-like messages to communicate desired information.

Audience analysis, basic to any speech, is not enough for a truly effective multilingual program. Cultural awareness and analysis are imperative as well. Census takers and some demographers tend to lump all Asians or Hispanics into the same category. Cambodians are not Vietnamese. Mexican-Americans and Cubans do not speak the same language. Koreans and Chinese do not perceive interpersonal communication in the same way. Different nationalities may mix well together, but they don't necessarily blend in convenient or easily recognizable ways. Is a Speakers Bureau a Good Idea for Your Company.1 How best to proceed with a multilingual speakers bureau? First, determine your company's demographic makeup, employees, customers, potential employees, potential customers and special publics.

Second, recruit qualified, enthusiastic and dependable employees who are proficient in the respective languages previously identified.

Third, hire a professional speech consultant who has experience in intercultural communications.

Fourth, develop a marketing plan. Locate the appropriate foreign language media in your area and find out what they would prefer in terms of promotional material. Biographical profiles? News releases translated into Spanish? Public service announcements? Feature articles?

Fifth, consider other communication tools and techniques. Flyers? Fact sheets? Direct mail? Local advertising? Sponsoring a local event in coordination with a foreign language media outlet or other organization? The possibilities are limitless, depending on your specific corporate culture, business climate, budget and communication objectives.

Above all, credibility is foremost. You must have relevant messages to communicate and be able to convey your story in a way that is interesting to your audiences and sensitive to their cultural perspective.

In the six months our service has been operating, response has been encouraging. Our speakers report that occasionally persons in the audience will come up after a presentation and throw their arms around them in an expression of gratitude. Media coverage, particularly in ethnic publications, has been surprisingly frequent and also very positive.

And yet despite good intentions and a sensitive nature, some misunderstandings still can occur, especially when you don't speak the same language as your audience.

I remember giving a lecture in my business communication course at a local state university. The evening class was composed of nearly 40 students, the majority of whom were Asian.

One of the homework assignments called for the students to prepare a fonnal written report for management about a "pet" project of their choice. Because most of my students worked full time during the day, this writing assignment was intended to be as practical and "real world" as possible.

When I received the papers several weeks later, more than half discussed the trials and travails of household pet ownership. We all had a good laugh. It was an excellent example of the potential pitfalls involving intercultural communication.