Customer Service

Customer Service
Unit 5
Read the comments from people who
phoned customer service numbers
“They put you on hold and you can’t turn off their
awful music”
“You wait ages to speak to somebody. Then if you

call again, you have to repeat the information”
Starting “They try and sell you other products or services”
point What’s the worst experience that you’ve

had with customer service?
What other problems can you have with

customer service?
Working with words (Page 32)
Look at the picture below. What channels

Customer does it show for customers to communicate
with a company? Which ways do you
service prefer?
How do you
think companies
can improve
communication Read this text and answer these questions
with customers?
1. What are the advantages of multi-channel customer
Multi-channel service?
2. What problems can customers have?
customer service 3. What is the result of these problems for companies?
have a query – report a problem – get feedback –
Match the phrases in make a complaint – explain the issue – offer a
bold in the text to solution – Customer Support – response time –
definitions 1-9 (Page 33) customer loyalty
Definitions Definitions
1. Say you’re not happy with 6. A department that answers
something customer questions
2. Inform (a company) that 7. Ask customers what they think
something is wrong about your company
3. Give detailed information about 8. Suggest an answer to a problem
a problem
9. Ask for more information about
4. The time it takes to answer a something that isn’t clear
customer
5. The idea that customers will
always choose a company’s
products
Speaking practice
Ta l k a b o u t c u s t o m e r s e r v i c e i n y o u r o w n c o m p a n y o r a c o m p a n y y o u r e g u l a r l y b u y f r o m .
Which of these things does it do well?
Different
Dealing with queries Encouraging
communication
or complaints customer loyalty
channels
Response times Getting feedback

What solutions are these customer support assistants
offering?
compensation – a replacement – a discount – a refund – a credit voucher
a discount
a replacement
a refund
a credit voucher
compensation
Listen to two people talking about
customer service. Did they have a Listen again and answer the
good or a bad experience? questions for each situation
Talk about a good and/or bad customer
experience you have had.
Language at work (Page 34)
Comparisons Why do people shop online? Make a list of

reasons.
Listening
Listen to an extract from a radio Listen again and underline the
programme about why people correct words in italics to
shop online and note the complete sentences 1-5
readons. Are they similar to
yours?
1. Online retailers offer the cheapest / most expensive products.

2. Online stores have the most / least flexible hours.
3. It’s not as difficult / easy to compare products in physical stores.
4. Internet shopping offers a more limited / wider choice than in-
store shopping.
5. Online retailers offer better / less detailed information about a
product.
One-syllable adjectives
Adjectives
Comparatives & superlatives Two or more-syllable adjectives
Do you remember comparative & superlatives

adjectives?
Two syllable adjectives ending in -y
Irregulars
cheapest wider
most expensive
less detailed
better
as
Listening
Listen to some shoppers being interviewed in the street.
What reasons do they give for shopping in a physical
store?
better
as low quickest
most
easier
less
least
as reliable longer
Complete the shoppers’ answers with the correct form of the adjective
in brackets. Then listen again and check your answers (Page 35)
Talk about your preferences for 1-4 below. Give
Speaking examples and explain your reasons, using
comparative and superlative forms.
How to ‘soften’ a message
In what situations do you need to choose your words carefully
and ‘soften’ what you say?
A manager is complaining to an employee. What’s the problem

and what’s the solution?
Which of these
expressions does the
speaker use to…
a) complain, b)
respond to a
complaint, c) correct
Listen again and tick the expressions
wrong info
each time you hear them. Who uses the
Listening expressions: the manager (M), the
employee (E) or both (B)?
1. An IT technician came to install new
software on your computer yesterday.
Today your screen freezes every time
you try to open it. Phone the
Take technician.
2. Your colleague asked you to check a
turns to report he wrote. A lot of the information
is unclear or wrong and it’s full of
complain spelling mistakes. Speak to your
colleague.
…
Making and dealing with complaints
Look at the advice below. Do you agree?

Why/Why not?
“
When making a complaint, never get angry.
Business
”
When dealing with a complaint, never say ‘it’s not
our fault’ or, even worse, ‘it’s your fault’.
communication
(Page 36)
Listen to four different conversations. Note down the problem and
solution in each
Listen again. In which conversation do you hear these sentences?
Work with a partner
Speaking Take turns being the people in the four situations

and have similar conversations
What are the
possible solutions?
You ordered sandwiches and You have received an order
drinks for a working lunch with a from a computer supplier but
customer in your company. The there’s a mistake. You ordered
catering company promised to 50 laptop computers with 15-
deliver before 12.30 pm, but it’s inch screens but they’ve sent
now 1 pm and you’re still you mini-computers with 10-inch
waiting. Your customer doesn’t screens (and there are only
look very happy. You phone the 40!). You phone the supplier.
catering company.
What are the
possible solutions?
You asked a colleague to send You rented a car on a business
you some PowerPoint slides for trip from your usual rental
an important presentation you company but the satnav
have this morning. When you stopped working after two
open your email, you see that hours. You then lost your way
he/she has sent you slides for and were late for your meeting.
the wrong product. Your This is the third time in six
presentation is in half an hour. months you’ve had a problem
You phone your colleague. with a rental car. You speak to
the manager.
Talking point (Page 37)

Customer Service

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Customer Service

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Customer Service

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Customer Service

“You wait ages to speak to somebody. Then if you

Starting “They try and sell you other products or services”

point What’s the worst experience that you’ve

What other problems can you have with

Look at the picture below. What channels

Response times Getting feedback

Comparisons Why do people shop online? Make a list of

1. Online retailers offer the cheapest / most expensive products.

Do you remember comparative & superlatives

Two syllable adjectives ending in -y

A manager is complaining to an employee. What’s the problem

Look at the advice below. Do you agree?

Speaking Take turns being the people in the four situations

You might also like