Financial challenges such as an economic downturn can make or break businesses as it brings out the best—or worst—of their management team and people. However, with informed preparation and strategy, Canada-based companies can turn trying seasons, such as recessions, into opportunities to strengthen their brand.

With most consumers expecting a mild to moderate recession in the coming year, taking steps to ensure customer retention becomes a priority for business owners. Maintaining excellent client communications is vital in preventing churn and sustaining sales amid the public’s impulse to reduce expenses.

Bilingualism in Canada stands at 18%, based on the latest records from Statistics Canada. French is still the second most commonly used language in the country (21%) after English (75%), although a growing number (12.7%) claim their mother tongue is neither of the two.

However, the stronger push for French language fluency—led by the Quebec government’s Bill 96 in 2022—is driving businesses nationwide to plan for its impact, from branding to recruitment and operations. The law will affect trademarks, packaging, contracts, other legal documents, and customer service.

You can gear up for the impending recession and expected demand for French language use in the workplace by partnering with a service provider with an established track record in its field.
Investing in a third party for virtual reception may sound counterintuitive when reducing expenses is more logical during economic instability. However, outsourcing this aspect of your daily business operations may help conserve your company’s resources and effort in the long run. Here are a few reasons why:

Virtual reception service providers search for the best talents and train them using their technology and equipment. In particular, companies offering French-speaking agents have the expertise to evaluate an applicant’s interpersonal skills besides their language proficiency.

Your provider will then assign a trained agent or group of agents to you, but you don’t pay them like you’d do your regular employees (with their health benefits and taxes). Thus, outsourcing this service can help reduce your labor and overhead costs.