Lesson eleven

What’s the date today? Wednesday 21^st October

What is the missing word?

1. People who spend most of their day sitting at a desk often lead a sedentary lifestyle.
2. A sedentary lifestyle, with very little physical activity, can increase the risk of health problems.
3. Many office workers have a sedentary job because they spend hours sitting in front of a computer.

 

It’s gone stale  –  It’s gone mouldy

US  mold,  moldy

The air in the London Underground smells quite stale at times  (=not fresh)

It’s going off, so eat it soon.

The bananas are overripe.

The pears have gone rotten

He’s trying to break in.

There was an intruder in the Queen’s bedroom in the 80s

skämd – (fruit)

 

 What we did in the lesson:

Vocabulary: consistent, inconsistent, consequence

Discussing shift work and working with the public

Phrasal verbs

 

– Consistent: staying the same or behaving in the same way over time.

• Example: She is consistent with her English practice. She studies every day.

– Inconsistent: not staying the same; changing or contradicting what was done or said before.

• Example: His attendance is inconsistent. Sometimes he comes to class, and sometimes he does not.

– Consequence: the result or effect of an action or decision.

• Example: One consequence of not studying is getting a low grade.

 

 Use consistent, inconsistent, or consequence to complete each sentence.

1. If you practise English every day, you are consistent in your learning.
2. She says she wants to improve, but she rarely practises. Her behaviour is inconsistent.
3. One consequence of arriving late is missing important information.
4. He exercises regularly and follows the same routine. He is
5. One consequence of not doing your homework may be a poor grade.
6. If you provide the same high level of service every day, you are consistent in your work.
7. One consequence of giving a customer incorrect information is losing their trust.
8. The customer received different answers from three employees. The information was to vote with your feet
9. A positive consequence of listening carefully is that customers feel understood.
10. The employee follows the company procedures on some days but ignores them on others. Their behaviour is inconsistent. (gender neutral)
11. The customer was given different explanations by different agents. The explanations were inconsistent.
12. One consequence of not responding to a customer complaint is that the problem may get worse.
13. Customers expect a consistent level of service, regardless of which employee helps them.
14. If you promise to call a customer back, you should always do it. This shows that you are It shows that you keep your word.    (promise)
15. One consequence of ignoring a complaint is that the customer may leave a negative review.
16. A positive consequence of resolving a complaint quickly is increased customer satisfaction.
17. Employees should be consistent when applying the company’s refund policy. KonSISStunt
18. If one employee offers a refund and another refuses it in the same circumstances, the service may seem
19. One consequence of failing to follow up is that the customer may contact the company again.
20. Providing consistent information helps customers know what to expect.
21. If you always greet customers politely, you are consistent in your approach.
22. Using a polite and professional tone in every email helps you remain consistent in your communication.
23. One consequence of taking too long to answer emails is customer frustration.
24. The customer received conflicting information by phone and email. The communication was
25. A positive consequence of answering calls promptly is improved customer satisfaction.
26. Customer service agents should be consistent in the way they explain company policies.
27. One consequence of failing to update a customer is that they may feel forgotten.
28. Sending regular updates helps maintain a consistent level of communication.

 

• consistency
• The bread had a strange chewy consistency.
• a runny consistency
• We received conflicting reports of the accident.
• I had mixed feelings about what happened.
• The information was rather muddled.

 

 

Pronunciation long “ee” sound: Sweden, Swedish,  retail, procedure, complete, incomplete, delete, secret, equal, zero, relax, relaxed, ingredients, genius, legal, illegal, scheme “skeem”

scene, scenery, scenic route

genius – “djeeneeyus”

Let’s proceed with caution.

il + legal

illiterate, rates of illiteracy

illogical

 

Shift work and working with the public

1. What kinds of jobs involve shift work, and what are the main challenges of working shifts?
2. Which is more difficult: early shifts, late shifts, or night shifts? Why?
3. Why is good communication between shifts important?
4. What kind of information should workers pass on to colleagues at the end of a shift?
5. What skills do you need to work well with the public?
6. What kinds of situations are most difficult when dealing with customers?
7. How can staff stay polite and professional under pressure?
8. Which is more important in retail: product knowledge, people skills, or teamwork?
9. Would you prefer to work directly with customers or behind the scenes? Why?

