A Phone Call to a Customer

1Warm-Up Questions

1. Do you like talking on the phone? Why or why not?
2. What do you say at the start of a phone call?
3. What is difficult in a phone call in English?
4. When do you write an email instead of calling?

2Vocabulary Preparation

Match the words to their definitions

Fun Vocabulary Game – “On the Phone”

Choose the correct term:

1. A person who buys your product is a (customer / voicemail).
2. You can leave a message on the (voicemail / appointment).
3. A planned time to meet is an (appointment / call back).
4. If you phone again later, you (call back / spell).
5. Please say each letter: can you (spell / repeat) your name?
6. Please wait a moment: (hold the line / speak slowly).

Alex Calls a Customer

Alex works in customer service. This morning he calls a customer, Mrs Weber. Nobody answers, so he leaves a message on her voicemail. He says his name, his company and his phone number. He asks her to call back in the afternoon.

One hour later Mrs Weber calls back. Alex says, "Thank you for calling. How can I help you?" She wants a new appointment because she is sick on Thursday. Alex asks her to hold the line and he looks at the calendar. Then he suggests Friday at ten.

Mrs Weber speaks quickly and Alex cannot understand her email address. He says, "Can you speak slowly, please?" She repeats it and he asks her to spell it. Now it is clear. Alex writes everything down and sends a short confirmation email. Mrs Weber says thank you and the call ends.

4Grammar Practice

A. Polite Requests

Make the sentence polite with can, could or would:

1. Repeat your name. (Could you ...)
2. Wait a moment. (Can you ...)
3. Speak slowly. (Would you ...)
4. Send me an email. (Could you ...)
5. Spell your name. (Can you ...)

B. Present Simple

Complete the sentences:

1. Alex ___ (work) in customer service.
2. Mrs Weber ___ (want) a new appointment.
3. He ___ (write) everything down.
4. The customers ___ (call) every day.
5. I ___ (leave) a message when nobody answers.

5Creative Task – “Customer Call Role Play”

Roles

1. Customer Service Agent: Answers the call, asks how to help and offers a new appointment.
2. Customer: Needs to change an appointment and speaks quickly.
3. Colleague: Takes a message when the agent is not there.
4. Manager: Listens to the call and gives friendly feedback.

Instructions

Each student prepares a 2-3 minute talk or role play.

1. Talk with your partners and agree on a good plan.

Use at least 5 vocabulary words from the worksheet.

Use phrases like "Could you repeat that, please?" in your call.

1. At the end, tell the group what you decided and why.