Aim: Improving Telephoning Skills
Activity: Role playing using office telephone lines
Level: Pre Intermediate
Outline:
The following example business telephone conversation can be used as a role play in class to introduce a number of standard phrases used when telephoning in English. Use the short summary and have students try to reproduce the conversation once they have practiced the role play a few times.
Example Business Telephone Conversation - Role Play
Ms Anderson (sales representative Jewels and Things): ring ring ... ring ring ... ring ring ...
Secretary
(Henry Smith): Hello, Diamonds Galore, this is Peter speaking. How may I be of help to you today?
Ms Anderson: Yes, this is Ms Janice Roberts calling. May I speak to Mr. Franks, please?
Henry Smith: I'm afraid Mr. Franks is out of the office at the moment. Would you like me to take a message?
Ms Anderson: Uhm... actually, this call is rather urgent. We spoke yesterday about a delivery problem that Mr. Franks mentioned. Did he leave any information with you?
Henry Smith: As a matter of fact, he did. He said that a representative from your company might be calling. He also asked me to ask you a few questions..
Ms Anderson: Great, I'd love to see this problem resolved as quickly as possible.
Henry Smith: Well, we still haven't received the shipment of earrings that was supposed to arrive last Tuesday.
Ms Anderson: Yes, I'm terribly sorry about that. In the meantime, I've spoken with our delivery department and they assured me that the earrings will be delivered by tomorrow morning.
Henry Smith: Excellent, I'm sure Mr. Franks will be pleased to hear that.
Ms Anderson: Yes, the shipment was delayed from France. We weren't able to send along your shipment until this morning.
Henry Smith: I see. Mr. Franks also wanted to schedule a meeting with you later this week.
Ms Anderson: Certainly, what is he doing on Thursday afternoon?
Henry Smith: I'm afraid he's meeting with...