Telephone Language

Index:

Answering the phone
Introducing yourself
Asking to speak to someone
Connecting someone
Getting the caller's name
Requesting clarification / repetition
Taking a message for someone
Leaing a message with someone
Confirming information
Listening to an answering machine
Leaing a message on an answering machine
!inishing a conersation
Checking it's a conenient time
"utting someone off
Responding to a put off
#peculatie / introducing your call
Asking for time
$rong num%ers / %ad lines
#mall talk
#ales / customer serice sayings
Arranging a call %ack
#ales
&andling complaints
Apologies
Initations
'aking appointments
(ooking a hotel / restaurant
(ooking transport
#ounding interested
"lacing an order
International "honetic alpha%et
Giing num%ers oer the phone
Giing internet information oer the phone
Answering the
phone
&ello) *informal+
Good morning/afternoon, -#Ti, "aul speaking...
'arketing.
-#Ti, how can I help)
Introducing
yourself
&ello George. It's Lisa calling. *informal+
&ello, this is #omchai from -#Ti (angkok calling.
&i, it's Gerry from (angkok "roduct support here.
/0Is that "aul) A0 #peaking.
Asking to
speak to
someone
Is Andy in) *informal+
Could I speak to #tee Ro%inson on e1tension 234, please)
Can I speak to someone in #upport, please)
'ay I speak to 'r. Green, please)
Is the duty manager in / aaila%le)
I5d like to speak to 6."ichaya please
Connecting
someone
Getting the
callers name /
reason for
calling
7ust a sec. I'll get him. *informal+
&ang on a second. *informal+
"lease hold and I'll put you through.
8ne moment please.
All of our operators are %usy at the moment. "lease hold for the
ne1t aaila%le person.
Can I take your name, please)
$ho shall I say is calling)
Can I ask what it5s concerning)
$hat5s it in connection with)
Requesting
clarification /
repetition
Could you please repeat that)
$ould you mind spelling that for me)
Could you speak up a little please)
Could you speak a little slower please )
Can you call me %ack) I think we hae a %ad line.
Can you please hold for a minute) I hae another call.
I5m sorry, I didn5t get that, could you say it again)
aking a
message for
someone
#orry, -ominic's not in. $ho's this) *informal+
I'm sorry, Lisa's not here at the moment / she5s not at her desk.
Can I ask who's calling) $ould you like to leae a message)
&e's at lunch at the moment.$ho's calling please)
&e's %usy right now. Could you call again later)
I'll let him know you called / I'll make sure he gets the message.
&e5s not aaila%le, can I take a message)
!ea"ing a
message with
someone
9es, can you tell him #omchai called, please.
:o, that's okay, I'll call %ack later.
9es, it's 7ames from -#Ti #upport (angkok here. $hen do you
e1pect her %ack in the office)
Thanks, could you ask him to call (rian when he gets in)
-o you hae a pen handy) I don't think he has my num%er.
Thanks. 'y num%er is 333;4<=>, e1tension 23.
Can you ask them to call me on my mo%ile)
Can you get her to call me on ?@AA@>2=>4, thanks.
Confirming
information
Can I Bust read that %ack to you....
Let me repeat that Bust to make sure.
-id you say === Charles #t.)
9ou said your name was 7ohn, right)
#o that5s Bo% A22 run at 2>034, completed at 340??.
8kay, I'e got it, thanks ery much.
I5d %etter Bust read that %ack to you
I understand you ordered.....
!istening to
an answering
machine
&ello. 9ou'e reached 333;>C@A. "lease leae a detailed message
after the %eep.Thank you.
&i, this is DliEa%eth. I'm sorry I'm not aaila%le to take your call at
this time. Leae me a message and I'll get %ack to you as soon as I
can. If you hae any urgent enquiries, please contact 7ane -elin on
e1tension =<=.
Thank you for calling -r. 'indin's office. 8ur hours are Aam;=pm,
'onday;!riday. "lease call %ack during these hours, or leae a
message after the tone. If this is an emergency please call the
hospital at 444;C@A>.
!ea"ing a
message on an
answering
machine
&i 7ohn. It's #omchai from (angkok #upport. Call meF
&ello, this is Ricardo calling for Luke. Could you please return my
call as soon as possi%le. 'y num%er is 44<;=>@A. Thank you.
&ello Chris. This is #omchai from the doctor's office calling. I Bust
wanted to let you know that ... "lease gie us a ring/%uEE wheneer
it's conenient.
#inishing a
con"ersation
$ell, I %etter get going. Talk to you soon.
Thanks for calling. (ye for now.
I5ll hae to let you go now.
I hae another call coming through. I %etter run.
I'm afraid that's my other line.
I'll talk to you again soon. (ye.
Checking its
a con"enient
time
Is this a good time for you)
Are you %usy right now)
-o you hae a second or would you like me to call you later)
&ae I caught / rung you at a %usy time)
Can we talk now or later)
&ae I caught you at a %ad time)
$utting
someone off
#orry, I5m ery %usy at the moment, could you call me %ack)
I5m right in the middle of something at the moment...
I5m snowed under at the moment, do you mind calling %ack later)
I5m going to hae to get %ack to you, I5m afraid.
Responding to
a put off
Certainly, when shall I call you %ack)
:o pro%lem, I5ll call you at a%out <)
$hen will you hae time for a chat) #ay tomorrow at <)
$hen would %e conenient)
$hy don5t I send the details on an e;mail for you to hae a look at
and I5ll call you tomorrow.
I5ll need to get an answer from you on this %y ...
%peculati"e /
Introducing
your call
Could I speak to someone a%out ordering a %rochure)
I5m calling a%out an inoice / payment / order)
I5d like to talk to someone regarding order num%er 2343
I5m calling regarding the adert in the (angkok "ost.
I5d like to talk to someone a%out ordering Cds / Dnglish lessons /
product information ...
I need to check / change some details on this order.
Asking for
time
(ear with me while I get those details for you...
Can you gie me a minute or so to check)
Are you ok to hold for a minute while I get that information for you,
or would you like me to call you %ack)
&ang on a second *informal+
7ust a sec. *informal+
&old on...I5ll Bust get your information on my screen...
&rong
num'ers /
(ad lines
I5m sorry, I think you hae the wrong num%er.
This is -#Ti international on ?3 >@=@<??, what num%er did you
want)
I think I5e got the wrong num%er, sorry to hae %othered you...
I5m sorry this is a terri%le line, can I call you right %ack)
#orry, you5re %reaking up / reception5s terri%le / I can5t hear a thing.
%mall alk Gie my regards to...
:ice speaking to you....
I5ll look forward to meeting you on Thursday / hearing from you /
getting your e;mail
&ae a good weekend...
&ow was your weekend)
Thanks for your time / help
&ow5s the weather with you)
&ow5re things) &ow5s %usiness)
Arranging a
call 'ack
I5ll hae someone call you %ack as soon as possi%le.
$hen shall I hae someone call you)
$hen would %e a good time to call you)
I5ll call you right %ack
I5ll call you when I5e got that information
I5m sorry, this is taking a while, would it %e ok if I called you %ack)
$hen would %e conenient)
Can I get %ack to you *later / today+ on this) Thanks.
Could I e;mail you those details %efore the end of the day)
I5ll hae 7ohn call you tomorrow afternoon then.
%ales I5m calling to tell you a%out our new product / a special offer ...
$ould you %e interested in...
Can I ask how you heard of us)
$e at -#Ti offer....
I5ll send you a %rochure and call you again ne1t week
I5m afraid our pricing structure is set...
I5m calling to offer you our new package at a special rate.
$ould you like someone to come and isit you to e1plain further)
#o, who do you use at the moment / currently)
$here do you source your stationery currently)
)andling
complaints
I5m sorry to hear that.
Let me see what I can do a%out this.
-o you hae a reference num%er for this)
I see / I understand that this is inconenient for you.
I5ll call the warehouse / finance and find out what the pro%lem was.
#o your order was a week late
I5m sorry no;one called you %ack yesterday
Apologies I5m really sorry.
I5m afraid that the order hasn5t %een released
I do apologiEe.
I5m sorry, I5ll find out what5s happened and call you right %ack.
In"itations $ould you like to ..)
$hy don5t you Boin us)
-o you fancy dinner after the meeting)
That sounds good /I5d like that ery much
That5s ery kind of you %ut....
Thanks ery much for the initation %ut I5m afraid I5ll %e
unaaila%le.
*aking
appointments
I5m calling to arrange/fi1/set a date for a meeting
$ould $ednesday suit you)
&ow a%out..) Is 2?04? ok)
$hich days are good for you)
I5m afraid I can5t make the 2>
th
/ 2?04?
Could we make it !riday / 220 4? instead)
#o that5s !riday at 2204?, I5ll look forward to it.
That sounds fine, I5ll confirm it %y e;mail.


