Why do we make signs?　Usually they are to address actual needs that come about as a result of interaction with customers. If enough guests ask busy staff how to find the restroom or to change money at a hotel or restaurant, this is bound to result in an appropriate sign. どうして看板/表示が必要なのでしょうか。たいていの場合は、読み手にとって有益な、または読み手が必要な情報を提供しています。ホテルやレストランのスタッフが、顧客に「トイレの場所」や「換金できる場所」について頻繁に尋ねられている状況を想像してみてください。この顧客が外国人だった場合、スタッフの対応はさらに難易度を増します。このような状況では、その場所を表す多言語看板/表示がすぐに役に立ちます。顧客にとってもホテルやレストランにとっても多言語看板/表示は有益なツールとなります。

Sign 3　Change Money sign

On the other hand, a sushi shop owner may believe that he has no need for a menu in English, because no one asks about sushi in English. But the sushi shop down the street made an English menu and put it in his shop window, and what happened? Now over 20% of the customers speak English, and the shop is featured on instragram and other sns sites. Therefore, signs made for potential needs cannot hurt business. Similarly, multilingual signage such as 'please order at the counter' or 'Please check your luggage in with the front staff' may address needs that have gone unnoticed, and help your staff manage their busy schedules more appropriately. By understanding and anticipating potential needs, businesses can attract a new clientele and streamline work loads and procedures. 対照的に、外国人がほとんど訪れることのない寿司屋の場合はどうでしょう。顧客は日本語で寿司を注文するので、今のところ、多言語看板/表示の必要性は低いといえます。しかし、英語のメニューを店先に表示してみます。すると売り上げが20％もアップしました。英語のメニューを見た外国人観光客が訪れるようになり、SNSにお店の情報や寿司の写真をアップしました。そして、さらに外国人観光客が増えていったのです。このように緊急性がない場合でも、新たな顧客の開拓や、新たなニーズに対応するために多言語看板/表示は結果的に有益な結果をもたらす可能性があります。 ニーズを理解、または予測することによって、スタッフの仕事を軽減することができたり、新たな顧客を獲得することができるのです。 For further reading: Honna, N. (xxx)、 Yoneoka (xxxx)

When we talk about signs, we should consider what are the actual needs vs. what are the potential needs. For signs concerned with dangerous situations, the actual needs are much more important that the potential needs.

sign 1

sign 2

But for a sign such as 'please order at the counter' or 'Please check your luggage in with the front staff', the potential needs are much more important.

sign 3

sign 4

Why would the potential needs be more important? Because, for the 'please order at the counter', you want to make sure that people know what to do. For the example of the luggage, if the guests of the hotel would be able to organize their luggage, the front desk staff could more easily do their job, rather than having to tell every guest about the luggage procedures. It may be that the latter sentence is only needed for a tour group and not for individual guests. By understand the actual vs. the potential needs, the signmaker can anticipate any problems with the sign. As we shall see, this is a very important step.