"No Hable Espanol" on my business cards.

6/21/06 | alienken

[alienken]

I own and run my pest control company and I am sick and tired of non-english speaking Mexicans calling my business and expecting me to provide a translator. I am considering having "No Hable Espanol" printed on my new business cards. What do the Freepers think about it? Will this hurt my business?

[cripplecreek]

Only among the OBL but they're an insignificant minority.

[A CA Guy]

I think you don't want any cash paying Spanish only speaking customers which is your right.

[saganite]

Can't hurt. You won't have to deal with La Kookaracha.

[AdamSelene235]

Que?

[misterrob]

His right but someone else out there will take the business.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

You mean, aside from the fact that your phrase is grammatically incorrect and will provide a great deal of mirth to those who read it?

Do what you like.

[ncountylee]

Drop a dime on them.

[livius]

Oh, please. Don't put anything. If you're a businessman, you want business. If they can read your card, they speak English. Presumably, they want to do business with your. Don't go out of your way to offend.

When I am in Spain and I see somebody who has (in bad English, as your Spanish is bad) posted something about not speaking English because he hates Americans, I simply don't patronize him. Is that what you want?

[jwalsh07]

Hablo, not hable. But I think folks will get your drift.

[kingu]

I think it's a great idea if you plan on calling the press about it and try to soak up free media exposure. But otherwise - what makes you think that they'll read it or abide by it?

I'd say don't bother, unless you can get some big protests out of it.

[randog]

I work with a guy whose wife called all the landscaping businesses in town to find one that didn't employ non-english speaking employees. She had to make quite a few phone calls, but she finally found one and hired him and his crew to mow their lawn.

On the other hand, I've never thought it was a good idea to inject your politics into your business unless your business was politics. You risk alienating (pardon the pun) english-speaking hispanics and, of course, the perpetually-offended Americans (liberals). It all depends on how much you need their money.

[Gay State Conservative]

If Spanish speaking,bilingual or liberal people are part of your potential customer base then you'd be wise to study recent events regarding the Ditzy Chicks for possible ramifications.

[NautiNurse]

You are the business owner and best to judge whether "no hablo (plural=hablamos) español" should be on your business card.

Consider performing a cost analysis to determine uncompensated staff time for answering calls and business expenses for new business cards, yellow pages ads, etc. Ultimately, it is your good business decision.

[HitmanLV]

Will this hurt my business?

Cutting out a segment of your potential client base - I'd say it might hurt.

[Michael Goldsberry]

¡Vaya para lo!

[alienken]

This gets interesting because all I want to convey is that I don't understand spanish.I want to do it without protest but you say the protest is good?

[alienken]

I do want Spanish speaking, cash paying customers.Business is business. But if I can't understand or comunicate with them, I can't exterminate for them.

[alienken]

I agree, no politics. I once got into a debate with a liberal customer. She threw me out of her house and called me an idiot. Is the communication problem political?

[kingu]

Free advertising, even if intended to vilify, is still free advertising. They can't protest you unless they know about you.

It won't affect anything in the slightest. You'll still get people calling in Spanish expecting you to speak Spanish. They may not be able to read, they may not care, you'll still be dealing with a similar amount of calls.

You may get a reduction in business if you don't get protests as high minded Anglo liberals decline to use your services. It wasn't the Hispanics who voted against Prop 187 in California in mass, it was Anglo liberal women. (Which is why it passed.)