Connecticut banks adding bilingual workers to help communicate with clients

As Connecticut's demographics shift, banks in the area are finding ways to break down language barriers with clients.

News 12 Staff

Feb 12, 2020, 10:31 PM

Updated 1,754 days ago

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As Connecticut's demographics shift, banks in the area are finding ways to break down language barriers with clients.
The manager of the Bank of America Financial Center on Wall Street in Norwalk says they have Spanish speakers on staff so they can better communicate with non-English speakers.
"A majority, around 80% of our clients here, are Hispanic," said Catherine Reyes. "And they want to be able to come in and be able to communicate with someone that can help them with any need that they have."
Spanish is Reyes' primary language and she says she uses it a lot at work.
Todd Turcotte is a real estate agent at Milligan Realty just down the street. He says when families are planning for their future, or when they're buying a home, it's essential to work with people who speak their language.
"Having someone who can understand you is crucial,' said Turcotte.
"It's really important to understand what you're getting yourself into to begin with," said Reyes. "Just having someone you can go to and really explain that."
Reyes agrees when it comes to major financial commitments, communication is key.