日本語表示
Lesson 1: Calling Customer Service
To speak to a representative, press three.

I can listen to and understand an automated answering service.

INTRODUCE

When you call customer service, it’s common to have to listen to an automated answering service before you can talk to a real person.

PRESENT

STEP A VOCABULARY

I. Listen and repeat.

press the pound key

leave a message

call back during regular business hours

stay on the line

visit us on the web at [address]

speak to a representative

II. Which of the things above make you feel impatient, relieved, and angry? Choose one or two for each emotion.

  • impatient

  • relieved

  • angry

III. Practice reading the words.

/k/

/t/

call

tall

cap

tap

cook

took

STEP B GRAMMAR TIP

Use to-infinitives to explain the purpose of an action.

  • To speak to a representative, press the pound key.
  • Call back during regular business hours to place an order.

UNDERSTAND

LISTENING

Sho and Tim are at the Campo Grande International Airport in Brazil. Sho is calling to get his phone set up in Brazil.

TRIVIA

Do you know what to call the kind of phone Sho is using in the picture above? Many Japanese speakers call it a public phone, but native speakers usually prefer the term payphone.

 

Δ Where’s the nearest public phone?

O Where’s the nearest payphone?

PRACTICE

STEP A EXERCISE

Combine the actions and purposes to make one sentence with to. More than one answer is possible.

ex.

Action: press one

Purpose: repeat the menu options

To repeat the menu options, press one. / Press one to repeat the menu options.

 

1.

Action: press the pound key

Purpose: cancel

 

2.

Action: press *69

Purpose: call the last person who called you

 

3.

Action: visit us on the web at www.greenmotors.com

Purpose: learn more

STEP B EXERCISE

Make sentences with to using the pictures and words. More than one answer is possible.

1.

speak to a representative

 

press

2.

report a lost credit card

 

press

3.

increase the volume

 

press

CHALLENGE

Challenge 1

You arrived at the airport, but one of your bags is missing.


Call the hotel where you’ll be staying and listen to the automated answering service. Then, tell the hotel staff that you will be checking in late.

Today's grammar tip

  • to-infinitives for purpose

Challenge 2

Discuss your ideas.

If Time
Allows
1

AUTOMATED ANSWERING SERVICES

2

CUSTOMER SERVICE

3

PHONE CALLS

1

AUTOMATED ANSWERING SERVICES

  1. Do you like automated answering services?
  2. Should automated answering services be available in many different languages?
  3. What kind of businesses in Japan have automated answering services?
  4. What do they use automated answering services for (ex. reservations, orders)?

2CUSTOMER SERVICE

  1. What is good quality customer service?
  2. What is poor quality customer service?
  3. What do you do when you experience bad customer service?
  4. What companies have the best customer service?

3PHONE CALLS

  1. Do you prefer talking on the phone or face to face?
  2. Do you prefer to call someone on your phone or on your computer?
  3. Have you ever spoken on the phone in English?
  4. What kind of communication problems happen over the phone?

FEEDBACK

I can listen to and understand an automated answering service.

LESSON GOAL ACHIEVEMENT

  • 4
    Very Good

    Could complete the task with ease

  • 3
    Good

    Could complete the task with some clarifications

  • 2
    Fair

    Could complete the task with additional instructions

  • 1
    Poor

    Could somehow complete the task with difficulty

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK