Customer Service
This lesson focuses on providing effective customer service, including greeting the customer, addressing their concerns, and offering clear and helpful solutions.
Part 1
Pre-Reading
Answer the questions
Who do you call when you have questions about a product?
Have you ever called a toll-free number?
Do you think email is a good way to ask questions? Why or why not?
What questions do you have before you buy a new book?
What are some ways to contact a company?
Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
toll-free ___
extra, additional
imperative ___
happiness
ancillary ___
operated by a machine
ideal ___
without any cost
accompany ___
to go with
satisfaction ___
someone who is authorized to deal on behalf of a company
expectation ___
to reach a destination or person
automated ___
very important
get through ___
a belief that someone should behave or act in a certain way
representative ___
perfect
Part 2
Reading
Practice reading the email messages out loud with your teacher.
Underline any words or phrases you don’t understand.
A. Email #1
To: [email protected]
Subject: Questions about textbook
Date: August 15, 2015
Dear Mr. Timson,
My name is Rita Wei, and I’m a professor at English University. I called the toll-free number, but it was automated and I couldn’t get through to a person. Your name was listed in the catalog as my representative. I’m calling you because I’m interested in buying your company’s book, Learning English, for my students, but I have a few questions.
First, can you tell me how many pages the book has? Classes are only ten weeks long, and I can’t use a long book. Second, does the book cover all the verb tenses? It’s imperative that my students have access to this material. Third, are there any ancillary materials?
Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Rita Wei
B. Voicemail Transcript
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Questions about textbook
Date: August 16, 2015
Dear Professor Wei,
Thank you for your message.
I’m happy to answer your questions.
The text has 150 pages, so it is ideal for a ten-week class. The book does cover all the verb tenses. To accompany explanations, the book has exercises and activities on each verb tense, so your students will get a lot of practice. Lastly, Learning English has several ancillaries including a workbook, a study guide, and a website.
Please let me know if I can answer any other questions. Customer satisfaction is important to River Education Books, and I want to make sure your expectations are met.
Sincerely,
Lee Timson
Part 3
Comprehension
Read the emails carefully. Then answer the following questions based on the information provided in the emails.
Why didn’t Rita Wei like the toll-free number?
What position does Rita Wei hold at English University?
Why did Rita Wei contact Lee Timson?
According to Rita Wei, how long do her classes last for?
Part 4
Vocabulary Review
Complete the sentences using vocabulary from Vocabulary Preview section.
You may need to change the word forms.
Can you please give me your ____________ number so that I don’t have to pay for the phone call?
A lot of people don’t like ____________ customer service systems because they want to talk to a real person.
After being on hold for 15 minutes, Jamie hung up the phone because she couldn’t ____________ to anybody.
It is __________ that sales people have the ability to answer all the questions pertaining to the product they sell.
People like to have extra things ____________ the products that they buy.
Mike inquired about any ____________ material that may come with this English textbook.
You want all your customers’ ____________ to be met.
My ____________ job would be working as a stock market trader.
Our business slogan is: “Customer ____________ is always guaranteed!”
Charles looked up the name of his ____________ in the business supplies catalog he recently received.
Part 5
Speaking
Work with your teacher and discuss your experiences
with call centers. Have you ever had a good customer service experience over the phone? Have you ever had a terrible experience? Which do you prefer, emailing a customer service representative or phoning a customer service line? Now discuss these questions.
Part 6
Writing
Think of something that you want to buy. What questions do you have about it? Write an email message to the company asking your questions. When you finish, exchange email messages with your teacher. Write a reply to your teacher’s email message.
Part 7
Listening
Fill in the blanks as you listen to the recordings.
A. Emails #1
To: [email protected]
Subject: Questions about textbook
Date: August 15, 2015
Dear Mr. Timson,
My name is Rita Wei, and I’m a professor at English University. I called the _______________ number, but it was _______________ and I couldn’t _______________ to a person. Your name was listed in the catalog as my _______________. I’m calling you because I’m interested in buying your company’s book, Learning English, for my students, but I have a few questions.
First, can you tell me how many pages the book has? Classes are only ten weeks long, and I can’t use a long book. Second, does the book cover all the verb tenses? It’s _______________ that my students have access to this material. Third, are there any _______________ materials?
Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Rita Wei
B. Emails #2
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Questions about textbook
Date: August 16, 2015
Dear Professor Wei,
Thank you for your message.
I’m happy to answer your questions.
The text has 150 pages, so it is _______________ for a ten-week class.
The book does cover all the verb tenses. To _______________ explanations, the book has exercises and activities on each verb tense, so your students will get a lot of practice. Lastly, Learning English has several ancillaries including a workbook, a study guide, and a website.
Please let me know if I can answer any other questions. Customer _______________ is important to River Education Books, and I want to make sure your _______________ are met.
Sincerely,
Lee Timson
Part 8
Correspondence Building
The correspondence below is not in the right order. Cut up
the strips, and then work alone or with a partner to rearrange them into the correct order. Then read the correspondence out loud.
A. Email #1
a) Your name was listed in the catalog as my representative. |
| b) To: [email protected] Subject: Questions about textbook Date: August 15, 2015 |
| c) My name is Rita Wei, and I’m a professor at English University. |
| d) First, can you tell me how many pages the book has? |
| e) Third, are there any ancillary materials? |
| f) Second, does the book cover all the verb tenses? |
| g) I’m calling you because I’m interested in buying your company’s book, Learning English, for my students, but I have a few questions. |
| h) Classes are only ten weeks long, and I can’t use a long book. |
| i) Rita Wei |
| j) Dear Mr. Timson, |
| k) It’s imperative that my students have access to this material. |
| l) I called the toll-free number, but it was automated and I couldn’t get through to a person. |
| m) Thank you for your help |
| n) Sincerely, |
B. Email #2
o) The text has 150 pages, so it is ideal for a ten-week class. |
| p) Please let me know if I can answer any other questions. |
| q) Dear Professor Wei, |
| r) To accompany explanations, the book has exercises and activities on each verb tense, so your students will get a lot of practice. |
| s) Customer satisfaction is important to River Education Books, and I want to make sure your expectations are met. |
| t) I’m happy to answer your questions. |
| u) Sincerely, |
| v) The book does cover all the verb tenses. |
| w) Lee Timson |
| x) Thank you for your message. |
| y) Dear Mr. Timson, |
| z)To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Questions about textbook Date: August 16, 2015 |