Initial Cancellation Call
The customer calls the restaurant to cancel a reservation due to unforeseen circumstances, providing their reservation details clearly and politely.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
cancel
To cancel means to stop or end a planned arrangement, like a booking. Use it when you need to change or remove a reservation politely.
reservation
A reservation is a booking for a table, seat, or room in advance. It's common in restaurants to say 'make a reservation' or 'cancel a reservation'.
party
In restaurant contexts, a party refers to the number of people in your group, like 'a party of four' meaning four people. It's a polite way to specify group size.
unexpected
Unexpected means something that happens suddenly and was not planned. Use it to explain why you can't attend, like 'an unexpected problem'.
came up
Came up is an idiom meaning something arose or happened suddenly. It's casual and useful for explaining last-minute changes, like 'something came up'.
processed
Processed means handled or completed officially, like updating a system. In service situations, it shows the task is done, e.g., 'I've processed your request'.
assist
To assist means to help someone. It's formal and polite in customer service, like 'Can I assist you with anything else?'
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Good afternoon, I'd like to cancel a reservation, please.
This is a polite opening for a phone call. 'I'd like to' is a formal way to make a request, and adding 'please' shows courtesy. Use it to start service conversations clearly.
Could I please have the name on the reservation and the date?
This asks for information politely using 'Could I please' for requests. It's useful in service roles to gather details without being direct. The structure is question form with 'and' to connect items.
It's under John Smith, for tonight at 7 PM, for a party of four.
This provides booking details clearly. 'Under [name]' means booked in that person's name. It's practical for confirming reservations; use prepositions like 'for' to specify time and group size.
Unfortunately, something unexpected came up, and we won't be able to make it.
This explains a cancellation reason politely. 'Unfortunately' softens bad news, and 'won't be able to' is a future negative for inability. Use it to apologize indirectly in similar situations.
I understand. I'm sorry to hear that.
This shows empathy in response. 'I understand' acknowledges the situation, and 'I'm sorry to hear that' expresses sympathy. It's a key phrase for customer service to build rapport.
I've processed the cancellation for you.
This confirms the action is complete using present perfect 'I've processed' for recent actions. Add 'for you' to personalize. Useful for ending tasks positively in service dialogues.
Is there anything else I can assist you with?
This offers further help politely. It's a common closing question in service; the structure uses 'Is there' for yes/no and 'can assist' for offering aid. Use it to check if the customer needs more.
No, that will be all. Thank you for your help.
This ends the conversation politely. 'That will be all' means no more is needed, and thanking shows gratitude. It's a standard way to close interactions gracefully.