Tabulación y análisis de los datos obtenidos

Capítulo 3. Análisis de la accesibilidad en la edificación en los centros de

3.5 Tabulación y análisis de los datos obtenidos

Welcome back to Business English Pod. My name’s Edwin and I’ll be your host for this episode, the second of a two-part series on dealing with angry callers on the phone.

We hope that all of our customers are satisfied ones.

Indeed, a basic goal in business is to keep customers happy and coming back. But we can’t please all of the people all of the time. Angry callers are often upset because they don’t understand why something happened or disagree with a policy. They might believe that a company has made a mistake.

And to get the results they want, they might be rude, yell, or want to speak to someone in authority.

Handling these types of calls is easier when you can respond calmly and clearly.

So today we’ll talk about how to explain why something has happened and what a solution might be. We’ll cover ways to handle customers who yell, use crude language, or want to talk to a manager. Finally, we’ll discuss how handle things when your company has made a mistake.

In today’s lesson, we’ll hear more of a conversation between Diana, a Customer Care agent for a credit card company, and Jay Rothschild, an angry customer whose credit card was locked after he made a large purchase. Diana has already gotten Jay’s account information and is ready to start solving the problem.

As you listen to the dialog, try to answer the following questions.

1. Why was Jay’s credit card locked?

2. Why does Jay want to speak to a manager?

3. How does Diana resolve the problem?

Vocabulary

Lock / to lock a credit card: To disable from use. “When my credit card was stolen, my account was locked.”

out of the ordinary: Unusual; not ordinary. “I read through the annual report and did not see anything out of the ordinary.”

to give someone a piece of your mind: To scold someone; tell someone you’re angry. “When Jerome gets back from vacation, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind. He left no instructions for his staff.”

believe me: Phrase used to emphasize something. “Lena would never insult the CEO. Believe me, that’s not her personality.”

in no time: Very quickly. “If we work together, we’ll finish this project in no time.”

to yell: To shout. “Management needs to do something about Ruth. She yells at customers all the time.”

“as we speak”: Right now; occurring at the same time. “I can fix this software problem as we speak.”

all set: Ready; having everything you need. “Are you all set for your presentation on Wednesday?”

straightened out: Figured out; solved. “Let’s get the schedule straightened out first.”

to rest assured: Phrase usually said to assure someone else. “Everything will go smoothly while you’re gone. You can rest assured.”

to make something up to someone: To compensate someone for an inconvenience. “I’m sorry I can’t let you take next Friday off. To make it up to you, I’ll give you an extra day off this summer.”

overnight delivery: Delivery that happens overnight so that the recipient gets the shipment the next day. “Overnight delivery is the fastest way to send something, but it’s expensive.”

on the house: Free, at no charge. “When our restaurant customers are unhappy, their meals are on the house.”

flagged: Marked in some way, so someone else will notice. “At the going-out-of-business sale, we’ll flag some items that can’t be returned.”

Telephoning

Dialog

Diana: Okay Mr. Rothschild. Our records show a purchase for €2,799 in Paris on Tuesday.

Jay: Uh-huh.

Diana: So, for your protection, we lock any card when there’s unusual activity, such as a large purchase. When we see something out of the ordinary, it often means the card’s been stolen. So we lock it for the customer’s protection.

Jay: Without telling the customer? What kind of policy is that? Who’s your manager? I want to give him a piece of my mind.

Diana: Mr. Rothschild, I don’t blame you for being angry. I’d be angry too, believe me. We’ll get everything straightened out in no time. But for me to help you, you have to stop yelling at me.

Jay: I still want to speak to your manager.

Diana: I understand. But I’m here to help you and we can resolve this quite easily. Now, normally you would have received a phone call telling you about the unusual activity.

Jay: Yeah, but I didn’t.

Diana: I know. And I do apologize for that. That was our mistake.

Jay: Okay. So what happens now?

Diana: I’m unlocking your card as we speak, so you should be all set. In the meantime, I’ll tell my supervisor what happened. How does that sound?

Jay: As long as I can use my card.

Diana: Everything should be fine now, Mr. Rothschild. If you have any problems, just give me a call back.

Debrief

Let’s take a step-by-step look at how Diana resolves this situation. We’ll start with her explanation of what happened.

Diana: Okay Mr. Rothschild. Our records show a purchase for €2,799 in Paris on Tuesday.

Jay: Uh-huh.

Jay’s credit card has been locked, which means he temporarily can’t use it.

Diana explains why. The credit card company locks any card if there’s unusual activity. “Out of the ordinary” is another way to say “unusual.” This type of activity is a signal that a card might have been stolen. Locking the card prevents a thief from making other purchases and protects the customer.

Jay made a large purchase in the amount of €2,799. To the credit card company, this was unusual activity and therefore, his card was locked.

Diana explains the problem calmly and clearly. She also tells Jay why her company took this action. Because the card might have been stolen, it’s in Jay’s best interest for it to be locked. Giving a caller the reason for the action helps angry callers understand the situation better.

