Top 40 Telephoning phrases and vocabulary for Customer Care

Customer Service Business English / By

Master Professional Customer Service Communication

In today’s competitive business environment, the quality of your customer service can make or break your business. Whether you’re handling complaints, providing information, or solving problems, effective telephone communication is essential for creating positive customer experiences.

The telephone is usually the first point of contact for customers, making your verbal communication skills crucial for creating a positive first impression.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn the ‘Top 40 Telephoning Phrases and Vocabulary for Customer Care’ that will help you sound professional and confident in any customer interaction.

Want to master customer service communication beyond these phrases? Check out our Customer Service Business English Course for in-depth training and practical exercises.

Watch the Video Tutorial

Before diving into the phrases, watch our detailed video lesson:


Don’t forget to download your FREE Cheat Sheet with all 40 phrases for effective customer care communication!

FREE CHEAT SHEET

IDENTIFYING YOURSELF
(WHEN CUSTOMER CALLS)

When a customer calls your office and you answer the phone, it’s important to create a professional first impression:

  1. “Good morning, [Toomey Business English].”
  2. “Good afternoon, [Bing Industries].”
  3. “Hello, [Sam Foxton] speaking. How [can] I help you?”
  4. “Hello, [Sam Foxton} speaking. How [may] I help you?”

Pro Tip: Always speak clearly and at a moderate pace, especially when stating your name and company. This helps non-native English speakers understand you better.

IDENTIFYING YOURSELF
(AS THE CUSTOMER)

When you’re the customer calling a company, introduce yourself clearly:

5. “Hello, my name is [Amy Baxter]. I’m with [Saxon Solicitors] in [Liverpool].

6. ”This is [Ben Foster] from [Fosters, Smith and Baxter].”

7. Hello, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is [Emma Hunter] from [Stardust Industries].”

After identifying yourself, explain the purpose of your call:

8. “I’m calling to [enquire about the job advert posted in Guardian News].”

9. “I’m calling to [arrange a meeting with the Managing Director].”

GETTING THROUGH TO THE RIGHT PERSON
Success! You’ve connected with customer care. Here’s what happens next:

10. “Could you put me through to [Jim Hawker], please?”

11. “I’d like to speak to [Steve Beesley] please.”

Customer care responds professionally:

12. “Thanks for waiting. I’m putting you through to [Jim’s] office now.”

13. “Of course, one moment please.”

LEAVING AND TAKING MESSAGES

When the person isn’t available, customer care offers to take a message:

14. “Would you like to leave a message?”

The customer might respond.

15. “That’s okay, I’ll call back later.”

16. “Could I leave [him] a message to ring me back as soon as possible?”

17. “Could I leave [her] a message to ring me back as soon as possible?”

Customer care then reassures the customer:

18. “I’ll make sure [he] gets your message straight away.”

19. “I’ll make sure [she] gets your message straight away.”

20. “I’ll make sure [he] calls you back today.”

21. “I’ll make sure [she] calls you back today.”

SHOWING ATTENTION TO CUSTOMER NEEDS
It’s important to demonstrate that you’re actively listening and recording information correctly:

22. “Let me just make a note of that.”

23. “I’ll just write that down.”

24. “I’ve got your customer file right in front of me.”

25. “I’m checking your file as we speak.”

CONFIRMING INFORMATION
Always verify details to ensure accuracy and build trust:

26. “Can I just [confirm] the details again?”

27. “Can I just [go over] the details again?”

28. “Let’s go over it again to be sure of the details.”

EXPLAINING ACTIONS BEING TAKEN
Keep customers informed about what you’re doing to help them:

29. “I’ll be glad to send this out to you today.”

30. “You should receive it by [next Wednesday].”

31. “You should receive it by [tomorrow].”

SHOWING FOLLOW-UP COMMITMENT
Sometimes you’ll need to gather more information before resolving an issue:

32. “I’ll check on that information with my colleague and call you back in [three] hours.”

