As a call center representative, saying the right words during the call can make customers feel that you empathize with them.\u00a0But it can be difficult to know what the right words are in English, especially if English is your second language.<\/p>\n
You may already have a lot of the English language you need to handle everyday business conversations,\u00a0customer complaints\u00a0or even sales situations.\u00a0But today, you’ll learn how to use over 27 call center English phrases to help and connect with customers.<\/strong><\/p>\n [fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In these next few sections, we’ll start with a question or complaint from the Caller (“C”) and then learn phrases you can use to help them.<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> “Really. You have to transfer me? I’ve been on hold for the last 30 minutes. I followed all of your prompts to talk to you and now you’re telling me that you won’t help me?”<\/p>\n Phrases you can use:<\/p>\n At this point, the call center representative could use any of the following combinations of phrases:<\/p>\n “I understand that this has been inconvenient for you<\/strong>, and I apologize for the wait.”<\/p>\n “I understand that you’ve been waiting for a long time and need to have this issue addressed. What I can do right away is<\/strong> consult my colleague about your problem. It will only take 2 or 3 minutes.”<\/p>\n “I apologize for the inconvenience, and I assure you I’ll do everything I can to help you<\/strong>. Now, what is your question?”<\/p>\n “I understand how frustrating that can be\u2014let’s see how we can work this out.”<\/strong><\/p>\n “I appreciate your patience in this matter.<\/strong> I’m going to do everything I can to get this resolved as soon as possible.<\/strong> Can you hold for 2 to 3 minutes while I contact a co-worker who would be better equipped to answer your question?”<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> “I just spilled water on my keyboard. Now it doesn’t work. Can you fix it?”<\/p>\n Phrases you can use:<\/p>\n Here, the representative could use this phrase in the following way:<\/p>\n “I would suggest<\/strong> that you buy an external keyboard and attach it to your computer. That way, you won’t have to buy a new one.”<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> “I think I’m going to need to upgrade my browser. How do I do that?”<\/p>\n Phrases you can use:<\/p>\n At this point, the call center representative can use any of the following phrases:<\/p>\n “All you need to do is<\/strong> to click on the link that tells you that it’s time to upgrade your browser. It will take you to the correct page.”<\/p>\n “An easy way to do that is to<\/strong> click on the link that tells you that it’s time to upgrade your browser.”<\/p>\n There are times when your job may be to sell customers other products or services that they did not ask for. This is called upselling<\/strong>. When this happens, it is important to use the right phrases to gain their interest and trust.<\/p>\n Here is how you could use them in complete sentences:<\/p>\n “I was just checking your account and I see that you are eligible for our in-home security package. You will only be charged<\/strong> for the set-up and the first six months of the service are free. You can cancel at any time.”<\/p>\n “We offer a variety of security options<\/strong> that might interest you, since you’re often away from home.”<\/p>\n “It’s a great service that gives you the option<\/strong> of<\/strong> checking in on your apartment on a regular basis no matter where you are. So instead of\u00a0worrying about what’s going on when you’re away, you can rest assured that everything is safe and sound in your absence.”<\/p>\n “This is the best security plan for someone with your particular needs<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n “For just $50 a month, you can feel secure<\/strong> about your home when you’re away.”<\/p>\n “For special customers like you<\/strong>, I’m willing to give the first six months for free.”<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> “I was wondering if you could answer a question for me.”<\/p>\n Phrases you can use:<\/p>\n At this point, the call center representative can use either of the following phrases:<\/p>\n “With pleasure<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n “Certainly, I would be happy to assist you<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> “Hello. I’m calling from out of town because I noticed that I wasn’t billed this month. This is a bit strange. Do you know why?”<\/p>\n Phrases you can use:<\/p>\n At this point, the call center representative could respond like this:<\/p>\n “Hmm. Let’s take a look at this<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n “That’s a good question<\/strong>. I would be more than happy to<\/strong> look into that for you.”<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> “I think I’ll take the tablet upgrade.”<\/p>\n Phrases you can use:<\/p>\n At this point, the call center representative can use any of the following phrases:<\/p>\n “That’s a good choice<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n “That’s a popular item<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n “We’ve had a lot of positive feedback on<\/strong> the new tablet.”<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> “I’m trying to choose the best computer for my home-based business.”