A phone call from a customer
Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.
Preparation
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.
Sometimes, we have to accept cheques from our customers through email and withdraw cash for their suppliers. So I think doing a favour occasionally for important and trustworthy clients is acceptable.
For sure! its always good to make exceptions with the best costumers
I didn't know about it before, but now i know. There was a flexibility exception for the best customer sometime. I think it is good, because It helps some business pass through the difficult situation that related cash flow. I can see some interesting vocabularies: cash flow, an extention, an exception, payment terms, in invoice, delivery confirmation, an appriciate, a regulation. Thank you so much
Well, I have a small own business. There were many clients that asked the favor to me I always gave them chances. I think that I could grow my own business because of them, although I had to delay receiving on payment for awhile.
Its always good to give favour to your good clients as it works both ways.
Hello about the question I can say that If I were a business owner and I had an important client, I would give him a chance to make an exception
I am not currently a supplier, but some time ago I had an Indian furniture store that sold in Italy. On some occasions, I gave my best clients the option of deferred payment: depending on the amount of the invoice. Greetings.
Hello, everyone! I like to help people without violation of company rules. But sometimes we need to do an exception. Because we are humans beings, not artificial intelligence
it's a good service to customer, because when someone doesn't have cash, is more dificult that the supplier undestand the problems with cash flow.
One of the most important sales skills is Flexibility with your clients in possible way and based on company's business ethics and its code of conduct. Even the business environment is going to fully competitive mode, flexibility will be more effective and need to setting up the strategy to manage it.