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BEP 140 INT – Dealing with Problems over the Phone

Welcome back to Business English Pod. My name’s
Jennifer and I’ll be your host for this lesson on discussing
problems over the phone. For the example today, we’ll
focus on chasing up an outstanding invoice, or a bill that
hasn’t been paid on time.

In business, it’s not unusual to have a customer who’s

late with a payment. Sometimes an invoice just hasn’t
been received; other times the customer might not have
the funds to cover the bill. Eventually, you need to call,
discuss the problem, and try and work out a solution.

In today’s lesson, we’ll practice phrases for introducing

the problem, clearly stating the details in a polite but firm
manner, making an offer and proposing a solution.

The dialog features Marcy, who works for Computer Solutions. Marcy’s company
provided software and training for Jack Fountain’s department at ATI
Communications. Months have passed since Marcy submitted her first invoice, but
no payment has been made. She’s calling to find out why. First, she speaks with
Donna in the Accounts Payable department.

As you listen, try to answer the following questions.

Listening Questions

1) Where does Jack think Marcy’s invoice might be?

2) What are the payment terms that Jack agreed to?

3) What solution does Jack suggest?

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BEP 140 INT – Dealing w ith Prob lem s over the Phone

Vocabulary
Accounts Payable: The department that handles a company’s bill-paying.4
“Jasmine in Accounts Payable will know when that was paid.”
To follow up: To check on a request after it’s been made. “Mark hasn’t called me
back yet. I’ll follow up with him tomorrow.”
Second request: A request for information or payment made for the second time.
“I asked Rose & Co. for that information, but they haven’t responded. I’ll send a
second request this week.”
Outstanding: Unpaid or unresolved. “That client still has four invoices
outstanding.”
Purchase order number/PO number: A number assigned by a company to track a
purchase. “What’s the PO number for the laptops?”
What’s this about…?: Idiom used to ask what is happening with a particular person
or thing. “What’s this about a holiday party scheduled for January?”
What’s the deal?: Idiom used to ask for a status update. “What’s the deal with
Margaret? Will she be back from maternity leave by then?”
Mountain of paperwork: An excessive amount of papers and files. “I’d help you,
but I’ve got a mountain of paperwork on my desk right now.”
Lost in the shuffle: Missing after items have been moved around. “I can’t find the
Planco folder anywhere. It must have gotten lost in the shuffle.”
Terms: Conditions of an agreement. “I won’t sign a contract with those terms.”
Net 30 days: A term that requires payment within 30 days of the invoice date.
“Our terms are net 30 days, so we’d expect payment by November 1”
Interest: Charges added to an amount invoiced because a payment is late. “I had
no idea they’d charge us so much interest. Most of our vendors are more lenient
than that.”
Overdue payment: A payment that has not been made in the expected time frame.
“We just can’t work with that vendor anymore. Too many overdue payments.”
To work with someone: To cooperate toward a common goal. “We understand
your need for smaller office space. We’ll work with you on the lease terms.”
Payment plan: an agreement for one party to pay another, usually in installments.
“We’ve just set up a payment plan with Louise. She’s going to send in $50 each
month.
Tell you what: Idiom used to introduce a suggestion. “Tell you what. I’ll charge
you half the amount when we sign the contract. The other half will be due when
it’s completed.”
Expedite: To process a transaction more quickly than usual. “Is there any chance
you could expedite the contract signing? We’d like to start this project as soon as
we can.”
Will do: Informal phrase that means “I will do that.” Manager: “Please have that
ready for me by Tuesday.” Employee: “Will do.”
Malfunction. Not working. “Everyone in the office was sent home early. The
heating system was malfunctioning.”
Snail mail. Mail delivery via a regular postal service. “Their internet service isn’t
reliable, so I always send important documents by snail mail instead of e-mail.”

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BEP 140 INT – Dealing w ith Prob lem s over the Phone

Dialog

Donna: Accounts Payable, Donna speaking.

Marcy: Hi, Donna. This is Marcy calling from Computer Solutions. I’d just like to
follow up on an invoice.

Donna: Certainly. How can I help you?

Marcy: Well, back in October, our company installed new software and provided
training for Jack Fountain’s department. We sent out our invoice #224 on October
30th, but we haven’t received payment. I sent a second request on December
15th, but that’s still outstanding. The PO number is 53697. Could you please tell
me what your records show?

Donna: Hmm….I’m sorry, but I’m not seeing anything. Let me transfer to you to
Jack.
……………………

Jack: Hi, Marcy. What’s this about unpaid invoices?

