Lesson 7: Customers and Clients

With a customer, the words are only half of it. The order you say them in is what decides whether they stay.

How to use this lesson. Read each conversation aloud, slowly, two or three times. Do not worry about speed — clear is better than fast. Notice the expressions under each conversation, then try the practice at the end. If you can, read with a friend and take turns playing each person.

1. Taking an Enquiry

Rita: Thanks for getting in touch. How can I help?

Customer: I'm looking at your delivery service.

Rita: Happy to talk you through it. What do you ship?

Customer: Mostly small parcels.

Rita: How many a week?

Customer: Around two hundred.

Useful expressionsThanks for getting in touch.How can I help?talk you through itWhat do you ship?

2. Explaining a Delay

Priya: Thanks for taking my call.

Mr. Duval: Of course. Is everything okay?

Priya: There's a delay on your order.

Mr. Duval: How long are we talking?

Priya: About one week. A supplier issue. It's fixed now.

Mr. Duval: Alright. Keep me posted.

Useful expressionsThere's a delay on your order.How long are we talking?a supplier issueIt's fixed now.

3. Handling a Complaint

Customer: This is the second time.

Ben: I understand. That's not good enough.

Customer: No, it isn't.

Ben: Let me look at the account now.

Customer: Please do.

Ben: Give me two minutes and I'll call you back.

Useful expressionsI understand.That's not good enough.Let me look at it now.I'll call you back.

4. Apologising Properly

Ben: I'm sorry. We got that wrong.

Customer: Thank you for saying so.

Ben: We've refunded the delivery.

Customer: That helps.

Ben: It won't happen again.

Customer: I appreciate the call.

Useful expressionsWe got that wrong.We've refunded the delivery.It won't happen again.I appreciate the call.

5. Offering a Solution

Lea: Here's what I can do.

Customer: Go on.

Lea: A replacement Thursday, at no cost.

Customer: And if that one's late?

Lea: Then we refund the order.

Customer: Alright. Let's do that.

Useful expressionsHere's what I can do.at no costAnd if...?Let's do that.

6. Saying No to a Customer

Customer: Can you deliver on Sunday?

Omar: I'm afraid we don't run Sundays.

Customer: That's a problem for us.

Omar: I understand. Saturday evening?

Customer: How late?

Omar: Up to eight. Would that work?

Useful expressionsI'm afraid we don't...I understand.Would that work?Up to eight.

7. Checking the Customer Is Happy

Rita: How's the new service working out?

Customer: Better than before.

Rita: Anything you'd change?

Customer: The tracking emails are slow.

Rita: Noted. I'll raise it today.

Customer: Thanks for asking.

Useful expressionsHow's it working out?Anything you'd change?Noted.I'll raise it today.

8. Keeping in Touch

Rita: I'll check in again next month.

Customer: No need to, really.

Rita: It's no trouble. Same time?

Customer: Fine. Make it a short one.

Rita: Fifteen minutes, no slides.

Customer: Now that I like.

Useful expressionsI'll check in again.It's no trouble.Make it a short one.no slides

Words to know

get in touch	to contact someone Thanks for getting in touch.
talk through	to explain step by step Happy to talk you through it.
delay	a wait longer than planned There's a delay on your order.
refund	to give money back We've refunded the delivery.
replacement	a new item sent to replace a bad one A replacement Thursday, at no cost.
work out	to turn out well or badly How's the new service working out?
not good enough	a firm but calm way to say a service has failed That's not good enough.
check in	to contact someone to see how things are I'll check in again next month.

Quick practice

Complete each sentence with an expression from the lessons.

1. A: Thanks for ________ in touch.
    B: I'm looking at your delivery service.

2. A: There's a ________ on your order.
    B: How long are we talking?

3. A: This is the second time.
    B: I understand. That's not good ________.

4. A: I'm sorry. We got that ________.
    B: Thank you for saying so.

5. A: Here's what I can ________.
    B: Go on.

6. A: Can you deliver on Sunday?
    B: I'm ________ we don't run Sundays.

Show the answers

1. getting   2. delay   3. enough   4. wrong   5. do   6. afraid

Common mistakes

Not: Because of a supplier problem, your order is late.

Say: There's a delay on your order. About a week. A supplier issue.

Bad news first, then the size, then the cause. Lead with the cause and the customer hears an excuse.

Not: Sorry, sorry, I'm very very sorry.

Say: I'm sorry. We got that wrong.

One clear apology is stronger than five. Repeating it makes the customer manage your feelings.

Not: No, we can't do that.

Say: I'm afraid we don't run Sundays. Saturday evening?

Never end on the no. Say what you cannot do, then immediately what you can.

Your turn

Imagine one of your own customers is on the phone. Say these five things aloud.

• Answer an enquiry and ask two questions about what they need.
• Deliver bad news: the problem, the size, the cause, in that order.
• Take a complaint without defending yourself.
• Offer a solution and say what happens if it fails.
• Say no to a request, then offer the nearest thing you can do.

Quick review

Say this sentence out loud until it sounds natural: I'm sorry. We got that wrong. Most learners avoid it, and reach for long explanations instead. Six words, said calmly and once, keeps more customers than any discount you can offer.