Royal Bank of Canada is enhancing its efforts to reach out to newcomers to Canada in their own language.

To help newcomers overcome the language barrier, RBC is offering a multi-language telephone service through its branch network that lets clients to go into their local branch and, with their personal banker, discuss their financial affairs via a three-way confidential conference call in their preferred language.

“We understand how critical communication is in our line of business and, as a client, the last thing you want when dealing with your finances is for details to get lost in translation,” says Paul Sy, director, multicultural markets, RBC “Language is a common obstacle for newcomers and we are breaking down this barrier by making it easier for clients to do business with us.”

RBC launched its multi-language telephone service through its Contact Centre in 2008. Now, more than 200 RBC Royal Bank branches, including the top 175 branches in multicultural communities across Canada and new and existing RBC retail stores, will have the capability to assist clients with their financial needs in up to 180 languages. Additional branches will offer this capability in the future.

Recent RBC research found that most (84%) newcomers who have been in Canada for less than three years speak a language other than English or French most often at home. More than four-in-10 (43%) newcomers who have been in Canada for less than three years say speaking their language is one of the top three reasons for choosing their financial advisor.

According to Statistics Canada, Canada’s allophone population, a person whose mother tongue is not English or French, neared 6.3 million in 2006, up 18% since 2001. As a group, allophones made up 20% of Canada’s population in 2006, up from 18% in 2001 and 17% in 1996.

“We want to ensure a connection with our clients. We recognize that communicating to clients and, in particular, newcomers in their preferred language reduces anxiety and helps us be more sensitive to cultural differences,” adds Sy.

To date, RBC has communicated with clients in 136 languages, with the most common language requested being Spanish, followed by Mandarin, Punjabi, Cantonese and Vietnamese.