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

Hello Jorge,

I'd recommend you pronounce 'our' as /aʊə^r/ -- you can hear a recording of it on this dictionary page (click or press on the small audio symbol under the word 'determiner').

This is different from 'a' in Spanish. It has more than one vowel sound. You might try saying 'au' and then 'güa' (I've written these thinking in Spanish orthography; the 'g' isn't pronounced) quickly together -- that is close to the pronunciation of 'our' in British English.

Hope this helps you.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Sometimes, We have to do a favour to our customer. speacially when there is something went wrong with the customer like this problem.

I work for distribution company, so I work with suppliers and hospitals; meaning I am a customer to suppliers and hospitals are my customers. Suppliers always assist me with quotation extension and I helped hospitals with orders placed query. I always appreciate Suppliers cooperation and its feel so good to help hospitals.

Yes, I think I could do a favour to my clients, but only in the situacion if it was very important clients for our company and if they ask about it in a polite form !!!!!!

Hahah i´m agree with you

"It works both ways". What does this sentence mean in another way? Thanks

Hello Sharif Tayyebi,

The phrase ti works both ways in this context means that a situation or action has a similar effect on both parties.

https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/work-both-ways

In this case, Junko is telling Andrea that the fact that Andrea is a loyal and valued customer means that Junko is able to help her when she has problems.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

I got it. Many thanks.

I am an assistant professor, so I haven't had any business which needs doing a favour. In my opinion, business needs to deal with customers these days, if there is an important reason to do. Companies and customers usually have the same benefits, so they should help each other when one side needs helping. According to the case, even I sometimes make an exception to my students which have properly and rationally reasons. For instance, if a student cannot come to the class or miss some lectures, I usually help him/her, provided he/she has a problem. Our students have to pay their tuition fees by the time which identifys in the payment terms of a university, but sometimes, they have problems and the administration of university should make an exception for them. I think, regulations are good and they usually ensure the discipline. But it should be part of rules that we can help others with their problems. Best wishes,

i just wonder why Andrea is a man? As far as I know Andrea is a female name.