Marcy: Yeah, I don’t know…I’m just wondering what the deal is. Maybe they got
lost in the shuffle somehow?

Jack: Well…to be honest, Marcy, my desk is a mountain of paperwork right

now. I’m sure I’ve got your invoices buried here somewhere.

Marcy: That happens to all of us! But really, Jack, you know our terms are net
30 days with interest applied to overdue payments. We discussed that when
we signed the contract. Right?

Jack: Uh-huh.

Marcy: Now, I’m willing to work with you. If you need a payment plan or
something…

Jack: No, no, it’s not that. You’re right, Marcy. I’m sorry for the delay. Tell you
what: e-mail me another invoice and I’ll make sure it’s expedited. We’ll get a
check out to you by Friday.

Marcy: Okay, Jack. So, I’ll have a check by early next week then?

Jack: Yes. If it’s not there by Tuesday, call me.

Marcy: Will do. Thanks for your help.

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BEP 140 INT – Dealing w ith Prob lem s over the Phone

Debrief

So what language and expressions does Marcy use to resolve her problem? Let’s
take a look.

Marcy: Hi, Donna. This is Marcy calling from Computer Solutions. I’d just like to
follow up on an invoice.

Marcy starts by giving the general background to the problem she wants to discuss.
Doing this places the problem in a context. Marcy doesn’t know whether the person
answering the phone will be familiar with her company or the invoice. She doesn’t
even know if the person who answers is the person who can help her. So instead of
confusing the person with details at the beginning, she uses one sentence to state
what her call is about.

In the following examples, pay attention to how the problem is introduced simply
and clearly.

 I have a question about returning merchandise.

 I’ve been reviewing all the documents and I think there might be a mistake in
the contract.
 I need to make a change to the order we placed yesterday.
 Our copier just started malfunctioning. It’s flashing error code 622.

In this case, Donna in Accounts Payable lets her know she’s called the right
department. Marcy can then follow on with more details:

Marcy: Well, back in October, our company installed software and provided a half
day of training for Jack Fountain’s department. We sent out our invoice #224 on
October 30 th, but we haven’t received payment. We sent a second request on
December 15 th, …

Notice that Marcy has all the relevant information to hand. This makes Donna’s job
easier. She can just look up the records and give Marcy a quick answer.

Giving detailed information on the phone can be tricky, so let’s practice some more
examples.

 We took delivery of this desk less than six months ago and now we’ve
discovered a crack in the wood.
 On page 4, it says the first phase of the work would be completed by June 30.
But over the phone, we had agreed to July 31.
 On the order for Friday, March 9 th, the only items listed are soft drinks and
bottled water. But we’d like to add 2 cases of ground coffee too.
 When we try to make double-sided copies, the machine squeals and we get
error code 622. That code isn’t explained in the manual.

When Donna replies that she’s “not seeing anything,” she means that there are no
records of Marcy’s invoice or the second request. So she transfers Marcy to Jack
Fountain because he was her contact person for the work involved.

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BEP 140 INT – Dealing w ith Prob lem s over the Phone

Because Marcy and Jack know each other, they use more informal language. Jack
asks, “What’s this about unpaid invoices?” and Marcy knows that “this” refers to the
background information that Donna likely told Jack before she transferred Marcy’s
call.

Let’s look at Marcy’s first response to Jack.

Marcy: Yeah, I don’t know…I’m just wondering what the deal is. Maybe they got
lost in the shuffle somehow?

When Marcy refers to “the deal,” she’s not talking about a business deal.
Sometimes the phrase “What’s the deal?” means “What’s going on?” or “What’s
happening with this?”

Notice, too, that Marcy uses a soft, polite approach at this point. She suggests that
maybe the invoice and second request got “lost in the shuffle” – that they may
have been mixed up with other papers or stuck to a folder that has since been filed
away. This is a more polite way of questioning, as opposed to “Why hasn’t your
company paid our bill?”

Jack responds with:

Jack: Well…to be honest, Marcy, my desk is a mountain of paperwork right

now. I’m sure I’ve got your invoices buried here somewhere.

We can imagine that Marcy’s invoice is buried under piles of paper on Jack’s desk.
This is probably why Donna in Accounts Payable did not see anything in her records
regarding the bill.

What does Marcy say next?

Marcy: That happens to all of us! But really, Jack, you know our terms are net
30 days with interest applied to overdue payments. We discussed that when
we signed the contract. Right?

