38 - Oranges and lemons
Language for maintaining good customer relations
Tense times at Tip Top Trading! Anna is having trouble working with new employee Rachel, who's making some big mistakes. What can Anna do before Rachel goes too far? How can she salvage the company's good customer relations?
Intermediate · 170322 · 2017-03-22
Tense times at Tip Top Trading! Anna is having trouble working with new employee Rachel, who's making some big mistakes. What can Anna do before Rachel goes too far? How can she salvage the company's good customer relations? Language for maintaining good customer relations This episode focuses on what to say when you have to maintain good relations with your customers.
1. Hello I'm Anna from Tip Top Trading. How are you today?
US: Hello I'm Anna from Tip Top Trading. How are you today?
2. I hope you have received our order and are happy with it.
US: I hope you have received our order and are happy with it.
3. We do hope you are pleased with our service and that you may use us again.
US: We do hope you are pleased with our service and that you may use us again.
4. Do you have any questions you may want to ask?
US: Do you have any questions you may want to ask?
1. Narrator
Hello and welcome again to English at Work, where things are a little tense. Anna is finding it hard to work with new employee, Rachel. She's told Paul, the boss, about Rachel's incompetence but he’s done nothing about it. So Anna, how are you feeling today?
US: Hello and welcome again to English at Work, where things are a little tense. Anna is finding it hard to work with new employee, Rachel. She's told Paul, the boss, about Rachel's incompetence but he’s done nothing about it. So Anna, how are you feeling today?
2. Anna
Frustrated. All that work I put in, getting the contract for Imperial Lemons and Rachel has sent out a load of second-hand plastic oranges!
US: Frustrated. All that work I put in, getting the contract for Imperial Lemons and Rachel has sent out a load of second-hand plastic oranges!
3. Narrator
I guess you're going to have to call your client and sort out the mess.
US: I guess you're going to have to call your client and sort out the mess.
4. Anna
I guess so. Oh hi Tom.
US: I guess so. Oh hi Tom.
5. Tom
Is she about? The man-eater?
US: Is she about? The man-eater?
6. Anna
No it's all clear, she's gone out for a cappuccino.
US: No it's all clear, she's gone out for a cappuccino.
7. Tom
Good good. Look I managed to call the guy she bought the second-hand oranges from, and I cancelled the order.
US: Good good. Look I managed to call the guy she bought the second-hand oranges from, and I canceled the order.
8. Anna
Phew, great!
US: Phew, great!
9. Tom
Yeah, yeah… and last night I managed to order some Imperial Lemons and sent them to that company in France – Fruit Traders International. Here’s the paperwork.
US: Yeah, yeah... and last night I managed to order some Imperial Lemons and sent them to that company in France - Fruit Traders International. Here’s the paperwork.
10. Anna
Tom, that's brilliant! Here, let me give you a big hug – you saved the day!
US: Tom, that's brilliant! Here, let me give you a big hug - you saved the day!
11. Tom
Ooh, that's a bit tight.
US: Ooh, that's a bit tight.
12. Denise
Oh not again! You two just can't leave each other alone…
US: Oh not again! You two just can't leave each other alone...
13. Anna
Bbbut it was just…
US: Bbbut it was just...
14. Denise
Say no more Anna. Now, I was looking for my special red pen, have you seen it anywhere?
US: Say no more Anna. Now, I was looking for my special red pen, have you seen it anywhere?
15. Tom
No. Funny that, my pens have gone missing too.
US: No. Funny that, my pens have gone missing too.
16. Denise
I'll go and get some more.
US: I'll go and get some more.
17. Tom
Now Anna, I don't want to interfere but have you called that company in France to see how they are?
US: Now Anna, I don't want to interfere but have you called that company in France to see how they are?
18. Anna
Well, they're fine aren’t they?
US: Well, they're fine aren’t they?
19. Denise
It's good customer service to call them and see how they are.
US: It's good customer service to call them and see how they are.
20. Anna
But what do I say?
US: But what do I say?
21. Tom
Tell you what. I'll go over there and you can call me and practise.
US: Tell you what. I'll go over there and you can call me and practice.
