7.1 Read and translate the text:

John Martin, head of the Sales Department, has an angry customer to deal

with. The head office of a large group of companies ordered twelve desks

and according to their buyer, Mr. Brown, most of them arrived in a

damaged condition. Mr. Brown knows John Martin and insists on speaking

to him personally. He says that most of the desks have got deep

scratches on the sides. He implies that they were not inspected properly

before being dispatched. He hints that future orders will be placed with

another manufacturer. John immediately gets on the internal phone to the

Works Manager to ask him to check the inspection records.

All goods leaving the factory are inspected, that is, examined carefully

to make sure that the right standard of quality is maintained, and that

no faulty, damaged or incomplete items go out of the factory. Most firms

keep inspection records of their products. The inspector signs an

inspection sheet with the details of the goods he has seen and passed as

being fit for sale. The goods then go to the packing and dispatch

department. Here the components, or parts, of desks, filing cabinets and

cupboards are packed. They are then either packed in crates or loaded

into containers. Home deliveries or deliveries sent by container

normally require much less packing than goods which have to be sent

overseas. The goods are then dispatched to the buyer. Boxes and crates

carrying goods usually show printed warnings such as: USE NO HOOKS,

HANDLE WITH CARE or THIS SIDE UP. Sometimes the firm's salesman for the

area where the buyer is situated calls when the goods are delivered to

supervise assembly, in other words, see that the components are put

together correctly.

When John Martin has checked that the goods left the factory properly

inspected and correctly packed he asks Mr. Shuttleworth, his sales

representative in the area, to pay Mr. Brown a visit and see if he can

solve the mystery of the scratched desks. Mr. Shuttleworth subsequently

discovers that the goods have been handled badly by the men who unloaded

the goods from the containers. Even though the parts were wrapped in

strong cardboard, it was not strong enough to protect them, as hooks

were used for unloading.

In the end, even though Harper & Grant are not in the wrong, they agree

to respray the desks. They consider that the time and money involved is

small in comparison with the importance of keeping a customer satisfied.

7.2 Listen to the dialogue.

(John Martin is in the middle of a telephone call from Bruddersfield)

JOHN MARTIN ...I'm very sorry to hear this, Mr. Brown... Yes, of course

... Yes, if it's our fault we'll certainly put the matter

right. Goodbye. Sally! Get me the order number for twelve

desks sent on Monday to the Bruddersfield Building Society,

will you, while I get through to Ted Fielding. We've got

trouble.

TED FIELDING Hello.

JOHN Hello, Ted. John here.

SALLY Here are the details, Mr. Martin.

JOHN Thank you, Sally. Ted, can you check the inspection records

for an order for twelve desks which were sent to

Bruddersfield... er... the order number was D6 7/8-9053.

TED Yes.

JOHN Find out if they were properly checked before dispatch,

assuming the signature on the inspection sheet is legible.

You might see if anyone knows how they were packed. The

customer's just made a strong complaint. He says the sides

of nearly every desk are badly scratched.

TED I can't understand how that could have happened. Was our rep.

called in to supervise the assembly?

JOHN Apparently not. I'm just going to get through to him now.

Anyway, let me know fast, Ted, will you?

TED I'll call you back.

JONH Sally, Bruddersfield's in Area 4, I think. Get me

Shuttleworth!

SALLY Mr. Shuttleworth, the rep? But it's 9.45. Surely he'll be on

the road by now.

JOHN Not if I know Shuttleworth. I'll bet he's still at home

writing reports. (The telephone rings.) All right. Sally,

it's the internal phone. I'll take it. Hello. Ah, Ted.

TED John, I've got the inspection record here. The twelve desks

were checked by Robinson and I've just had a word with him.

He remembers the order and he says they left here in perfect

condition.

JOHN What about the packing?

TED They went off by container, so we didn't crate them. You

know, we have standard boxes now. All our regular parts fit

into them exactly. The packers assure me they were packed

tightly into the container - one of these special containers

for transport by rail - so they wouldn't get banged about.

It sounds to me like mishandling during unloading.

JOHN Well, thanks, Ted. It doesn't sound like our fault. I'll get

Shuttleworth to see if he can find out what happened when the

goods arrived. Sally, have you got through to Shuttleworth

yet?

SALLY The number's ringing now. Hello. Oh, good morning, Mr.

Shuttleworth. Mr. Martin would like to speak to you.

