Question

Prepare simple telephone conversations using the expressions below.

Some useful ‘telephone’ phrases Hold on, please. (Wait): Could you hold on for a moment please? Put (a call) through (Connect): I will just put you through to our expert. Get through (Get connected): I can’t get through to him at the moment, could you call back later, please? Hang up (End the call): I think the operator has hung up. Call back: I’ll check your plan and call you back in some time. Pick up Answer the phone Call Give a ring

 

Making a complaint

I’m calling to complain about…

I’m sorry, but I’m not satisfied with…

Unfortunately, there’s a problem with…

I am very unhappy with the service I received.

It really isn’t good enough.

I’d like to know why…

I’d like an explanation for…

It’s shocking that you cannot replace the product.

I’ll have to go to the press.

If you can’t deliver on time, you must at least inform your customers. So that we can find other suppliers.

 

Dealing with the Complaints

I’m sorry to hear that ...

Yes, I see what you mean.

I apologise for …

I understand you’re upset about ...

Could you give me some details, please?

What happened exactly?

What seems to be the problem?

It’s not our policy to replace items.

It’s not our fault that it hasn’t arrived.

I’m afraid that’s not quite right ...

I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.

Ok, I’ll look into it right away.

I’ll check the details and get back to you.

Answer 1

Sonam:	Hello, I'm calling to complain about the latest service outage.
Customer Service:	I'm sorry to hear that you've had an issue. Could you please hold on while I pull up your account?
Sonam:	Sure, I'll wait.
Customer Service:	Thank you for waiting. I understand you're upset about the service interruption. Could you please give me some details?
Sonam:	My internet has been down since yesterday evening, and I received no prior notice about this disruption.
Customer Service:	I apologise for the inconvenience. What exactly seems to be the problem with the connection?
Sonam:	The modem lights are blinking, but there's no internet connectivity. I've tried restarting it several times.
Customer Service:	It's not our policy to replace items immediately, but I can call our technical team to get this sorted.
Sonam:	I want an explanation for the repeated interruptions before deciding to continue with your service.
Customer Service:	I understand that, and I'm sorry; I can do nothing about the past outages. However, I'll check the details of these incidents and get back to you. Can I call you back once I have more information?
Sonam:	Yes, that would be helpful. Thank you.
Customer Service:	That's not a problem. I'll look into it right away and call you by the end of the day.
Sonam:	I appreciate it. Goodbye.
Customer Service:	Goodbye, and thank you for bringing this to our attention.