Best Buy: Investing in Language Learning

After observing customer interactions in a Best Buy in Dallas, the regional HR manager considers training sales representatives in a second language. Considering that the store's regional customer base ranges between 13% and 30% Latino, she believes it may be a prudent option and immediately thinks of Rosetta Stone software as a cost-effective approach. Yet she still must translate her instincts into a quantifiable, tangible return on investment, particularly under demanding economic conditions. Excerpt UVA-F-1669 Rev. Dec. 6, 2013 BEST BUY: INVESTING IN LANGUAGE LEARNING Marjorie Santus, HR manager for 40 Best Buy stores in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, had returned to her office after a store visit, having observed two very distinct interactions between sales representatives and customers. In the computer electronics section, a man speaking in halting, heavily accented English had asked Trevor, a sales associate, about one of the new tablet computers. Trevor, who only spoke English, had struggled to understand, and although he began looking for a Spanish-speaking coworker, the customer left the store in embarrassment before Trevor could return. Shortly after, in the flat-screen TV section, another associate, John, had asked a woman if she needed help. Hesitant at first, the woman attempted to ask a question in labored English. John, who had just returned from an immersive language study program in Costa Rica, detected her accent and quickly asked her if she would prefer to speak in Spanish. The customer relaxed noticeably and smiled as she proceeded to converse with John. The conversation was far from fluent, but John was able to answer her questions, and the woman ended up purchasing a 42-inch flat-screen LED television. . . .