22. Anna
Right. OK Tom, I'm calling your number now.
US: Right. OK Tom, I'm calling your number now.
23. Tom
Hello – Fruit Traders International.
US: Hello - Fruit Traders International.
24. Anna
Yes, hello…
US: Yes, hello...
25. Tom
…introduce yourself and ask me how I am.
US: ...introduce yourself and ask me how I am.
26. Anna
Oh right. Hello I'm Anna from Tip Top Trading. How are you today?
US: Oh right. Hello I'm Anna from Tip Top Trading. How are you today?
27. Tom
I'm very well. Now ask me about the order.
US: I'm very well. Now ask me about the order.
28. Anna
I hope you have received our Imperial Lemons and that you are happy with the order.
US: I hope you have received our Imperial Lemons and that you are happy with the order.
29. Tom
Yes, very very happy. The lemons are… fantastique!
US: Yes, very very happy. The lemons are... fantastique!
30. Anna
Oh that's good. Erm… we do hope you are pleased with our service and that you may use us again.
US: Oh that's good. Erm... we do hope you are pleased with our service and that you may use us again.
31. Tom
We certainly will. Thank you.
US: We certainly will. Thank you.
32. Anna
Do you have any questions you may want to ask?
US: Do you have any questions you may want to ask?
33. Tom
No… actually yes…. err, can I… err… buy you dinner sometime?
US: No... actually yes.... err, can I... err... buy you dinner sometime?
34. Anna
Very funny Tom. They won't ask that!
US: Very funny Tom. They won't ask that!
35. Tom
No. I'm asking you.
US: No. I'm asking you.
36. Anna
Oh right… erm… OK then… yes!
US: Oh right... erm... OK then... yes!
37. Narrator
Hooray! Or should I say oh dear? Silly Anna has agreed to go on a dinner date with Tom – but there is still some business to attend to. Don't forget to make that call to your client Anna.
US: Hooray! Or should I say oh dear? Silly Anna has agreed to go on a dinner date with Tom - but there is still some business to attend to. Don't forget to make that call to your client Anna.
38. Anna
No I won't – in fact I'll do it right now.
US: No I won't - in fact I'll do it right now.
39. Narrator
Good! While she makes that call, here is a reminder of some of the phrases she could use… Hello I'm Anna from Tip Top Trading. How are you today? I hope you have received our order and are happy with it. We do hope you are pleased with our service and that you may use us again. Do you have any questions you may want to ask?
US: Good! While she makes that call, here is a reminder of some of the phrases she could use... Hello I'm Anna from Tip Top Trading. How are you today? I hope you have received our order and are happy with it. We do hope you are pleased with our service and that you may use us again. Do you have any questions you may want to ask?
40. Denise
Are you OK Anna? You look a bit annoyed.
US: Are you OK Anna? You look a bit annoyed.
41. Anna
I am – I just called our client in France to check everything was OK and they said Rachel had already called them and told them our lemons were so last season and they would be stupid not to choose oranges!
US: I am - I just called our client in France to check everything was OK and they said Rachel had already called them and told them our lemons were so last season and they would be stupid not to choose oranges!
42. Denise
That's terrible.
US: That's terrible.
43. Tom
…hey Anna, how about this restaurant for our date… I mean our business meeting. Look at this menu…
US: ...hey Anna, how about this restaurant for our date... I mean our business meeting. Look at this menu...
44. Anna
Not now Tom. Rachel has messed things up again. She's causing so much trouble. She's got to go.
US: Not now Tom. Rachel has messed things up again. She's causing so much trouble. She's got to go.
45. Tom
Oh… yeah right. This calls for action.
US: Oh... yeah right. This calls for action.
46. Narrator
It certainly does. It sounds like Rachel has gone too far this time and it's up to Anna to sort things out. But what can she do? Join us again next time on English at Work to find out. Bye!
US: It certainly does. It sounds like Rachel has gone too far this time and it's up to Anna to sort things out. But what can she do? Join us again next time on English at Work to find out. Bye!
Question
What item have both Denise and Tom lost?
Answer
Their pens.