Let’s go over a few more examples of how to explain a problem.

• I’m seeing two failed purchase attempts on Tuesday 22^nd, so your account has been flagged for follow up.

• It looks like your order was processed on time, but there’s been a delay with the delivery.

• Our records indicate that we received a payment last month, but there is no record of a payment this month.

• My computer’s showing your subscription has been cancelled, so that’s why you haven’t receiving the magazine.

In that first example, you heard the word “flagged.” To flag something means to highlight it or mark it in some way so that people will notice it.

Unfortunately for Diana, Jay becomes angry again.

Jay: Without telling the customer? What kind of policy is that? Who’s your manager? I want to give him a piece of my mind.

Telephoning

same situation. Saying “believe me” is a way to emphasize this.

Second, she assures him that they’ll get everything straightened out - or fixed – in no time. They’ll get the problem solved very quickly.

Third, she asks Jay to stop shouting. If he continues to yell, she can’t help him.

Even though Diana wants to assure Jay and keep him as a customer, she still deserves respect. Jay’s shouting is unacceptable and she won’t tolerate it.

Rude customers are hard to deal with. You might be tempted to yell back or be rude yourself, but remember that your goal is to help the customer and keep the customer for the company’s sake.

Still, rudeness, crude language, and shouting do not have to be tolerated. There are some respectful ways to respond to this behavior, as these examples show:

• I’m happy to help you, but your language makes it difficult.

• I know you’re upset, but yelling makes it harder for me to help you.

• Perhaps you’d like me to call you back when you’re feeling calmer?

• I understand why you’re frustrated. But I won’t be able to help you if the swearing continues.

What’s Jay’s reaction?

Jay: I still want to speak to your manager.

Diana: I understand. But I’m here to help you and we can resolve this quite easily.

Jay wants to speak to a manager. And that’s something Diana wants to avoid.

Handling locked credit cards is a routine part of her job and there’s no need to disturb her boss about it. Her challenge is getting this message across in a polite, professional way.

Diana says she understands, acknowledging Jay’s feelings. But she also says she’s there to help and that the situation can be resolved “quite easily.” Letting Jay know how easy it will be keeps him from requesting a manager again and refocuses his attention away from his anger and back to solving the problem.

Diana also says we can resolve this, reminding him that she’s on his side.

It’s common for angry customers to request a manager. Bringing their attention back to solving the problem saves time and aggravation for everyone, especially the caller, who doesn’t have to tell the story again to a new person.

© 2010 All rights reserved: businessenglishpod.com 115 When someone wants to talk to a manager, assure him or her that you can handle the matter. Sometimes, it helps to ask the caller for the opportunity to assist. This shows your commitment to solving the problem and putting the customer first. It can also give the customer a sense of control in the situation.

Let’s practice some ways to do this.

• I am happy to resolve this for you myself.

• I can take care of everything for you. May I have the opportunity?

• Please let me help. I think you’ll find that we can get everything straightened out in this one phone call.

• I’m sorry you feel that way, but rest assured, I can fix this.

There’s one quick vocabulary note from those examples. We sometimes say

“rest assured” when we want to convince someone that all will be well. Think of it this way: someone who is “assured” will “rest” more comfortably knowing that everything will be okay.

Our next exchange starts immediately where Diana left off. Right after she tells Jay the problem can be resolved easily, she explains more about her company’s policy on unusual activity. By doing so, she again brings Jay’s attention away from the manager and back to the issue. This leads us to our next language function. What if your company has made a mistake that inconveniences the customer?

Diana: …Now, normally you would have received a phone call telling you about the unusual activity.

Jay: Yeah, but I didn’t.

Diana: I know. And I do apologize for that. That was our mistake.

Someone from the company should have called Jay to tell him there was unusual activity on his account and that his card was locked. But Jay never got such a phone call. This is a company mistake that Diana acknowledges and apologizes for.

Everyone – and every company - makes mistakes. It’s generally good for customer relations to admit to them and apologize for them if appropriate. It shows the customer that the company is truthful and making an honest effort to fix things. If a customer believes a company is willing to take responsibility, it’s likely the customer will become less argumentative and, more importantly, remain a customer.

In the following examples, notice how the speaker acknowledges a mistake and then offers a commitment to “make it up to” the customer. This means the company will take some action to satisfy the customer or compensate for an inconvenience.

• You’re right. This is our mistake and we will fix it as soon as possible.

• I see now that this is our responsibility, so we’ll take care of it right away.

• We’re truly sorry for this situation and are committed to making things right.

• This was our error and we’ll definitely make it up to you.

Telephoning

Next, Diana explains the solution and ends the call.

Jay: Okay. So what happens now?

Diana: I’m unlocking your card as we speak, so you should be all set. In the meantime, I’ll tell my supervisor what happened. How does that sound?

Jay: As long as I can use my card.

