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 think it’s good to be flexible in business and that’s what I learned from the conversation.by communicating they create win win situation for both of them

Actually, I have few chances to ask clients some favors, on the other hand, I try to be flexible to our clients' requests.

I think this is how business should go.

I think only this execption is had with loyal and importan clients . The company should have segurity that they won´t have problems in the future

I think making exceptions for important customers is something usual in the companies even if the company has its own regulations, sometimes they'd have to be flexible about the terms to maintain good business relationships.

If I were a supplier, I usually do a favor for my clients to keep them with me. Because for longer relationship between customer and supplier, I think there must be such a pleasant favors.

I think this is the best idea, good to win customer’s with a nice approach. And I usually preferred such kind of suppliers To buy anything I want . They got a good heart

I work as a call center of Corona virus I make exceptions for people who have physiological problem a bout having this disease

I worked as a salesman about chemical equipment 7 years ago. At that time, I had some important clients that order a large number of products from my company. One of them also had a bit problem with their flow cash so he asked me a favor. He need an extension on the payment terms from 30 days to 45 days. I had a little confused about this. But after discussing with my manager, we decided to make an exception. And he really appreciated my help.

In my opinion, if you have a company and you usually work with costumers sometime is necessary to change your payment terms and make an exception. It depends on what kind of client we considered and that doesn't can become the rule because the company will be in problems with the cash flow and in general this situation can't be right for both.