Back to Situations

Facing Retention Offers

The service representative offers various incentives (e.g., discounts, free months, upgraded services) to persuade the customer to reconsider canceling and retain their business.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

1
Lisa (Female)
Thank you for calling Elite Fitness. My name is Lisa, how can I help you today?
2
John (Male)
Hi Lisa, I'm calling to cancel my gym membership.
3
Lisa (Female)
I understand. Before I process that for you, may I ask the reason for your cancellation? We're always looking to improve.
4
John (Male)
Well, truthfully, I'm not really using the gym as much as I thought I would, and it's becoming a bit expensive for me right now.
5
Lisa (Female)
I see. I'm sorry to hear that. We'd hate to lose you as a member, John. Have you considered our off-peak membership? It's significantly cheaper, and you still get access during less busy hours. Or perhaps a three-month freeze on your membership if it's just a temporary financial crunch?
6
John (Male)
I appreciate the offers, Lisa, but I'm really set on canceling. My schedule has changed, and I honestly don't foresee myself using it regularly even with those options.
7
Lisa (Female)
Understood. Before I finalize the cancellation, let me just check if there are any other options. How about we offer you a 50% discount for the next three months to help ease the cost, and you can reassess then? That would bring your monthly fee down quite a bit.
8
John (Male)
That's a very generous offer, Lisa, and I really do appreciate it. But I'm quite firm on canceling today. It's just not working for me anymore, regardless of the price. Could you please proceed with the cancellation?
9
Lisa (Female)
Of course, John. I understand. I'll process your cancellation now. Your membership will officially end on [Date], and you won't be billed again after that. Is there anything else I can help you with today?

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

cancel

To stop or end a service, subscription, or membership officially. Use it when you want to discontinue something like a gym or magazine.

membership

The status of being a member of a club, gym, or service, often involving fees. Common in contexts like fitness centers or online services.

reason

The cause or explanation for doing something. In customer service, it's often asked to understand why someone wants to cancel.

expensive

Costing a lot of money, more than you can afford. Use it to explain financial reasons for canceling a service.

off-peak

Times when a place or service is less busy, often with lower prices. Useful for gym or travel memberships to save money.

freeze

To temporarily pause a membership or payments without canceling it fully. Good for short-term financial issues.

discount

A reduction in the usual price. Companies offer this to keep customers from leaving.

generous

Giving more than expected, like a big discount. Use it to politely acknowledge an offer in conversations.

firm

Strongly determined and not likely to change your mind. Helps express persistence when refusing offers.

proceed

To continue with an action, like processing a cancellation. Formal way to ask someone to move forward.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

I'm calling to cancel my gym membership.

This is a direct and polite way to state your purpose on a phone call. Use it at the start of conversations to cancel services. 'Calling to' shows the reason for the call, and 'gym membership' specifies the service.

Before I process that for you, may I ask the reason for your cancellation?

A polite inquiry from customer service to gather feedback. 'Before I process' means prior to completing the action, and 'may I ask' is formal permission-seeking. Useful for service reps or understanding questions.

I appreciate the offers, but I'm really set on canceling.

Politely refuses incentives while showing gratitude. 'I appreciate' means thankful, 'set on' means determined. Use this to firmly decline without offending, common in negotiations.

How about we offer you a 50% discount for the next three months?

Suggests an incentive to retain a customer. 'How about' introduces a proposal casually, and '50% discount' specifies the offer. Useful for sales or persuasion in service talks.

That's a very generous offer, and I really do appreciate it. But I'm quite firm on canceling today.

Acknowledges the offer positively before refusing. 'Generous' compliments the deal, 'quite firm' emphasizes determination. This pattern balances politeness and persistence in rejections.

Could you please proceed with the cancellation?

A polite request to continue the process. 'Could you please' is formal and courteous, 'proceed with' means to carry out. Use it when pushing for action after refusals.