When you operate globally, every success creates new challenges. That’s something I’ve seen first-hand in my role leading customer experience and marketing in the fire industry. We’re a medium-sized SME, but also a global leader in our niche, with products distributed in more than 140 countries.
That’s an incredible achievement — but it comes with a huge challenge. How do you deliver great customer experience and marketing across so many markets, languages, cultures, and levels of maturity? It’s not just about selling products. It’s about training, onboarding, and supporting customers in a way that actually works for them. And that’s where AI is starting to change the game.
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The Scale of the Challenge
Global reach is exciting, but it’s also demanding. When your customers span over 140 countries, you quickly realise that one size doesn’t fit all. Every market has its own nuances, needs, and expectations.
Language is the most obvious challenge. Training courses, product support, and promotional copy are often created in English — but not everyone is comfortable learning technical subjects in a second language. Cultural expectations vary too: what feels clear and professional in one region might feel cold or confusing in another. And market maturity differs — a product that’s familiar in one country may need far more explanation in another.
For SMEs, this challenge is magnified. Larger corporations may have regional teams, local marketing specialists, or in-country trainers. Smaller firms simply don’t. That doesn’t mean the customer expectations are any lower — it just means the gap between what’s needed and what’s possible can feel enormous.
How AI is Changing the Equation
This is where AI is starting to make a real difference. In 2024 alone, our training courses and webinars reached participants from 99 different countries. Previously, this training was only available live and in English. That was a barrier — many participants joined, but not all could take in the full value.
Now, with the support of AI, the landscape is changing. Our new Learning Management System (LMS) allows us to make courses available on demand, in multiple languages. Paired with plans for AI-driven knowledge bases, this means customers can access support material and training in the language they’re most comfortable with.
For our latest IoT products like XTR2, where the concepts are more complex and the onboarding curve is steeper, this is a real win. AI-powered translations, content generation, and even image creation help us explain concepts more clearly, reduce support queries, and give customers more confidence in adopting the product. And that’s not just a technical win — it’s a CX win that drives buy-in and loyalty.
Risks and Realities
Of course, AI isn’t perfect. Oversight is still essential — both from a technical perspective (accuracy of content) and from a cultural one (tone, nuance, appropriateness).
Here, I’ve found collaboration makes all the difference. By involving sales colleagues who speak multiple languages in reviewing LMS content, we improve quality and create greater buy-in across the organisation. Taking it further, in some regions I’ve worked with trusted partners to run early trials. Their feedback not only improves the content, but strengthens relationships — because they can see we’re working together to get it right.
Most customers understand you have to start somewhere. They recognise that AI translation is improving all the time, but still benefits from human review. The important part is being open, iterative, and collaborative. That approach in itself is modern — and in my experience, it builds trust.
Leadership Lessons
For SMEs, AI is a real leveller. It enables you to look and operate like a much larger company, with far greater resources in people and budget. You can compete — and in some areas, even outpace — larger firms that take longer to adapt.
But the balance is critical. Customers abroad might have accepted that language support was a challenge in the past. Very soon, with AI, they won’t. If you don’t embrace it, they may see you as complacent — or worse, as not caring enough about their needs.
Oversight remains vital. Some languages are already very strong with AI translation (in my experience, core European languages are excellent), while others are catching up. But that shouldn’t stop progress. Where there’s nothing in a local language today, even 90% accuracy is far better than 0%. And often, the debate about translation style is subjective anyway. Accuracy and clarity matter most.
For me, the lesson is simple: start, improve, and keep going. AI doesn’t remove the complexity of global CX, but it changes what’s possible. It gives SMEs the chance to scale in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago.
Leadership Lessons
AI is a leveller for SMEs. It allows you to compete globally with tools that once only corporates could afford. It makes multilingual support, training, and marketing not just possible, but scalable.
Yes, oversight and human input are still needed. But the opportunity is too great to ignore. With AI, you can deliver experiences that feel local, personal, and supportive — at scale, across dozens of countries.
For me, the choice is clear: SMEs that embrace AI for global CX will create a competitive advantage. Those that don’t risk being left behind. And in an international market where customers increasingly expect clarity in their own language, standing still is not an option.