Diana: Everything should be fine now, Mr. Rothschild. If you have any problems, just give me a call back. Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

Using her computer, Diana unlocks Jay’s card as they speak. “As we speak” is a phrase that means “right now” or “at the present time. Now, Jay should be “all set.” He shouldn’t have any further problems with this credit card. She’ll also let her supervisor know why Jay was so upset and asks “How does that sound?”

This question is another way to give Jay some control over what’s happening.

At this point, Jay seems satisfied. He can use his credit card and go back to his vacation.

After Diana explains the solution, she reassures Jay that everything should be fine. She also offers to help him again if something does go wrong. Finally, she tells him to enjoy the rest of his trip. It’s hoped that Jay will remember his positive experience with Diana and stay a customer.

Sometimes, rather than explaining a solution directly, you can suggest it, giving an angry caller a chance to say yes or no. We’ll hear some examples like this in a moment. Keep in mind though; that whether you’re suggesting or explaining a solution, it’s important to let the customer know how he or she will benefit from what’s proposed.

Now, let’s run through the examples for suggesting a solution.

• We will discount your next order 20%.

• How about if we send you a replacement part by overnight delivery?

• I’ll have my manager call you in the morning. Will that be okay?

• Your next visit will be on the house.

To finish off, let’s practice some of the language we’ve covered in today’s lesson.

First, we’ll practice language that can be used to respond to a rude, yelling customer or one that wants to speak to a manager. You’ll hear a statement followed by a prompt. Use the language in the prompt to respond to the statement.

For example, if you hear:

Example Situation: The caller wants to speak to your manager.

Example Prompt: you’ll find // everything straightened out // phone call You can say:

We’ll play an example answer after each one.

Are you ready? Let’s give it a go.

Situation 1: The caller is shouting.

Prompt 1: know you’re upset // yelling // harder for me Learner:

Situation 2: The caller wants to speak to your manager.

Prompt 2: take care // everything // give me the opportunity Learner:

Situation 3: The caller is using bad language.

Prompt 3: happy to help // your language // difficult Learner:

Answer 1: I know you’re upset but yelling makes it harder for me to help you.

Answer 2: I can take care of everything for you if you give me the opportunity.

Answer 3: I’m happy to help, but you’re language is making it difficult.

Now let’s practice useful vocabulary and idioms. You’ll hear a series of sentences with a word replaced with a beep. Repeat the whole sentence, saying the missing word.

For example, if you hear:

Example cue: I’m printing that report as we <beep>.

You can say:

Example answer: I’m printing that report as we speak.

After each response, we’ll play the correct answer. Let’s begin.

Cue 1: Lesley’s team will finish that audit in no <beep>.

Learner:

Cue 2: I think we’re all <beep> with the budget.

Learner:

Cue 3: The upset caller <beep> quite loudly.

Learner:

Cue 4: We need to send that out by <beep> delivery.

Telephoning

Learner:

Answer 1: Lesley’s team will finish that audit in no time.

Answer 2: I think we’re all set with the budget.

Answer 3: The upset caller yelled quite loudly.

Answer 4: We need to send that out by overnight delivery.

We’ve reached the end of this episode, the second of a two-part series on dealing with angry callers on the telephone. We’ve talked about how to explain a problem, suggest or explain a solution, and apologize if necessary. We’ve also covered ways to respond when a caller is rude, yells, or wants to speak to a manager.

Thanks for listening. And see you next time!

Language Review A. What’s the Solution?

For each problem in Column A, choose the appropriate solution from Column B.

A B

1. Our restaurant meal was terrible. a. We will discount your order by 20%.

2. The flowers were delivered too late. b. We will pay for the cleaning.

3. The engine didn’t work. c. We will have it fixed immediately.

4. Your waiter spilled wine on my suit. d. Your visit will be on the house.

5. Your driver damaged my car. e. We’ll send a replacement by overnight delivery.

B. Vocabulary and Idioms

In this multichoice activity, choose the correct answer for each definition.

1. Unusual

a) on the house b) all set

c) out of the ordinary 2. Ready

a) all set

b) on the house c) in no time

3. Tell someone why you’re angry

a) give someone a piece of your mind b) rest assured

c) make something up to someone 4. Free, at no charge

a) flagged b) on the house c) straightened out

5. Compensate for inconvenience a) lock

b) give someone a piece of your mind c) make something up to someone

Telephoning

Study Strategy

Some angry callers are angrier than others. Even if you don’t want to, there are times when you just might have to transfer the call to your manager. The customer might insist or become so abusive that someone with more authority might have to handle it. But how do know when this is the case?

With someone colleagues, brainstorm some situations when a manager would need to handle an angry caller. You might even ask your manager for his or her input. Then, try making a list of guidelines for employees to follow.

Or, imagine you’re a manager at a company. Under what circumstances would you be willing to take such a call? What guidelines would you suggest?

In document LA ACCESIBILIDAD EN EL SISTEMA SANITARIO PÚBLICO ANDALUZ, EL CASO DEL DISTRITO SANITARIO DE JAÉN (página 171-187)