(ooking a
hotel
/restaurant /
I5d like to %ook a ta%le / room / plane ticket / train ticket ...
I5ll arrie in the eening on the 2>
th
and stay for 4 nights.
-o you need a credit card num%er to confirm the %ooking)
$ould you like me to confirm %y e;mail / fa1)
-o you need a contact num%er) It5s G>>?3>@=@<??
'ake the %ooking in the name of 'r C.856ane.
Thank you, I5ll see you on the 2>
th
at Cpm then.
(ooking
transport
I5d like to %ook a %us/train/plane ticket from ...to... please.
I need a sleeper / ta1i / hire car
$hen are flights to "huket on weekdays)
&ow much does it cost)
&ow long does it take)
Can I pay %y credit card)
&ow long do I hae to check in %efore the flight)
-oes that include ta1 / insurance)
Can it pick me up at 22 in the morning)
%ounding
interested
I see / right / ok.
Hh;huh / yeah
That5s fine / great
Is that ok)
I5m sorry, what e1actly happened)
$lacing an
order
I5d like to place an order, please.
Could I order ...
Can I also order ....
I5ll take a ....
-o you hae stock)
$hen are you e1pecting a deliery)
$hen can I e1pect deliery)
Can I pay %y credit card)
-o I need to set up an account with you)
$hat details do you need)
-o you need me to confirm %y e;mail, fa1, letter)
I5d like to place a repeat order.
It5s a ery urgent order, can they %e dispatched today)
Can you send them %y courier)
I hae a pro%lem with some of the items on the order.
When spelling (especially over the phone) use the phonetic alphabet to avoid confusion.
A Alpha B Bravo
C Charlie D Delta
E Echo F Foxtrot
G Golf H Hotel
I India J Juliet
K Kilo L Lima
M Mike ovem!er
" "#car $ $apa
% %ue!ec & &omeo
' 'ierra ( (an)o
* *niform + +ictor
, ,hi#k- . ./&a-
0 0ankee 1 1ulu
When giving phone numbers use the following format:
0=zero or oh 22= two two or double two
0708567330= !zero seven zero eight"""five si# seven"""three three
zero nine$
When giving an e%mail address or website use the following format:
www+dstintl+com I
Jw;w;w;dot;d;s;t;i;n;t;l;all one word;all lowercase;dot;comK
/ slash Lunderscore ;hyphen M at
dstintl;all lowercase, all one word, -#T all uppercase, all one word
That5s Bohn.regisMdstintl.com ,-o-h-n-dot-r-e-g-i-s-at-d-s-t-i-n-t-l-dot-com