Handling a Service Complaint
A customer calls or visits to express dissatisfaction with a recent service or product. The customer service representative needs to listen actively, apologize, gather details, and offer a resolution.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
complain
To complain means to express unhappiness or dissatisfaction about a problem or service. Use it when telling someone about an issue, like 'I want to complain about my order.'
unreliable
Unreliable describes something that does not work consistently or cannot be trusted. For example, 'The internet is unreliable if it keeps disconnecting.' It's useful in complaints about products or services.
apologize
To apologize means to say sorry for a mistake or problem. In customer service, say 'I'm sorry' to show empathy, like 'I apologize for the inconvenience.'
frustrating
Frustrating means causing annoyance or irritation because something is not working as expected. Use it to describe feelings, e.g., 'This delay is frustrating.' Common in everyday conversations about problems.
schedule
To schedule means to arrange or plan something for a specific time. In service contexts, say 'I can schedule a visit for tomorrow.' It's practical for appointments and meetings.
technician
A technician is a person skilled in repairing or maintaining equipment, like electronics or networks. Use it when requesting help, e.g., 'Send a technician to fix my computer.'
root cause
Root cause refers to the main or basic reason for a problem. In problem-solving, say 'We need to find the root cause.' It's useful in professional discussions to prevent future issues.
goodwill gesture
A goodwill gesture is a kind action or small compensation offered to make a customer happy after a problem. For example, 'As a goodwill gesture, we'll give you a discount.' Common in customer service to build loyalty.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Good morning, thank you for calling Tech Solutions. My name is Emily, how may I help you today?
This is a standard greeting in customer service calls. It introduces the speaker politely and asks how to assist. Use it at the start of professional phone conversations to sound friendly and professional. The question 'how may I help you' is a polite way to offer help.
I'm so sorry to hear that, Michael. That's definitely not the experience we want you to have.
This sentence shows empathy and apology in response to a complaint. 'I'm so sorry to hear that' expresses regret, and the second part reassures the customer. Use it when handling complaints to calm the person and build trust. Note the use of 'definitely not' for emphasis.
Could you please give me your account number so I can pull up your details?
This is a polite request for information. 'Could you please' makes it courteous, and 'pull up' means to access or retrieve on a computer. Useful in service roles when needing customer details. It demonstrates active listening and problem-solving steps.
So, the issue is that your internet connection is frequently dropping, correct?
This sentence confirms understanding of the problem. 'So' summarizes, 'the issue is that' introduces the problem, and 'correct?' seeks agreement. Use it to verify details and avoid misunderstandings. It's a key pattern for effective communication in service interactions.
What I can do for you right now is schedule a technician to visit your home and thoroughly check the connection and equipment.
This offers a solution immediately. 'What I can do' introduces the action, and it uses present simple for current ability. Useful when resolving complaints by proposing next steps. The sentence structure shows clear, actionable help, which builds customer confidence.
Absolutely, Michael. Our technician will identify and resolve the root cause.
This reassures the customer with agreement and future action. 'Absolutely' means completely yes, and future tense 'will identify and resolve' promises results. Use it to confirm commitments. It's practical for maintaining positive relationships during problem resolution.
Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
This is a closing question to check for more needs. 'Assist you with' is formal for 'help you.' Use it at the end of service calls to ensure all issues are addressed. It shows good customer care and politeness in professional English.