JOHN Hello. Ah, I suppose I'm lucky to find you in at this time.

SHUTTLEWORTH Er... yes... I was just leaving for York, Mr. Martin.

JOHN I've got something I'd like you to deal with right away if

you can....

(Later: Mr. Shuttleworth meets the angry customer)

MR. BROWN Here you are, Mr. Shuttleworth. Look at this desk, and this

one. I think nine desks out of the twelve are scratched like

this. I'm very disappointed in your firm.

SHUTTLEWORTH I'm sorry you feel like that, Mr. Brown. Complaints of this

sort are very rare indeed.

BROWN I should hope so, for your sake. I trust you will get these

desks replaced by new ones straight away. Look at this deep

scratch here.

SHUTTLEWORTH Oh yes. Yes, they have been knocked about. Do you mind if I

check with your Goods Inwards? They might still have the

packing material. It's worth having a look at, don't you

think?

BROWN I suppose you can if you want to, but you'll find it's a

waste of time. I'm quite convinced that the goods were not

properly inspected at your factory, or else they were

carelessly packed.

SHUTTLEWORTH All the same, I'd like to have a look if you don't mind.

BROWN Very well. My secretary will take you to the building

supervisor.

SHUTTLEWORTH Thank you very much, Mr. Brown.

(Later that day, Mr. Shuttleworth telephones John Martin)

SHUTTLEWORTH Hello, Mr. Martin. Shuttleworth here. I've discovered what

happened to those desks when they arrived.

JOHN Good.

SHUTTLEWORTH I had a look at the packing, and the top pieces of

cardboard of several of the components were badly torn. I

spoke to the men who unloaded the container. They used hooks

to drag each package out on to the loading bank. Just

imagine. They said they never saw the USE NO HOOKS sign. But

it was on the wrappings, because I saw that too.

JOHN What did their boss say?

SHUTTLEWORTH He told me that his men like using hooks because it makes

unloading much easier. They don't have to lift the stuff by

hand. It's their fault all right. I proved it!

JOHN Well done. I hope that man Brown had the decency to

apologize.

SHUTTLEWORTH Yes, he did.

JOHN Well, now we've proved it wasn't our mistake we'd better

offer to respray the desks.

SHUTTLEWORTH I was just going to suggest that, Mr. Martin. He's a good

customer of ours and... I rather think, there may be quite a

big order on the way...

7.3 Answer the questions:

1. When a customer wants to buy something from a firm, what does he

place?

2. What is the person called who is responsible for sales in a

certain fixed territory?

3. In what department of a factory are goods prepared for sending

to the customer?

4. What does a firm do to ensure the satisfactory condition of its

goods before they leave the factory?

5. How can goods be packed?

6. What complaint did the Bruddersfield Building Society make about

the desks?

7. What had caused the damage?

8. What did John Martin offer to do for his customer?

7.4 Find definitions for the terms:

crate, in transit, on the road, component, inspection, cardboard,

knocked down, loading bank, packing and dispatch dept, container

a. checking and looking at a product critically to make sure it is

satisfactory

b. place where the finished products or the components are wrapped up in

protective material ready for sending to the buyer

c. part of a product

d. framework of light, narrow pieces of wood or metal for protecting

goods

e. a large framework or structure which completely encloses the goods to

be transported

f. a material used for packing which is much thicker than paper but can

fairly easily be cut or torn

g. out on the job of selling, that is travelling in order to sell

h. a raised platform from which goods can be loaded on, and off,

vehicles at more or less the same level

i. on the way

j. sent unassembled and packed flat for assembly on site following

delivery

7.5 Fill in gaps in the sentences:

1. Most of desks arrived in a ... condition. Mr. Brown says that they

have got deep ... on the sides. 2. The desks were not ... properly

before being dispatched. 3. All the future orders will be ... ...

another manufacturer. 4. John Martin asks the Works Manager to check the

inspection ... . 5. The right standard of quality is always ..., and no

..., damaged or ... items go out of the factory. 6. The inspector signs

an inspection sheet with the details of the goods he has seen and ... as

being ... for sale. 7. The finished products are either packed in ... or

loaded into ... . 8. ... deliveries normally require much less ... than

goods which have to be sent overseas. 9. Boxes and crates carrying goods

usually show printed ... such as: HANDLE WITH CARE or THIS SIDE UP. 10.