 

 Travelling at that time of night can be dangerous.

At that point in time, I was still living on my own.

My body clock was very disordered.

It disrupts our natural biorhythms

factory workers, hospital workers, customer service agents, in elderly care, security guard, a night receptionist, a night porter,

paramedics, emergency services, police officers, firefighters, the coastguard

round-the-clock care, nursing

residential home for the elderly, a care home

behandling = treatment   What treatment the patients are receiving

ongoing problems

problem solving skills, communication skills

People don’t remember what you did, but they do remember how you made them feel.

respectful

I don’t can work….   I know I can’t work an early shift.

I don’t know,  I don’t think

No “do” – I can’t, I won’t, I wouldn’t

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

Wake up sleepyhead!

He is like a bear with a sore head before his first cup of coffee.   (=grumpy)

 

 Build your vocabulary

 

Instead of: busy
Say: hectic / demanding

I’m rushed off my feet in the lead-up to Christmas.

It was a stressful period in my life.  She has a stressful job.

I have a heavy workload this week.  (= too much to do)

Instead of: hard
Say: complicated, challenging

 

Instead of: nice to customers, nice to your staff
Say: polite, friendly, service-minded, approachable, positive, reliable, trustworthy,

dedicated to your job

 

Instead of: good at talking to people
Say: to have a friendly manner, to have (good) people skills. to have good communication skills,

soft skills – empathy

Instead of: solve/fix problems
Say: resolve issues, deal with problems, deal with a tricky situation, handle a difficult situation

 

Instead of: tell the next worker
Say: pass on information / give a clear handover

 Heads up! The boss is in a bad mood today

 

Instead of: very tired from work
Say: exhausted / at risk of burning out  / at risk of burnout

He fell asleep from exhaustion

a break, distribute the work between employees,

a break from the computer

You should be able to delegate tasks.

You should avoid micromanaging.

 

Match the words and phrases on the left to the meanings on the right

1.   shift handover f. 2.   rota / schedule   k. 3.   peak hours   i. 4.   understaffed  h. 5.   cover a shift   m.  cuvver 6.   back-to-back shifts  p. 7.   workload d.   (heavy/light) 8.   last-minute change  b. 9.   burnout  s. 10.                 time pressure  n. 11.                 customer-facing  c. 12.                 deal with complaints o. 13.                 handle difficult situations e./f. 14.                 stay calm under pressure e./f. 15.                 be approachable  a. 16.                 be tactful  t.     17.                 professional manner q. 18.                 conflict resolution  j. 19.                 meet customer expectations r. 20.                 maintain a positive attitude   l.

a. to seem friendly and easy to talk to b. a sudden change made very late c. direct contact with customers d. the amount of work a person has to do e. to manage challenging problems calmly f. the exchange of important information between workers g. to remain controlled in stressful situations h. not having enough workers i. the busiest time of day j. solving disagreements or tense situations k. a timetable showing when people work l. to continue to sound friendly and helpful m. to work instead of someone else n. stress caused by not having enough time o. to manage unhappy customers or customer problems p. shifts with very little break between them q. behaviour that is polite and suitable for work r. to give customers the level of service they expect s. extreme tiredness and stress caused by work    “wöök” t. to be careful not to upset people

 

opposite of tactful  – direct (neutral) , blunt, insensitive, tactless

I’ll get straight to the point!

You really put your foot in your mouth.  = to say something tactless, can cause offence or embarrassment

 

Discuss

Choose one statement and say whether you agree or disagree.

1. Working with the public is more stressful than office work.
2. A bad colleague creates more problems than a difficult customer.
3. Good communication is the most important skill during a shift.
4. Customers expect too much from retail workers.
5. Working shifts is harder than working regular office hours.

