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 clerk at a super market in japan. Customers often says to me, "I forgot my point card. what should I do?" So I always make exception for the customer, and I give 1 week to the customer to bring the point card. I think this is very good to keep good connection between clerk and customer. Thank you.

In my opinion, do favors or make exceptions for customers needs to be considered carefully to ensure benefit for both sides.

I think to do favour or makes an exception is important for success of any business that controlled by rules (an invoice, payment terms,....etc).

yes, put you need to be sure if that client deserves this favor

In my opinion I could do an excepction ,just if I have the same amount of money in case my customer does not comply with the extension.

wt we call this accent?

Hello Rehaf

As far as I can tell, Junko has a light Japanese accent and Andrea has a light Italian accent.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Yes, on some occasions a had done an exception with an important client my last job. I think that is so important to help our clients and customer when we can do something, as long as that keeps the company's rules, is important to be flexible, due to anything could be happened in anytime.