Marcy begins her response on a light note, but she hasn’t forgotten the reason
she’s calling. She lets Jack know, politely but firmly, that payment terms were
explained and agreed to when the two parties signed their contract.

What are some other ways to be polite, but firm?

 I understand your situation, but we can’t move forward without these numbers.
 We’d like to accommodate you, but we can’t do that on such short notice.
 Everyone makes mistakes, I know. But we need to come up with another plan
quickly.
 I know you’re trying to find a solution, but the procedure you recommended
didn’t work for us.

Marcy does understand, however, that sometimes bills cannot be paid on time. She
values Jack’s business and wants to keep a positive professional relationship. So

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BEP 140 INT – Dealing w ith Prob lem s over the Phone

she offers a payment plan, which would allow Jack’s company to pay the money
owed in installments, or a series of smaller payments.

Marcy: Now, I’m willing to work with you. If you need a payment plan or
something…

One of the essential steps in solving a problem is to provide the other person with
an alternative, so let’s cover a few more ways to make an offer.

 How about if we fax the documents in the morning?

 Perhaps we could ask a few employees to work this weekend.
 I can review that report on the plane. Would that work?
 We could ask Ed to switch shifts with Nora.

Next, Jack tells Marcy that a payment plan won’t be necessary and apologizes for
the late payment.

Jack: No, no, it’s not that. You’re right, Marcy. I’m sorry for the delay. Tell you
what: e-mail me another invoice and I’ll make sure it’s expedited. We’ll get a
check out to you by Friday.

“Tell you what” is an idiom that sets up a plan or solution. It’s usually followed by
what the speaker intends to do. In this case, Jack will expedite, or speed up, the
payment process if Marcy e-mails him another invoice. He’ll make the payment his
priority and make sure it’s sent out promptly.

Let’s review a few alternative ways to propose a solution:

 I’ll have the trustees sign off on it and overnight it to you.

 We’ll fax you the signature page and send the original by snail mail.
 We won’t charge you for the unsatisfactory hotel rooms.
 I’ll arrange transportation with a different carrier.

How does Marcy respond?

Marcy: Okay, Jack. So, I’ll have a check by early next week then?

Jack: Yes. If it’s not there by Tuesday, call me.

Marcy: Will do. Thanks for your help.

Marcy accepts Jack’s plan, but confirms when she should expect the payment. Jack
gives her a more definite time frame and Marcy closes the call by thanking him.

Now let’s practice some of the language and vocabulary we’ve covered today.

We’ll start by practicing language used to introduce the problem you’d like to
discuss. First, you’ll hear a question, followed by a prompt. Use the prompt to
come up with a response to the question.

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BEP 140 INT – Dealing w ith Prob lem s over the Phone

For example, if you hear:

Example cue: Good morning, ATI. How can I help you?
Prompt: liability insurance

You could say:

Example answer: Hello, I have a question about liability insurance.

After each response, we’ll play an example answer. Keep in mind there can be
more than one answer for each question.

Are you ready? Let’s give it a try.

Cue 1: How can I assist you today?

Prompt: overdue payment
Learner 1:

Cue 2: Tech support, Adam speaking.

Prompt: bug in the new software release.
Learner 2:

Cue 3: Sandy here. What can I do for you?

Prompt: change the meeting schedule.
Learner 3:

Cue 4: Computer Solutions. How can I help you?

Prompt: computers crashing.
Learner 4:

Answer 1: I’d like to follow up on an overdue payment.

Answer 2: Hello Adam. I need to report a bug in the new software release.
Answer 3: Hi Sandy, do you have a moment to discuss the meeting schedule.
Answer 4: Hello, you upgraded our computers yesterday and now they keep
crashing.

Now let’s practice some of the idioms and vocabulary we’ve covered in today’s
lesson. You’ll hear a series of sentences. One word of each sentence will be
replaced with a beep. Repeat the whole sentence including the missing word.

For example, if you hear:

Example cue: This is our second <beep> for this payment.

You can say:

Example answer: This is our second request for this payment.

Ready to begin? Let’s give it a go.

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BEP 140 INT – Dealing w ith Prob lem s over the Phone

Cue 1: This invoice has been <beep> for three months.

Learner 1:

Cue 2: We can <beep> with you to come up with a payment plan.

Learner 2:

Cue 3: I know you need this payment in a hurry, so I’ll <beep> it.
Learner 3:

Cue 4: Our terms are <beep> 30 days.