 

Useful phrases for discussion

• I agree to some extent because …
• I completely agree that …
• I’m not sure I agree because …
• In my experience, …
• It depends on the workplace.
• One reason is that …
• On the other hand, …
• That can be true, but …

 

Vocabulary

1. A good __________________ helps the next worker understand what happened during the shift.
2. During __________________, the shop gets very busy and staff need to work quickly.
3. The store was __________________ today, so everyone had to do extra work.
4. Could you __________________ for me on Friday? I have a doctor’s appointment.
5. She worked two __________________ and was exhausted by the end of the day.
6. My __________________ is heavier than usual this week because several colleagues are away.
7. If employees do not rest properly, they may suffer from stress and __________________.
8. Staff often work under __________________ when there are long queues and lots of tasks to finish.
9. Retail is a __________________ job, so workers need strong communication skills.
10. Employees must know how to __________________ politely and effectively.
11. Good retail workers can __________________ without becoming stressed or rude.
12. I always check the __________________ on Sunday evening to see when I am working next week.
13. In customer service, it is important to __________________, especially when customers are upset.
14. A good shop assistant should __________________ so customers feel comfortable asking for help.
15. When giving bad news to a customer, you need to __________________.
16. Even when the shop is busy, staff should behave in a __________________.
17. Team leaders often need strong __________________ skills to solve problems between staff members.
18. There was a __________________ to the rota, so I had to start work an hour earlier.
19. Good service means trying to __________________ whenever possible.
20. Even after a difficult customer interaction, staff should __________________.

 

Useful phrases

Giving updates

• I’ve finished the shelves near the entrance.
• I haven’t had time to do the display yet.
• We’re running low on shopping bags.
• There was a problem with the card machine.
• A customer order is waiting behind the counter.
• The manager asked us to change the promotion sign.

Asking for information

• Have you finished the delivery?
• Do we have any more in the stockroom?
• Did anyone call about the order?
• Is the card machine working now?
• What still needs to be done?

Asking for help

• Can you help me with this?
• Could you check the stockroom?
• Can you cover the till for five minutes?
• Would you mind helping me with this customer?

Responding

• Sure, no problem.
• I’ll do it now.
• I’ll check for you.
• Thanks for letting me know.
• I’ll deal with it.
• Let’s do that first.

 

This happened in the shop today

• one delivery arrived late
• size M is missing in two shirts
• the card machine stopped working several times
• a customer order is behind the counter
• the manager wants a new display
• the shop is running low on bags

 

Questions

1. Which problem is the most serious?
2. Which problem should staff deal with first?
3. What should the next worker know?

 

Shift handover

A = finishing shift
B = starting shift

A: Hi, I’m just finishing now.
B: OK, anything I need to know?
A: Yes. We’re running low on shopping bags, and size M is missing in two blue shirts.
B: OK. Did you check the stockroom?
A: Yes, but I couldn’t find any.
B: Right. Anything else?
A: There’s a customer order behind the counter. The customer’s name is Andersson.
B: Did the customer call?
A: No, not today. Oh, and the card machine stopped working a few times during the morning, but it seems fine now.
B: OK, thanks for letting me know.
A: Also, the manager wants us to change the front display before closing.
B: No problem. I’ll do that later.

 

Asking a colleague for help

A: Excuse me, can you help me for a minute?
B: Sure, what’s the problem?
A: A customer is looking for this jacket in a large, but I can’t find it on the shop floor.
B: Have you checked the stockroom?
A: Not yet. I’m with another customer.
B: OK, I’ll check for you. What colour is it?
A: Black.
B: No problem. I’ll be back in a minute.

 

Planning tasks

A: What should we do first?
B: I think we should put out the new promotion signs.
A: OK. And after that?
B: Then we need to restock the shelves near the checkout.
A: Fine. Can you do the signs while I do the shelves?
B: Yes, that works.

 

Speaking practice: role play

Shift handover

Student A is finishing work.
Student B is starting work.

Student A: Tell your colleague:

• one shelf is empty
• a customer order is behind the counter
• the floor near the drinks fridge is wet
• the manager called
• the delivery came late

Student B:

• ask questions
• decide what to do first
• offer help

 

Ask a colleague for help

Student A:

• you need help with a customer
• you cannot find a product
• the shop is busy

Student B:

• ask questions
• offer help
• suggest a solution

 

Role play 3: Plan the shift

You are working together this afternoon.

