 Basic Rules and Concepts  Conversation and Listening  Practices - Check Answers and Further Practice  Writing Practice  Checkpoint

Introduction

 Problems happen everyday!  When we work, we work on problems!  Don’t be afraid of problems because problems are part of ‘work’.  Many products and services exist in order to solve people’s daily problems!  Let’s think positively in order to deal with problems and complaints.

 If someone complains about people, products, services, someone else must deal with that complaint.  If you are the person who complains, try to be rational and make the thing easy for others to deal with it for you!  If you are the person who has to deal with the problem, complaint or trouble, face it positively and try your best to be helpful!

Listen to the conversation and fill in the blanks.

1. Explain the problem › What happened 2. Clarify the problem › Who was involved › When it happened › Where it happened › How it happened 3. Request or Suggest an action › What do you expect to be done for you? 4. Accept or reject the action › If someone provides you with a solution, would you accept it?

1. Get an overview of the problem 2. Ask for clarification 3. Consider initial solutions 4. Predict the consequences 5. Suggest possible actions 6. Promise action

 The Case: › A Canadian power company is about to start construction on a hydroelectric dam in Africa. › The dam will flood neighborhood farmland and forest. › Dan (project coordinator at the Vancouver office) receives a phone call from Robert (in charge of the project in Africa).

 How does Robert ask for Dan McGuire on the phone? › Is it formal? › What does Dan reply? › How does Robert introduce himself?  What happened in Africa? › What do the workers request?  What does Dan promise to do at the end of the phone call?

Check Your Answers and Practice the Dialogues

 Replace you and your partner’s names with the ones provided in the script.  Read the script again by using your own names.  Try to read aloud the script to practice the tone and procedure of dealing with problems and complaints.

Dan ： Hello, Dan McGuire. Robert ： Hello? Hello?-Is that Dan McGuire? Robert ： Hello, Dan. This is Robert. Dan ： Hi, Robert. How’s it going? All ready to start construction today? Robert ： Well…actually, no. I’m afraid we’ve got a problem. Some local farmers are protesting against the dam. They’re saying they don’t want to lose their farmland. Dan ： I can’t believe it! I though they agreed to this project. We paid them compensation, didn’t we? Robert ： But now they say they don’t agree. They’re stopping the work from going ahead. Dan ： ‘Stopping the work’-How do you mean exactly?

Robert ： There are hundreds of people here. They’re sitting on the ground where we want to start work, holding banners which say ‘No to the dam’ and ‘This is our land’. Some people have tied themselves to our machines. I think there are some foreign activists among them – environmental groups from the US and from Europe. Dan ： Oh my! That’s all we need! couldn’t we bring in some people to move them? What about the army? Robert ： I think it could be very dangerous. It might turn violent. Then some people would get hurt, and that would mean bad publicity for the company. Perhaps we could talk to them- offer them a bigger compensation package. These people are poor farmers – I’m sure they would be happy to get more money.

Dan ： But what about the cost? We don’t have any more money in the budget. And it’ll mean lengthy negotiations. In fact, the longer the protest goes on, the longer we’ll be delayed. We won’t be able to finish on schedule and that’ll result in even more expense! Robert ： What are we going to do ? Dan ： Find out who’s leading the protest. Talk to the leaders. Ask them why they changed their minds. I’m going to call a crisis meeting. I’ll get back to you soon as I can. Robert ： Ok, Dan. Bye.

Study the useful phrases. Write down your own expressions.

 I am calling to complain about …. ______________________________________  I am sorry to hear that. ______________________________________  Could you please make it clear ? ______________________________________  That could be very inconvenient. ______________________________________  I will send a person to help you right away. _________________________________________

 I am calling to complain about …. › I’m afraid that I need to complain about … › (To report a problem or to complain about something.)  I am sorry to hear that. › It’s a pity to hear that. / I can understand how you feel. › (To show your empathy. To calm the other person down.)  Could you please make it clear ? › I’d appreciate if you could provide more details. › (To clarify the problem.)  That could be very inconvenient. › It might cause some inconvenience. › (To predict the consequence.)  I will send a person to help you right away. › Someone will assist you at once. › (To promise an action.)

 When you deal with a problem or complaint, try to remain calm. › Getting emotional won’t make things better!  Don’t blame the person who is trying to help you! › The most important thing is to solve the problem!  While talking about a problem, try to focus on the ‘thing’ not a ‘person’. › Being objective is easier to get things done!

 Can you describe the common procedure of making a complaint?  Can you describe the common procedure of handling a complaint?  When you report a problem or complain about a thing, how should you do it properly?  How should you deal with a problem or complaint?