Learner 4:

Cue 5: I don’t understand why they’re always late. What’s the <beep>?
Learner 5:

Answer 1: This invoice has been outstanding for three months.

Answer 2: We can work with you to come up with a payment plan.
Answer 3: I know you need this payment in a hurry, so I’ll expedite it.
Answer 4: Our terms are net 30 days.
Answer 5: I don’t understand why they’re always late. What’s the deal?

We’ve reached the end of this lesson on dealing with problems on the phone. We’ve
studied language and expressions for giving the initial background of a problem,
giving more detail about a problem, being polite but firm, making an offer, and
proposing a solution.

Don’t forget to check out the study notes for this and other episodes at
www.businessenglishpod.com. You can also, take a look at our new Learning
Center, which contains all the study notes and online activities for all our podcasts.
Just head over to www.businessenglishpod.com and sign up for a free trial.

Thanks for listening and see you again soon.

Study Strategy

Sometimes it’s difficult to give details about a problem because we don’t have all
the information at hand. At your company, what are some problems you must
handle over the phone? Think of some general statements to introduce them.
Then, make a list of details about each one. Try role playing with a colleague. Your
partner can pretend he isn’t aware of the problem. Try giving the most detailed
information you can as concisely as you can. Alternatively, if you don’t know
anyone to try this with, write it out as a dialog.

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BEP 140 INT – Dealing w ith Prob lem s over the Phone

Language Review

A. Giving more detail about a problem

Match each sentence in Group A with a sentence in Group B. Together, the

sentences should give more details about a problem.

Group A Group B
1. There was extensive fire damage at A. So unfortunately, we can’t meet the
the convention center. deadline.
2. Rene had a family emergency and B. We’ll need to recalculate our figures
will be out of the office for a few before we can give a full report.
weeks.
3. All of our computers crashed this C. We have to find another place to hold
morning. our meeting.
4. Some numbers in the data were D. So we need someone else to chair the
transposed. Audit Committee.

1.
2.
3.
4.

B. Being polite but firm.

To practice some ways to be polite but firm when discussing a problem over the
phone, fill in the blanks in the sentences below with words or phrases from the box.

understand terms shuffle mistakes

follow up accommodate mountain work with

1. I know you just returned from vacation and you probably have a
of paperwork, but we need that contract signed as soon as possible.
2. We all make . But the bill needs to be adjusted to show the
correct amount.
3. I’d like to help you, but there’s nothing I can do about the of
your loan.
4. We strive to these types of requests, but we just don’t have the
staff available for this one.
5. Files get lost in the all the time. But I’d appreciate if you’d look
for this one now. It’s urgently needed.
6. Believe me, we want to you. However, your messenger has
not been reliable.
7. I your position. Unfortunately, it doesn’t change the fact
that this deadline is October 1st.
8. I know you’re busy. But please with Grace today.
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.businessenglishpod.com 9
BEP 140 INT – Dealing w ith Prob lem s over the Phone

Answers

Listening Questions

1) Jack thinks the invoice is buried under a mountain of paperwork on his desk.
2) Jack agreed to payment terms of net 30 days, meaning payment was due within
30 days of the invoice date.
3) Jack asks Marcy to send him another invoice by email. He will make sure the
payment is expedited and a check will be mailed by Friday. If Marcy does not
receive payment by the beginning of the following week, she should call Jack to
follow up.

Language Review

A. Giving More Detail about a Problem

1. There was extensive fire damage at the convention center. We have to find
another place to hold the meeting.
2. Rene had a family emergency and will be out of the office for a few weeks. So
we need someone else to chair the Audit Committee.
3. All of our computers crashed this morning. So unfortunately, we can’t meet the
deadline.
4. Some numbers in the data were transposed. We’ll need to recalculate our
figures before we can give a full report.

B. Being Polite but Firm

1. I know you just returned from vacation and you probably have a mountain of
paperwork, but we need that contract signed as soon as possible.
2. We all make mistakes. But the bill needs to be adjusted to show the correct
amount.
3. I’d like to help you, but there’s nothing I can do about the terms of your loan.
4. We strive to accommodate these types of requests, but we just don’t have the
staff available for this one.
5. Files get lost in the shuffle all the time. But I’d appreciate if you’d look for this
one now. It’s urgently needed.
6. Believe me, we want to work with you. However, your messenger has not
been reliable.
7. I understand your position. Unfortunately, it doesn’t change the fact that this
deadline is October 1st.
8. I know you’re busy. But please follow up with Grace today.

Online Practice

Click the “Launch” button to open the online practice:

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