John Martin asks Mr. Shuttleworth, his sales ... in the area, to ... Mr.

Brown a visit. 11. The goods have been ... by the men who unloaded the

goods from the containers. 12. If it's our fault we'll certainly ... the

... right. 13. What is the order ... for twelve desks sent on Monday?

14. The signature on the inspection sheet is ... . 15. The desks left

the factory in perfect ..., and they must have been damaged in ... . 16.

All our ... parts fit into the boxes exactly. 17. The desks were packed

... into the container - so they would not get ... about. 18. The

workers used hooks to drag each package out on to the ... bank because

it made ... much easier.

7.6 Complete the conversation choosing the right word in brackets.

Jane We need to (argue/discuss) the problem of quality with the new LV50

components. (Basic/basically), we have two alternatives. We can

either accept a wastage rate of 10% (or/and) we can delay the

schedule and redesign the component. (Any/Some) views on this, Mark?

Mark Yes, the important thing here is the timing. The customers can't

wait any longer for this product. It's 90% OK. I (think/propose) we

should go ahead with production.

Jane How do you (think/feel) about that, Tom?

Tom (I/I'm) disagree. Waste costs money. We need zero defects.

Mark But we haven't got time. (Aren't/don't) you agree, Jane?

Jane I'm sorry, but I think Tom (has/is) right. I (think/don't think) we

(should/shouldn't) start production until the design is OK.

7.7 Read this letter of complaint and fill in the blanks with the

correct verb chosen from the list below.

have not arrived found was torn

have contacted received were damaged

have not had showed

have informed unpacked

------------------------------------------------------------------------

C.R.MENDEZ S.A.

Avda. del Edjercito 83 E-48015 Bilbao

The Sales Manager 15 October 199..

Seymore Furniture Ltd.

Tib Street

Maidenhead

Berks. SL6 5DS

Dear Mr. Harrison,

I am writing to complain about a shipment of tubular steel garden

furniture we ... yesterday against our invoice no. G 3190/1.

The crates ... on the outside, and looked as if they had been

roughly handled. When we ... them, we ... that some of the chair legs

were bent and rusty, and the fabric on the seating ... , or ... signs of

wear.

Two further crates from the consignment ... yet, so we ... the

opportunity of inspecting them. I ... the shipping company that we

cannot accept this consignment from you, and they ... your insurers.

As we will be unable to retail this consignment in our stores, we

are returning the shipment to you carriage forward*, and we shall expect

a full refund.

Yours sincerely,

C.R.Mendez

Managing Director

* с оплатой доставки получателем

------------------------------------------------------------------------

7.8 Complete the following extracts from letters of complaint, using the

given verbs in correct tense forms.

1. already/received; not/have * Last year we ... any serious complaints

from our clients, but this year we ... over twenty.

2. not/find; have; happen; lose * This is not the first time we ...

problems with the shipping company. Three months ago they ... a

consignment completely and they still ... out what ... to it.

3. look; be; appear * I ... into the problem, and it ... that the

catalogue ... out of date.

4. order; receive * I ... a consignment of furniture from you last week

which we ... on May 12.

5. be; put * The error ... due to a fault in the computer system which

we now ... right.

6. manufacture; recently find * Our engineers ... a fault with the batch

of hard disk drivers that we ... in June and July last year.

7. inform; credit; receive * I am writing to apologize for the defective

items you ... last month, and to ... you that we ... the sum of $354.21

to your account.

8. send; not/yet/receive; inform * Our accounts department ... me that

we ... payment for the items we ... .

9. not/do; make * We ... any business with Winford & Co. since we ... an

error with an invoice.

10. start; lose * We ... a number of orders since we ... having problems

with the switchboard.

7.9 Compare the two lists of expressions commonly used in complaints.

Match the informal phrases in the first list with their formal

equivalents in the second.

1. it's not our fault

2. you should make it right

3. we want our money back

4. you have to pay when the goods are returned to you

5. we will sue you

6. you made a mistake

7. we won't buy anything from you again

8. the goods are rubbish

9. we're complaining about

10. why don't you pay attention?

a. we are sending the consignment to you carriage forward

b. we are not responsible for the error

c. we would like to complain about

d. we will have to take legal action

e. you seem to have made an error

f. the products are not satisfactory

g. we will not re-order

h. you have not followed our instructions

i. please correct the error

j. we would like a refund

7.10 Use these expressions in two different letters of complaint and

specify who you are writing to.

