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 would do the same, because it´s important to give a back up to the clients, but it depends on the benefits the organization has, because in this case both parts were benefited, but there must be situations where it could be risky so you can´t do the same.

I don´t know if it´s a favour but when I used to work in a family bussines, a client forgot his cellphone, I noticed about that so I took it, I wait a call asking for it and finaly I received the call and I told her that her cellphone was in the bussines so she can pass and pick her phone up.

Yes, when you see the historical of your clients maybe you can make some exceptions It allows to grow up the trust each other.

I learned new meanings of some vocabulary such like cash flow, extension. It was useful lesson.

Never to new customers Maybe for old customers, with all conditions and payments plans

If they are reliable customers to whom I have already done that kind of favor there would be no problem because I would already know them, but if they are new customers there would have to be some way for me as a company not to lose and to ensure their payment.

It seems very important to me to be a simple and cordial person capable of understanding the needs of others, taking as a position and condition that of the client as long as this favor is completely necessary and that it does not risk the integrity of him or me.

There are exceptions to every rule )) She has good problem solving skills. I learned new words such as favour, extension and cash-flow.

Yes, it is important to back clients up, but depends on the trade-off and if the benefit that I receive from my client is better than my opportuny cost. According to the audio the first order was enormous and the second was the same, and both orders represented a bigger benfit.

If we can we always make an exception for same trusting clients.We are appreciating there effort to call us and make an agreement.