<\/p>\n Phrases you can use:<\/p>\n At this point, the call center representative could use either of the following phrases:<\/p>\n “A lot of\u00a0people prefer to<\/strong> use a desktop for working at home and a tablet for when they travel.”<\/p>\n “What other customers have done in your situation<\/strong> is<\/strong> to use a desktop for working at home and a tablet for when they travel.”<\/p>\n The call center representative might use the phrases in the following ways:<\/p>\n “Because you’re a valued customer<\/strong>, I’m happy to let you know<\/strong> that we’ll be sending you a special gift. You will receive it on December 15, right in time for Christmas.”<\/p>\n “Now, it’s your right to know<\/strong> that this offer is only valid for a year. Afterwards, you will pay the market price.”<\/p>\n Has a friend ever tried to make you feel better, but the words they chose actually made you feel worse? That is what happens sometimes with call center situations.<\/p>\n Here is an example of a bad call center experience:<\/strong><\/p>\n Call Center Representative (CCR):<\/strong> Hello, Acme, Inc. Shelly speaking. How can I help you today?<\/p>\n Caller (C):<\/strong> Yes, hello. I have a question about my bill.<\/p>\n (Silence on the other end of the line)<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> Hello? Are you still there?<\/p>\n CCR:<\/strong> Yes, but I don’t deal with that.<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> What do you mean, you don’t deal with that? I’ve been on hold for the last 30 minutes. I followed all of your prompts to talk to you and now you’re telling me that you won’t help me?<\/p>\n CCR:<\/strong> Calm down, sir\/ma’am.<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> Don’t tell me what to do. Just tell me how you’re going to help me with my billing question.<\/p>\n CCR:<\/strong> Sir\/ma’am, if you don’t calm down, I’ll have to terminate this call.<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> What! And make me go through the process of waiting to talk to a real person all over again?<\/p>\n CCR:<\/strong> Okay, I’ll just put you on hold…<\/p>\n C:<\/strong>\u00a0Maybe I’ll just cancel my service.<\/p>\n CCR:<\/strong> Look, I’m new here. I don’t know how to answer your question. Would you like to speak to my supervisor?<\/p>\n (Caller hangs up)<\/p>\n Ouch. What did the call center representative say to frustrate and anger the customer?<\/p>\n Here is how the call service representative could have handled the call in a way that showed empathy.<\/p>\n Call Center Representative (CCR):<\/strong> Hello, Acme, Inc. Shelly speaking. How can I help you today?<\/p>\n Caller (C):<\/strong> Yes, hello. I have a question about my bill.<\/p>\n CCR:<\/strong> It sounds as if you need the billing department. I’ll transfer you to that number. Here it is, though, in case you get disconnected.<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> Really? You have to transfer me? I’ve been on hold for the last 30 minutes. I followed all of your prompts to talk to you and now you’re telling me that you won’t help me?<\/p>\n CCR:<\/strong> I understand how frustrating that can be\u2014let’s see how we can work this out. We can work together to answer your questions, but only if we can discuss the matter calmly.<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> Of course. I’m sorry. It’s not your fault that I have this problem. Thank you for working with me. You see, here’s what happened…<\/p>\n CCR:<\/strong> I see. I’m going to have to consult with a colleague. I’ll be back with you soon\u2014in 2 or 3 minutes\u00a0max.<\/p>\n C:<\/strong> Okay. Thank you.<\/p>\n (2 or 3 minutes later)<\/p>\n CCR:<\/strong>\u00a0Thank you for holding. Here’s the answer to your question…<\/p>\n Much better, right? What did the call center representative do to give the customer a positive experience?<\/p>\n They showed empathy: “Of course, you don’t want to have to talk to another person. I understand. Let me see how I can help.”<\/p>\n The representative gets this message across by using phrases like:<\/p>\n To practice these, try to hear them in use naturally.<\/p>\n For example, you can search FluentU<\/a> for key words and topics to find authentic English videos that use them naturally. Phrases for Dealing with an Angry Customer<\/h2>\n
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Phrases for Advising a Customer<\/h2>\n
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Phrases for Making a Process Sound Easy<\/h2>\n
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Phrases to Sell Other Areas of the Business<\/h2>\n
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Phrases to Show Your Willingness to Help<\/h2>\n
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Phrases to Make a Customer Feel You Are Their Partner in Solving a Problem<\/h2>\n
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Phrases to Make a Customer Feel Good About Their Choice<\/h2>\n
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Phrases to Make a Customer Feel Part of a Group<\/h2>\n
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Phrases to Make a Customer Feel Special<\/h2>\n
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Example Call \u2014 What Not to Say<\/h2>\n
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Example Call – What to Say<\/h2>\n
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