Introduction:
Mistakes
are going to happen in the business world. When they do, customer service
representatives from the company should handle any customer complaints.
Dialogue:
Jared
recently purchased a stereo from an electronics store, Best Buy. He’s having
some trouble with the stereo and calls the customer service number to complain.
(phone
rings)
Representative:
Thank you for calling Best Buy Customer Service. This is Jill. How may I help
you?
Jared:
Hi. I bought a stereo from you guys a few weeks ago and I’m having some serious
problems with it.
Representative:
What seems to be the problem?
Jared:
Well, it’s not working properly. The volume dial won’t work and the CD tray
won’t open either.
Representative:
I’m very sorry to hear that the stereo isn’t working correctly, sir. Have you
tried unplugging it and then trying again?
Jared:
Yes. I’ve tried that and it didn’t do anything.
Representative:
OK. Well, at Best Buy we take pride in maintaining a reputation for excellent
products, so your problem with the stereo is unacceptable to us. Let me gather
some more information and we’ll see what we can do to fix this.
Jared:
Thank you.
Representative:
No problem. Do you have the receipt for your stereo purchase?
Jared:
Yes.
Representative:
OK. Can you give me the date of purchase listed on it and the number printed at
the bottom of the receipt?
Jared:
Sure. The date of purchase was July 19th, 2007 and the number printed on there
is 2-7200-1526-0854-9968-8
Representative:
Thank you for that information. Are you able to look at the stereo at the
moment as well?
Jared:
Sure. I’m right next to it.
Representative:
OK. There should be a sticker on the back with a number. Can you give me that
number?
Jared:
Let’s see. OK, I see it. It’s 8564312000125.
Representative:
All right. Could you hold for just a moment, please?
Jared:
Sure.
Representative:
Thank you for holding, sir. I’m sorry, but the product you purchased has been
recalled due to electrical malfunctions.
Jared:
How can you tell?
Representative:
The number you gave me allows me to pull up information on your specific
product. With that, I was able to see that the stereo was produced at a certain
factory that made the recalled products.
Jared:
So what do I do now?
Representative:
The easiest option is just to bring your stereo, with your receipt, back to
your local Best Buy store. They can exchange the faulty product for a new
stereo for you.
Jared:
OK. I can do that.
Representative:
Just take the stereo to the customer service desk and the staff there should be
able to take care of the problem for you.
Jared:
All right.
Representative:
Is there anything else I can do for you today?
Jared:
No, that was it.
Representative:
OK. And again, on behalf of the Best Buy Company, we are very sorry for any
inconvenience this has caused you. We value your business; so, if you have any
other questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Jared:
OK. Thanks.
Representative:
Have a nice day.
Jared:
Bye.
Vocabulary:
customer
service representatives:
a company employee that deals with customer complaints and questions
handle: take care of, fix
take pride in: to be proud of
recalled: a defective product that
is taken off the market
malfunctions: failures in operation
faulty: defective
Discussion
Questions:
1.
Have you ever complained about bad service or a bad product to a company?
-Yes,
I have. For example, I received very bad service from a gas company in the
past. They were charging me for the gas service that the people across the street
from me were using! I had to call many times and the representatives were very
unhelpful. Eventually, I had to write a letter of complaint to the company.
2.
Is it customary to complain about a business that does not provide good service
in your country?
-Yes,
it’s customary to complain about a business’ bad service in the U.S. Most companies
have customer service numbers that you can call to discuss any problems. I
think most people feel entitled to complain about bad service because they are
paying money for that service.
3.
If you received bad food at a restaurant, would you complain? Why or why not?
-Yes,
I would. I’d complain because I am paying for good food and, if there were something
wrong with it, I’d want them to know.
4.
Do you ever have to deal with customer complaints at your job?
-Yes,
I do. I see a lot of students at my job. Many of them come in to my office and
want to complain about things. It can be hard to handle sometimes, but I just listen
to what they have to say and offer suggestions on how they can fix their complaint.
5.
Is it a good idea to get mad while complaining to a business?
-No,
it’s not. Complaining to customer service representatives can be frustrating and
can make you feel very angry. However, becoming angry will only make the problem
worse. It’s better to stay calm and you’ll probably get better help with your
problem.
6.
How do you feel when you get put on hold when you call a customer service
number?
-I
feel so frustrated! I’ve had to wait on hold for half an hour or forty-five
minutes before when calling customer service. Sometimes I feel like they are
putting you on hold just so they don’t have to talk to you. It makes you feel
like people don’t want to listen to you and that you’re not important to them.
7.
Do you think good customer service is important to businesses today? Why or why
not?
-I
think that good customer service is not important to a lot of business today.
Many
businesses are too concerned with making a lot of money and they don’t treat
their customers very well.
8.
Are you allowed to return faulty products in your country?
-Yes,
we are. In the U.S., we can return most things, as long as we have our receipt.
Without a receipt, many places will not accept returns.
9.
Have you ever purchased a faulty product? What was it?
-Yes,
I have. Many years ago, I purchased a new refrigerator. After having it for about
7 days, it just quit working. All of my food went bad or melted. I had to call the
company and have them replace my fridge with one that worked.
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