A phone call from a customer

Listen to the phone call from a customer to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation

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Transcript

Junko: Hello, Junko Mori speaking. How can I help you?

Andrea: Hi, Junko, it's Andrea here from Red Band. I'm calling about our latest order.

Junko: Everything arrived OK, right? We got the delivery confirmation at our end.

Andrea: Yes, everything's fine with the order. I'm calling about the invoice and the payment terms. I need a favour.

Junko: A favour? What do you need?

Andrea: This is a little, er ... difficult, but I need an extension on the payment terms. I know they're usually 30 days, but we're having some cash flow problems. You'd really be helping us out if you could extend it to 60 days.

Junko: I'm not sure if I can do that, Andrea. We've got regulations at our end, and also have to manage our own cash flow.

Andrea: I promise this won't become the norm, Junko. Actually, I also want to place another new order. The same size order as last time. It's for an important customer and they pay on delivery.

Junko: I see. So your cash flow problem will be solved after this new order is delivered.

Andrea: Exactly.

Junko: That sounds good. Hold on, Andrea. Let me see what I can do. Yes, I think we can make an exception this time.

Andrea: That's great, Junko. I appreciate your help.

Junko: And we appreciate your business, Andrea. It works both ways.

Andrea: Thanks again, Junko. Can you send me a quick email confirmation of the payment terms extension?

Junko: Sure, no problem. We're happy to help you.

Andrea: Great. And I'll email you the new order.

Junko: Thanks. I'll keep an eye out for it. Talk to you soon.

Andrea: You too. Goodbye.

Task 1

Exercise

Task 2

Exercise

Discussion

Do you ever do favours or make exceptions for important clients?

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Language level

B1 Intermediate

I work as a headnurse in an Italian hospital. Patients and collaborators often ask me for favors, but it is not Always possible make exception to the established rules. You must pay attention to the specific situation, you must also compare yourself with the hierarchical superiors. not Always doing a favors matches the patient's good. Furthermore, if you do a collaborator's favor , you must then do it to everyone else to be fair

Doing favors and helping is part of my way of living with others in everyday life. I saw 2 children waiting to be collected by their carer who was unusually late. As I had their parents phone number, I called their mother who was sick and unable to pick up her children. She had asked a nanny to collect them but didn't notice that the nanny texted her to say that her son had a car crash and had to rush to the hospital to be with him. I offered to take the children at home with me and look after them until their dad finishes work and come and pick them up.

I believe everyone has made a favour to someone. The world need more humbled people who are willing to helps. Everyone should help each other in those suffering situation because one day you will stand there begging someone typo help you out.

I think we should do favours at least some time in our life. Everyone is expected to face some unanticipated circumstances in life, so when we help other people out that is something very important. Indeed, we should be careful while doing a favor because some people are not honest. As result, this could bring about adverse effects in our life.

Sometimes you have to make excepcions for a trusted clientes.

I worked many years as a teacher in the primary school. The last ten years I used to be the responsible. Collegues, children, assistents and parents had often special needs, they asked for a special help. First of all I used to listen to them very carefully, it was often enough. Sometimes I had to carry the responsability of what I considered more important than the normal rule. I was an unusual responsible because for me people were more important than bureaucracy, but sometimes this can be dangerous and morally corrupting.

No I don't because I'm at the high school but one day , when I'll work I would like to help people,especially because I dream to become an hostess because I love keeping in contact with people and I love travelling and turning all over the world.But I love being nice with people such as Junko was with Andrea so I think maybe one day I'll do a favour to someone...

Thanks all the staffs for helps. I wonder if the customer's pronunciation at this dialogue is british one or not. Thanks. Best regards.

Hello uncle choi, The customer's English is very good, but he is not a native speaker. He is probably from Italy as Andrea is a common male name in Italy and his accent also sounds Italian. ~ Peter The LearnEnglish Team