At the offices of Tip Top Trading – the leading manufacturer of imitation plastic fruit – staff are busy trying to meet huge demand for its new ‘Awesome Apple’ product. But there’s a problem because their biggest client, Mr Lime, has not received the correct order. What can be done to keep him happy?
Listen out for these useful phrases used to prepare someone for a disappointment:
Narrator
Welcome back to English at Work. The staff at Tip Top Trading – the leading manufacturer of imitation plastic fruit – are busy trying to meet a huge demand in orders for its new ‘Awesome Apple’ product. But there’s a problem because some of the orders have not been awesome, or indeed apple…
Tom
[on the phone] Yeah, yeah calm down mate… what can I do about it? Apples, avocados, they’re all the same really. I’m afraid there’s nothing I could do about it. Hello… hello? He hung up on me!
Anna
Is there a problem Tom?
Tom
Oh that was old Slimey Limey – he says his order for ten thousand ‘Awesome Apples’ isn’t right – he’s received ten thousand ‘Amazing Avocados’ instead. I told him it’s not my fault, I didn’t send them out. Sorry Anna it’s out of my hands now.
Denise
Well don’t look at me – I haven’t had anything to do with Mr Lime since… the incident.
Narrator
[mocking] ‘Sorry, but it’s out of my hands’ – lazy Tom is trying to pass the blame. Why did you marry him Anna?
Anna
Because I… I… find him unusual. Anyway, it sounds like it’s down to me to sort this out.
[to the team]
Look, I’m not blaming anyone – yet – but we have to sort this out. Slimey, I mean Mr Lime, is one of our biggest clients. Denise could you see if we have any more Awesome Apples in the warehouse that we can send him?
Denise
OK Anna – I’m onto it now.
Tom
He sounded really angry – a bit like you when I used all the hot water in the bath this morning, Anna.
Anna
Hmm, I haven’t forgotten about that Tom.
Denise
Anna… according to our database, we’re completely out of Awesome Apples – and Big Bananas and even Imperial Lemons. [panicking] What are we doing to do Anna?!
Narrator
What are you going to do Anna? It’s time to do some grovelling.
Anna
Grovelling?
Narrator
To show lots of respect for him – to try to please him. Be apologetic and use phrases like…
I’m really sorry to let you down but…
Sorry to disappoint you, but… and maybe…
It’s not how we planned it but…
Anna
But…?
Narrator
But… explain what the problem is and how are you going to fix things? It’s over to you Anna.
Tom
Anna, listen Anna… I can’t ring Mr Lime and give him the bad news – I’ve got my… errr… reputation to think of.
Denise
Yes you’ve certainly got a reputation Tom!
Anna
Thank you Denise. Look, it’s Tip Top Trading’s reputation we’ve got to think about now. I’m going to have to ring him now…
[dials phone]
Mr Lime
Sid Lime speaking.
Anna
Oh hello Mr Lime. It’s Anna from Tip Top Trading here…
Mr Lime
Ah Anna, I did wonder when you would call. I see you’re getting Tom to do all your dirty work now hmmm? I don’t know why you ever married…
Anna
It’s about the Awesome Apples… I’m really sorry about the mix up… someone obviously got their apples mixed up with their avocados…
Mr Lime
Obviously! So you’ll be sending me a replacement ASAP?
Anna
Err… well that’s thing… I’m really sorry to let you down but… but… we haven’t got any more Awesome Apples in stock to send you.
Mr Lime
Oh no! Not so ‘awesome’…
Anna
Clearly it’s not how we planned it but something has gone wrong – we normally pride ourselves on good customer service…
Mr Lime
Clearly!
Anna
Look, we’re really sorry to disappoint you but we will be producing some more Awesome Apples in a few weeks’ time and we will…. err… we will send you an extra 1,000 apples as compensation. How does that sound Mr Lime?
Mr Lime
[thinking it over] Hmmm, an extra 1,000 you say? OK then… and how about having dinner with me sometime as well Anna?
[slams phone down]
Narrator
Well done Anna! She handled the call very well, sounding apologetic, honest and fair. Here are the phrases that helped her…
I’m really sorry to let you down.
Sorry to disappoint you but…
It’s not how we planned it but…
Tom
So come on then, how angry was he?
Anna
Not angry… everything is sorted, I think he’ll be…
Denise
[interrupting] Anna, I’ve just been looking through the paperwork from the warehouse and on the order for Slimey Limey somebody ticked ‘avocados’ and not ‘apples’.
Anna
Let me have a look [paper rustle] … oh, and look who signed the paperwork… Tom!
Tom
[lost for words] What?
Anna
Tom, you thought I was angry this morning – just wait until I get you home.
1. I’m really sorry to let you down + but… [explain the problem]
2. Sorry to disappoint you + but… [explain the problem or how you’re going to solve it]:
very useful & tremendous accent..