Complaining and apologizing
- 1. Look at the eight people in this office. ᕡ Which person … 1 has received a bill which is too high? ....... 2 is waiting for a delivery? ....... 3 has received the wrong quantity of goods? ....... 4 wants to buy something, but can’t? ....... 5 would like to receive a cheque? ....... 6 has an IT problem? ....... 7 is waiting for a call? ....... 8 can’t read a document? ....... ᕢ Now match the responses below to the complaints in the picture. a I'm sorry about that. I'll check with the transporter. ....... b I do apologize. I'll dispatch the missing items today. ....... c One moment, please. I'll connect you to the Accounts Department. ....... d Sorry about that. I'll send it again. ....... e Yes, I'm afraid there's only one person there today. Would you like to fax the details? ....... f I'm sorry to hear that. I'll inform the IT support department immediately. ....... g I do apologize. I'll send you a credit note for the difference. ....... h I'm sorry about that. I'll ask him to call you immediately. ....... Vocabulary 110 Dealing with problems 9.3 Complaining and apologizing Grammar I’ll... and Shall I..? Vocabulary Customer problems and solutions Communication skills Complaints and apologies Spoken versus written complaints BUSINESS BASICS STUDENT’S BOOK © Oxford University Press www.oup.com/elt
- 2. ᕡ A customer calls Stephanie Rowe at Benn Distribution. Listen to the first part and complete the memo. ᕢ In the second part, Stephanie Rowe calls back. Listen. Where are the instruction manuals? What does she offer to do? ᕣ Complete these extracts from the two dialogues. Who says each sentence: Stephanie (S), or the customer (C)? Listen again if necessary. Responding to complaints 1 Giving bad news I’m sorry, but we found the missing items here in our factory. I’m afraid we can’t send them immediately. 2 Saying sorry I’m very sorry about that. I do apologize for the mistake. Listening 67a Dealing with problems 111 LANGUAGE NOTE 3 Promising to do something I’ll look into the problem. I’ll dispatch the missing items today. 4 Offering to do something Would you like me to send it by express mail? Shall I send it today? I’m ............. ............ we found them here in our factory. ............. ............. send them by express mail? I do ............. once again. I’m ............. about my order. I’m very sorry ............. that. ............. call you ............. in ten to fifteen minutes. Can you ............. ............. the problem? 2 ....... 3 ....... 4 ....... 5 ....... 6 ....... 7 ....... 1 ....... BENN DISTRIBUTION LTD Customer Service department oo oo o BENN Complaint Form Caller .................................................. Company .................................................. Order No. ................................... Description of goods ................................................................................................ Problem ...................................................................................................................... Action ......................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................... 67b BUSINESS BASICS STUDENT’S BOOK © Oxford University Press www.oup.com/elt
- 3. Discuss these problems on the telephone with a partner. Student A, use the information below. Student B, turn to File Y on page 154. ᕡ You are Gloria Powell, Accounts Manager at SIMCO. 1 A client phones you about an invoice. Ask for the invoice number and date. Promise to look into the problem, and ask when you can call back. 2 Call back. Apologize – the invoice is for $800, not $900. Promise to send a new invoice. ᕢ You are John Miller-Jones. You are still waiting for an order of 150 champagne glasses from Funglass Inc. 1 Call Angelica Geraldo, Sales Manager of Funglass Inc. Explain the problem. Offer to send a copy of your order form. 2 Ms Geraldo phones you back. Your address is 149 East River Drive, Trenton, New Jersey. Ask if it’s possible to deliver tomorrow. ᕡ Read this e-mail. What is the problem? What does Ms Shining want Ms Geraldo to do? ᕢ Look at the phrases on the left from the telephone dialogue in . Which phrases in the e-mail are used to say the same thing in more formal language? Telephone dialogue E-mail They arrived ........................................................ Can you send ...? ........................................................ Can you look into the problem? ........................................................ Speak to you soon. ........................................................ ᕣ Now change these sentences from letters into more informal telephone language. 1 We would like to apologize for the delay. Sorry ....................................................................................................................... 2 I look forward to meeting you on 23 January. See .......................................................................................................................... 3 I regret to inform you that your order will be three days late. I’m ......................................................................................................................... 4 I will be pleased to send you some more information, if you require it. Shall .................................................................................................................... ? 5 I hope you will have a pleasant trip to the USA. Have ...................................................................................................................... Reading 112 Dealing with problems Speaking Dear Ms Geraldo, I tried to phone you all morning, but your line was constantly engaged. Yesterday evening we took delivery of 350 champagne glasses from your company. However, when we opened the boxes, at least a third of them were broken. As our conference on stress management starts tomorrow, I would be grateful if you could send some replacement glasses today. Please give this matter your immediate attention. I look forward to hearing from you. Diana Shining from: Hambelin Business Services BUSINESS BASICS STUDENT’S BOOK © Oxford University Press www.oup.com/elt
- 4. ᕤ Ms Shining isn’t answering her phone, and it is impossible to speak to her. Write an email in reply to hers. Use the formal letter phrases in ᕣ to help you. Work in pairs. In this game, you have to try to complete a row of four squares – horizontal, vertical, or diagonal – before your partner does. To ‘win’ a square you have to make a sentence or question. 1 Take it in turns to choose a square. ¬squares are telephone conversations. squares are face-to-face conversations. 2 If it is a ¬ square look at the corresponding question in the ¬ list below. If it is a square, look at the corresponding question in the list. 3 To answer the question, use one of these structures. Shall I … ? Can you … ? I’ll … Present continuous (I’m … -ing …) Would you like me to … ? Could you … ? 4 If your answer is correct, you win the square. Write your initials in it. Dealing with problems 113 Speaking A You or your colleague have to meet Mr Andros at the airport. Who’s going to do it? Ask your colleague. B You’re meeting a friend at the airport. Her suitcase looks very heavy.What do you say? C You need to make 200 photocopies of a document.Ask a colleague to do it. D Ask a friend about his plans for this weekend. E Your visitor says it is hot in your office. Offer to do something. F You’re in a restaurant. Order your meal. G Talk about three appointments or meetings you have next week. H You need to wash your hands before dinner. Ask your visitor to excuse you for a minute. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 A B C D E F G H ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ SQUARES 1 You are calling someone. He’s not in the office this morning.What do you say? 2 You’re calling a hotel. Ask if it’s necessary to confirm your reservation by fax. 3 A caller wants to speak to Mario. He’s not there. Offer to do something. 4 Someone suggests a meeting on Tuesday. It’s not possible. Say why. 5 The line’s engaged.Ask if the caller can wait. 6 A customer asks when you can send a brochure.What do you say? 7 You’re on a business trip. Ask a colleague to fax you this month’s sales figures. 8 You are arranging to meet a colleague in your town, but where? In his / her office, or in yours? Ask your colleague. SQUARES BUSINESS BASICS STUDENT’S BOOK © Oxford University Press www.oup.com/elt