Discuss:

• what needs to be done first
• who will work at the till
• who will restock shelves
• who will help customers
• when to take breaks

 

Useful sentence starters

• Can you help me with …?
• Do we have any more …?
• I haven’t finished … yet.
• We need to …
• There’s a problem with …
• What should we do first?
• I’ll take care of it.
• Thanks for letting me know.
• I’ll check right away.
• Could you do that while I …?

 

Follow-up discussion

1. Is it important to give clear information to colleagues? Why?
2. What can happen if workers do not communicate well?
3. Which phrases are most useful for your job?
4. Which situations are common in your workplace?

 

What is a phrasal verb?  (multi-word verb)

A phrasal verb is a verb + particle (usually an adverb or preposition), for example:

Stress on the main verb

• help out 
• deal with
• look for
• pick up
• eat in/eat out

Together, the words make a meaning that is sometimes literal and sometimes idiomatic.

Examples:

• look for = search for
• try on = put on clothes to see if they fit or suit
• sort out = solve a problem
• run out of = have no more left

Phrasal verbs are very common in spoken and workplace English.

 

Common phrasal verbs for retail and customer service

• help out with = help someone with work, with a work task   (a general situation)
• help someone with something
• deal with = handle
• look for = search for
• ask for = request
• try on = test clothes by wearing them
• pick up = collect someone from a place,  pick up a guest from the airport, pick up a parcel from the post office
• put back = return to the correct place
• bring back = return an item to a shop
• take back = accept a returned item   I take back what I said, I made a mistake.
• sell out = have all stock sold     We’ve sold out of free range eggs.
• run out of = have none left
• check out = pay and leave / process payment
• sort out = solve
• follow up = contact again later
• write down = record information   If I don’t write things down, I forget it immediately.
• fill out = complete a form
• set up = arrange or prepare
• hand out = distribute
• queue up = wait in a line

 

Eat out to help out.

a snooker/billiards cue

People queue up for hours to get into the most popular nightclubs.

We’re just setting up = getting things ready

 

Gap-fill exercise – Phrasal verbs

Complete the sentences using the correct phrasal verb. Change the form if necessary.

deal with, look for, ask for, try on, pick up, put back, bring back, take back, sell out, run out of, check out, sort out, follow up, write down, fill out, set up, hand out, queue up

 

1. Could you help out at the till for ten minutes while I help this customer? (= assist me)
2. The customer is asking for/looking for a black handbag with a long strap.
3. If you need a different size, just ask for one of the sales assistants.
4. You can try on the jacket in the fitting room over there.
5. We’ve sold out of that dress in medium, but we still have small and large.
6. I’m sorry, we’ve completely run out of printer paper.
7. Customers can pick up their online orders from the service desk.
8. Please look after/ take care of the sweater carefully if you decide not to buy it.
9. If the product is faulty, you can bring it back within 14 days.
10. We usually ________ returns as long as the customer has the receipt.
11. There are three people waiting to ________ at the front counter.
12. I need to ________ this complaint before it becomes a bigger problem.
13. I’ll ________ with the customer tomorrow to check that the delivery arrived.
14. Could you ________ the customer’s phone number on this form?
15. New customers must ________ a membership form before getting a discount card.
16. We need to ________ the promotional display before the shop opens.
17. The manager will ________ the new price lists at the staff meeting.
18. During the sale, customers often ________ outside before the doors open.
19. I had to ________ a very difficult complaint this morning.

 

 

We ate out at a fancy restaurant for my birthday.

eat in = eat at home

We stood/waited in line for 2 hours.  (US)

We need to set up everything for the staff party.

She set up the projector in the corner of the room.

That’s life!

 

 Discussion

1. Which of these phrasal verbs do you already use at work?
2. Which phrasal verbs are new for you?
3. What do customers usually ask for in your workplace?
4. Do customers often bring back items? Why?
5. What products usually sell out quickly?
6. What do staff do when they run out of a product?
7. Have you ever had to deal with an angry customer?
8. When do you need to follow up with a customer?
9. What information do staff usually have to write down?
10. Do customers in your country usually queue up patiently?
11. Who usually sets up displays or promotions in a shop?
12. Is it easy to sort out customer complaints in your workplace? Why or why not?