Making appointments by

telephone in English
Skill objectives
• Make an appointment (not a sale) in English
• Transmit and receive precise information (date, time, place)
• Make the person want to meet you!
• … and do it all without body language or visual contact.
Phoning in another language
Some practical tips :

• Speak slowly and clearly

• Make sure you understand the other speaker : Do not say you have
understood if you have not. Ask the person to repeat until you have understood
• When taking note of a name or important information, repeat each piece of
information as the person speaks.
• Use polite expressions (don’t be too direct)
• Pronounce dates and numbers with precision
Phoning in another language
PRACTICE DATES AND NUMBERS

Dates Times Numbers

A. 21/9 A. 8h50 A. 72 units

B. 12/6 B. 15h15 B. 425,000 units
C. 23/8 C. 12h C. 657 units
D. 1/12 D. 10h45 D. 2,400,000 units
E. 7/4 E. 14h20 E. 1,500 units
Phoning in another language
PRACTICE DATES AND NUMBERS

Dates Times Numbers

A. 21/9 A. 8h50 A. 72 units

I would like to
Phoning in another language
PRACTICE DATES AND NUMBERS

Dates Times Numbers

A. 21/9 A. 8h50 A. 72 units

I
Phoning in another language
PRACTICE DATES AND NUMBERS

Dates Times Numbers

A. 12/6 A. 15h15 A. 425,000 units

I would like to
Phoning in another language
PRACTICE DATES AND NUMBERS

Dates Times Numbers

A. 12/6 A. 15h15 A. 425,000 units

I
Phoning in another language
• How do you say?

1. .
2. * star key
3. _ underscore
4. / forward slash
5. - hyphen
6. \ back slash
 Phoning in another language
PRACTICE THE ALPHABET

A B C D E F
G H I J K L
M N O P Q R
S T U V W X
Y Z
Phoning in another language
[iː] [ei] [ai] [ɛ] [ʊ] [ɑː] [əʊ]
B A I F U R O
C H Y L W
D J M Q
E K N
G S
P Z
T X
V
Phoning in another language
WRITE DOWN THE NAMES AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES

Names E-mail addresses

A. A.
B. B.
C. C.
D. D.
E. E.
Getting set up
Before dialing the number:

• Prepare any materials you might need

• Sit straight and eliminate parasite noises
• Adopt a professional attitude
• Think about your vocabulary
Getting set up : positive words

This includes any technical vocabulary relating to the content of your

call, as well as general positive phrasing that works in all situations.

Words that evoke negativity, problems, or stress are unlikely to attract

potential customers!
 Positive phrasing: some examples
Negative phrasing Positive phrasing

Problem solution

Spend invest

Don’t worry! You an count on me

Please don’t hang up! Would you mind holding on for a second

What’s your problem? How can I help you

 Positive phrasing: your turn
Negative phrasing Positive phrasing
What’s wrong? How may I help you
I’m sorry, I don’t understand you. I quite didn’t catch that, could you repeat please
Are you confused? Do you have any questions or clarification on certain
points
That sounds awful.. I can go over the details again if you’d like
I don’t know. Good question let me find out for you right now
I forgot. Could you refresh my memory
This is going to be complicated… I’m sure we can overcome this challenge
Going through the steps
1. Making contact
2. Piquing their interest
3. Securing the appointment
4. Setting up the time
5. Wrapping things up
Step 1: Making contact
The first thing to do make sure you’re speaking with the right person
(name and function).

Then, present yourself as concisely as possible.

“______________________________________”
Step 2: Pique their interest
Before asking for an appointment, make them want an appointment.
Show them that the call is worth their time, and listen for their
reaction!

“__I’m calling regarding_______ our traineeship program. I know that

companies in your sector are always interested in recruiting hard-
working trainees, and we at EPHEC are always looking for the best
companies to give our students a practical professional experience.”
Step 3: Securing an appointment
In this crucial step, the goal is to convince the other person, with clear
and concise arguments, to meet with you. Don’t say too much!

“We would like to start a partnership with your company in the

framework of our internship program. Would you be open to a short
meeting for us to go over the details of our program and see what we
have to offer?”

For the arguments to be heard well, don’t speak too fast!

Step 4: Setting up the time
Once you’ve secured their agreement to have a meeting, don’t waste
any time to make it concrete!

Have options ready before the call, and give them a real choice.

“Is there a time that would work best for you? I’ve got
_____________ at the beginning and end of the week.”
Step 5: Wrapping things up
Finally, once the appointment has been set up, it’s time to wrap things
up by
- Repeating the agreed-upon terms.
- Mentioning the person’s name.
- Hanging up after them!

“Great! So we’ll meet at 433 Randolf Street, office 215 on October 10th
at 2 PM. I’m looking forward to meeting you then Mrs. Smith.”
Leaving a message (1/2)
If no one answers the phone, you will need to leave a message! Here’s a simple
formula..

• Introduction: Hello, My name is Ken Smith.

• State your reason for calling: I'm phoning (calling, ringing) to find out if ... / to see
if ... / to let you know that ... / to tell you that ...
• Make a request: Could you call (ring, telephone) me back? / Would you mind ... ?
• Leave your telephone number: My number is .... / You can reach me at .... / Call me
at ...
• Finish: Thanks a lot, bye. / I'll talk to you later, bye.
Leaving a message (2/2)
For example..

Telephone: (Ring... Ring... Ring...) Hello, this is Tom. I'm afraid I'm not in
at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep..... (beep)
Ken: “Hello Tom, this is Ken from Starbucks. I’m calling about our
corporate partnership program, which we think might interest your
company. Could you call me back? You can reach me at 367-8925 until
five this afternoon. I'll talk to you later, bye.”
Useful expressions: introductions
Useful expressions: asking for someone
Useful expressions: starting the conversation
Useful expressions: asking someone to repeat
Useful expressions: ending the conversation
Let’s practice!