33. “I’ll make sure that [he] calls you back today.

34. “I’ll make sure that [she] calls you back today.

ENDING THE CALL PROFESSIONALLY
Always close conversations positively and ensure all customer needs have been addressed:

35. “Could I [help] you with anything else today?”

36. “Could I [assist] you with anything else today?”

37. “Is there anything else I can help you with today?”

38. “Can I take care of anything else for you?”

39. “I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me.”

40. “Many thanks for calling us.”

Real-Life Application: Putting Phrases Into Practice

Scenario: Imagine you work for a software company’s customer service department. A customer calls about a technical issue with their recently purchased product.

How the conversation might flow:

You: “Good morning, TechSolutions, Sam speaking. How may I help you?”

Customer: “Hello, this is Jane Smith from Acme Corporation. I’m having trouble with the new accounting software we purchased last week.”

You: “I’m sorry to hear that, Ms. Smith. Let me just make a note of that. Could you please describe the issue you’re experiencing?”

Customer: [explains the problem]

You: “Thank you for that information. I’ve got your customer file right in front of me. Can I just confirm that you’re using version 3.2 of our accounting software?”

Customer: “Yes, that’s correct.”

You: “I’ll check on this issue with our technical team and call you back within two hours. Is there a specific number where I can reach you?”

Customer: [provides contact information]

You: “Let me just confirm that number again… [repeat number]. I’ll make sure our technical specialist calls you back today. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

Customer: “No, that’s all for now.”

You: “Thank you for calling TechSolutions. We appreciate your business.”

QUIZ: Test Your Knowledge!

How well do you know these customer care phrases? Try matching the correct phrase to each situation:

  1. A customer calls and you pick up the phone. What should you say?
    A. “Hello, who is this?”
    B. “Good morning, [Company Name]. How may I help you?”
    C. “What do you want?”
    D. “Hi, this is [Your Name]. What do you need?”
  2. You need to verify the customer’s address. What’s the best phrase to use?
    A. “Can I just confirm your address, please?”
    B. “Tell me your address again.”
    C. “I need your address.”
    D. “What’s your address?”
  3. The person the customer wants to speak to is unavailable. What should you say?
    A. “They’re not here. Call back later.”
    B. “Would you like to leave a message?”
    C. “I don’t know where they are.”
    D. “Sorry, they are busy right now.”
  4. You’re about to transfer the call to another department. What’s the correct phrase?
    A. “Hold on, I’ll transfer you now.”
    B. “Wait, I’ll send you to someone else.”
    C. “I don’t handle this. Talk to someone else.”
    D. “I’m going to connect you with [Department Name]. One moment, please.”

Check your answers at the bottom of this article!

Improve Your Customer Service Skills

Mastering these phrases is just the beginning of providing excellent customer service. To truly excel in business communication:

  1. Practice active listening – Focus completely on understanding the customer’s needs
  2. Use positive language – Replace negative phrases with positive alternatives
  3. Develop empathy – Put yourself in the customer’s position
  4. Stay calm under pressure – Maintain professionalism even with difficult customers.

Ready to take your Business English skills to the next level? Our comprehensive Business English Training provides personalised coaching to help you communicate effectively in any professional setting.

FREE Resources to Support Your Learning

Don’t forget to download your FREE Cheat Sheet with all these phrases and more!

FREE CHEAT SHEET

Also, grab our Ultimate 300 Business English Phrases for Communication in the Office ebook below.

What’s Your Experience?

Telephoning in English can be challenging, especially when dealing with customer care situations. Here are a couple of questions to reflect on:

  1. What’s the most challenging part of telephoning in English for you?
  2. Which phrases or situations do you find most difficult to handle on the phone?

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to share your experiences by connecting with us on LinkedIn or Facebook.

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Quiz Answers:

1-B, 2-A, 3-B, 4-D

FREE! THE ULTIMATE 300 BUSINESS ENGLISH PHRASES FOR COMMUNICATION IN THE OFFICE