Inquiring About Membership and Rates
A new customer is interested in becoming a member to get better rental rates or deals. They ask the clerk about membership options, fees, and benefits.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
membership
A membership is a paid subscription that gives you special benefits, like discounts, in stores or services. Use it when asking about joining a program for better deals.
tiers
Tiers refer to different levels or categories of a service, often with varying prices and benefits. It's common in memberships to choose a tier that fits your needs.
frequently
Frequently means often or regularly. Use this adverb to describe how often you do something, like renting movies multiple times a month.
premium
Premium means high-quality or the top level of service, often with extra benefits for a higher price. In stores, it's used for the best membership option.
unlimited
Unlimited means without any limit or restriction. It's useful when describing services that allow as many uses as you want, like unlimited rentals.
late fees
Late fees are extra charges you pay if you return something after the due date. This term is common in rentals to encourage timely returns.
new releases
New releases are recently made movies or products available for rent or sale. Use this phrase in stores to ask about the latest items.
perks
Perks are extra benefits or advantages you get from a membership. It's informal and used to talk about bonuses like discounts or events.
sign up
To sign up means to register or join something, like a membership. It's a common phrasal verb used for enrolling in services online or in person.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
I'm just browsing, but I was wondering if you offer any membership options for better rental rates?
This sentence is a polite way to start a conversation while shopping. 'I was wondering' softens the question, making it less direct. Use it to ask about services without committing. Grammar: Past continuous for polite inquiry.
We have a couple of different membership tiers.
This introduces options clearly. 'A couple of' means a few, and 'tiers' shows levels. Useful for explaining choices in services. It's simple and informative for customer interactions.
What are the main differences between the tiers, and what are the fees like?
This asks for comparisons and details. 'What are ... like?' inquires about general characteristics. Great for getting specifics on products or plans. Use in negotiations or inquiries.
It's $15 a month, and that gives you unlimited standard rentals with no late fees, plus 50% off new releases.
This explains benefits with prices and perks. 'Plus' adds more info. Useful for describing membership value. Grammar: Compound sentence connecting costs and advantages.
If you plan on renting more than four movies a month, the membership definitely pays for itself.
This gives advice based on usage. 'Pays for itself' means the savings cover the cost. Practical for convincing someone of value. Use in sales or recommendations.
Are there any other perks for members, like early access to new releases or anything?
This follows up for more details. 'Or anything' keeps it open-ended. 'Like' gives examples. Useful to explore additional benefits in conversations.
You can sign up right here at the counter, or online through our website.
This provides easy next steps. 'Right here' emphasizes convenience. Alternatives with 'or' are common in instructions. Use when helping someone join a service.