It’s always a hard day when you have to deal with a difficult customer.

Whether the mistake is on your or the customer’s part, you have to be polite if you want to keep the customer coming back.

This lesson has conversations about such a situation and how to deal with it.

To brush up your vocabulary, have a look at the vocabulary section at the end and practice using the words in the sentences.

Shall we get started then?

Hello.

Hello sir.

Where’s Ginny?

Ginny’s off today, Sir. May I help you?

Where’s Tom Newsome?

He had to go to our other store. Can I help you?

We bought a sofa bed there, and I found a big hole in the mattress when it was delivered.

We've been buying for the past 10 years from your store. I can’t believe you’d sell something like that to a loyal customer.

We appreciate your loyalty towards our store. I’m terribly sorry for that.

I can’t believe our warehouse could ship a damaged piece of furniture.

Well they sure did! I just told you they did! Don’t you believe me?

I’m sorry Sir. I didn’t mean that you weren’t telling the truth.

I meant that I was surprised that we did that. Do you have your sales receipt?

We’ve got to have a sofa by Wednesday. My daughter-in-law will be coming to stay with us on Wednesday.

Yes, Sir. We’ll take care of it for you. I’m sure we can fix the problem.

This is Jane. I’m the sales manager. How can I help you?

Hello. I haven’t received my package yet. It’s almost been a week and I’ve already paid for it.

I’m really sorry about that, ma’am. But, first, may I have your name please?

This is Sarah Roberts. I need the package by today. The package is a gift to my friend and it’s her birthday today.

We are sorry for the delay and we’ll try to take care of the issue. What was the date of the order?

I don’t think that would help. You just take my order number and deliver my product by noon.

Ms. Roberts, if you tell me the date you placed the order, I'll check whether it has been sent or not. I'm here to help you.

Oh, all right. The date of the order is February 16, 2014.

Okay. I’ve checked it. Your order has already been dispatched and it’s scheduled to be delivered today.

I hope so. I’m tired of calling you guys again and again.

I’m sorry for your trouble.

Hello, can I speak to the customer support department?

Yes, this is customer support. How can I help you?

I got the portable audio player I ordered from you, but it’s not working.

Oh? I am sorry to hear that. Can you tell me your order number?

Hold on… I have it right here. Yes, it’s 5678.

Okay. The product you have is the portable media player. Can you tell me what’s the problem?

Well, I connected it to the TV, but it’s not turning on.

How did you connect it to the TV?

I used the USB port.

Well, the USB is for PC connections only on this model. You can’t connect to the TV with it.

What? What do I do then? How can I use it if I can’t connect it to the TV? This is crazy!

Please, don’t worry Sir. You can connect it to the TV using an HDMI cable.

An HDMI cable? Oh… But there is no HDMI cable in the box.

Yes, it’s not included. You’ll have to get one.

Why haven’t you guys included the HDMI cable? Where do you expect me to get one right now?

I am sorry Sir, but this device has 4 different kind of ports in it.

We didn’t include any cables for any of those so that

we could offer you the best price on the device instead of charging you for stuff you won’t need.

Okay… That's a heck lot of trouble for me to go downtown to get a silly HDMI cable.

If you want, you can order one from us. We’ll ship it within 24 hours.

Nah, I don’t need it from you guys. Thanks anyway.

Sorry to hear that sir. I will discuss your feedback with my seniors.

Yeah yeah… Alright. Bye now.

Have a nice day, Sir.

The soft bedding we sleep on is called the mattress.

Your mattress may be softer or firmer than others. It’s usually covered with sheets and blankets.

You are loyal to someone if you give them continuous support for a long time, keep your commitments and act in their best interest.

You are probably loyal to your spouse, your friends, and your employer.

A large building where a store keeps the things they want to sell but won’t fit in the store.

When you order something that’s not in the store at the time you want it, it’s brought in from the warehouse.

The sales receipt is the statement you receive showing that you paid for an item.

It has the name of the item, the date, and the amount you paid. It’s the proof that you bought and paid for the item.

Your order is a list of the items you want to buy.

You place an order with a business, and then they try to fill your order.

Sent off to be delivered to the customer.

A store dispatches your order to be sent to you,

but you may also dispatch something, maybe a check that you mail, or a package to a family member.

Dispatched is a formal way to say “sent.”

I believe you learned a lot from watching this lesson.

We’ll be back with a new one tomorrow. Make sure you come back for it!

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See you around!