Back to Situations

Making an Appointment Call

Calling a business or individual to schedule an appointment for a meeting, service, or consultation.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

1
Customer (Female)
Good morning. My name is Sarah Chen. I'd like to schedule an appointment for a consultation regarding your new accounting software.
2
Receptionist (Male)
Good morning, Ms. Chen. Thank you for calling AccuBooks Solutions. I can certainly help you with that. What day and time are you generally available?
3
Customer (Female)
I'm quite flexible next week. Would Tuesday afternoon, perhaps around 2 PM, work for one of your software specialists?
4
Receptionist (Male)
Let me check the schedule for you. Just one moment. ... Yes, it looks like Mr. Davis, our senior software specialist, has an opening at 2 PM next Tuesday. Would that be suitable?
5
Customer (Female)
Perfect, that sounds great! What information do I need to provide beforehand?
6
Receptionist (Male)
No, not at this stage. Mr. Davis will go over everything with you during the consultation. We'll send you a confirmation email shortly with the details and location. Is your email address still [email protected]?
7
Customer (Female)
Yes, that's correct. Thank you so much for your help!
8
Receptionist (Male)
You're very welcome, Ms. Chen. We look forward to seeing you next Tuesday. Have a great day!

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

schedule

To schedule means to arrange or plan something for a specific time, like an appointment. Use it when making plans, e.g., 'I need to schedule a meeting.'

appointment

An appointment is a planned meeting at a specific time, often with a professional. It's common in business or medical contexts, e.g., 'I have a doctor's appointment.'

consultation

A consultation is a meeting to discuss advice or information on a topic. Use it for professional talks, like 'a legal consultation.'

available

Available means free or ready to do something at a certain time. Ask about it when planning, e.g., 'Are you available on Friday?'

flexible

Flexible means able to change easily to fit different times or needs. Say it when your schedule can adjust, e.g., 'I'm flexible next week.'

opening

An opening here refers to a free time slot in a schedule. Use it for availability, e.g., 'Is there an opening at 3 PM?'

confirmation

Confirmation is official proof or notice that something is set, like an email. It's useful after booking, e.g., 'I'll send a confirmation.'

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

I'd like to schedule an appointment for a consultation.

This sentence politely requests to book a meeting. It's useful for starting appointment calls. 'I'd like to' is a polite way to express a wish, and 'for a consultation' specifies the purpose.

What day and time are you generally available?

This asks about someone's free times in a general way. Use it when helping to book. 'Generally' means usually, making the question open-ended for flexibility.

I'm quite flexible next week.

This shows your schedule is open. It's practical for negotiations. 'Quite flexible' softens the statement politely, and 'next week' gives a time frame.

Would Tuesday afternoon, perhaps around 2 PM, work for one of your software specialists?

This proposes a specific time politely. Use it to suggest options. 'Would...work?' is a conditional question for suggestions, and 'perhaps around' adds flexibility.

Let me check the schedule for you. Just one moment.

This is a polite way to pause while looking up information. Common in service calls. 'Let me' offers help, and 'just one moment' buys time courteously.

We'll send you a confirmation email shortly with the details.

This confirms next steps after booking. Useful for reassurance. 'Shortly' means soon, and 'with the details' explains what the email includes.

Thank you so much for your help!

This expresses strong gratitude at the end of a call. Always use closings like this. 'So much' emphasizes thanks, making it warmer than just 'thank you.'

You're very welcome. We look forward to seeing you.

This is a polite response to thanks and shows anticipation. Use it to end professionally. 'You're very welcome' is more formal than 'welcome,' and 'look forward to' expresses positive expectation.