7.11 Read 7.7 again and write a reply from Mr. Harrison to Mr. Mendez.

* Thank him for his letter and apologize for the damage.

* Explain that the goods were not old stock, but the damage appears

to have happened to the goods in transit. Assure him that you will deal

with the transport company.

* Say that you will accept the goods carriage forward, and that you

will send the refund by banker's draft as soon as you receive them.

* Close the letter in an appropriate manner.

7.12 Translate the sentences.

1. Они предъявили нам очень серьезные претензии; я прошу вас разобраться

с этим немедленно. 2. Если окажется, что это наша вина, мы все исправим

в течение трех дней. 3. Совершенно очевидно, что эти товары не проходили

технический контроль; нигде нет записи контролера об этой партии. 4. В

отделе упаковки так торопились, что все перепутали и уложили эти детали

не в контейнеры, а в упаковочные клети. Поэтому панели были сильно

повреждены в дороге. 5. У нас всегда соблюдается должный стандарт

качества, и бракованные товары никогда не покидают территорию завода. 6.

Разве вы не видели надпись на коробке: "Не кантовать"? 7. Наш торговый

представитель выяснил, что груз пострадал в результате неправильного

обращения с ним при разгрузке, и наша фирма, естественно, не должна

нести никакой ответственности за повреждения. 8. Конечно, мы должны

стремиться к тому, чтобы наши клиенты были всегда довольны, однако в

данном случае мы не должны забывать о своих интересах. 9. Чья подпись

стоит на этом документе? 10. Держу пари, что они были отправлены в

отличном состоянии. 11. Мы отправляем заказчику дом в разобранном виде,

а затем наши рабочие собирают его на месте. 12. Я совершенно убежден,

что вся мебель была небрежно упакована и побилась при транспортировке.

13. Я очень разочарован в вашей фирме и новые заказы буду размещать у

других поставщиков. 14. Вся эта партия товаров никуда не годится, и мы

не можем выставлять их на продажу. 15. Это не стандартная деталь, и для

нее требуется особая упаковка.

7.13 A customer makes a complaint saying that the quality of the ordered

goods is not satisfactory. The supplying firm is not in the wrong, but

they try and do what they can to keep the customer happy. Perform an

emotional but polite conversation.

7.14 Read and translate the article.

THERE'S A FLY IN MY SOFTWARE

Does your computer make rude remarks to you? While manufactures

struggle to make their machines more user-friendly, Richard Margetts, a

catering lecturer at Granville College, in Yorkshire, has developed a

programme that positively encourages the computer to be nasty towards

its operator.

The software, called Custom, is designed to help hotel and catering

trainees to cope with customers' complaints.

The idea for the programme grew out of an unpleasant evening Mr.

Margetts and his wife had at a hotel: they were left standing in the

hotel lobby while the receptionist continued a personal telephone call.

During the meal they were ignored by the waiter and had to order their

drinks at the bar and carry them back to the table. The couple

complained to the manager who sympathized but said it was difficult to

train staff in customer care.

"Britons are very complacent about complaints," says Mr. Margetts,

who used to run his own restaurant. "Good service is not seen as being

very important."

Hence the computer-based training package. The first part analyses

how complaints arise. The complaints included those from the few

customers who go to a restaurant determined to cause problems with no

real reason, perhaps in the hope of a free meal.

Mr. Margetts says: "Within the programme we have included ways of

spotting those complaints, and those that can arise because of a bad

experience somebody has had even before entering the restaurant.

"The programme will also identify the complaints that can

occasionally arise merely from customer boredom. Somebody may have

decided he cannot stand his dining companion, for example, and takes his

unhappiness out on the food or the unfortunate waiter."

The waiters assemble a customer profile. "How am I dressed -

shabby, average or immaculate?" the computer asks. "Is my accent local

or non-local? Do I speak perfect English or might I be a tourist? Am I

alone or with a group? What is my approximate age? How much alcohol do I

seem to have drunk?"

The computer then suggests the best ways of coping with the

situation.

Mr. Margetts says: "The idea is that the trainee sees that personal

attributes such as accent or dress are a weak indicator of how a

customer will respond during the complaint, whereas attitude and alcohol

are much stronger."

In the second part of the programme, the computer becomes less than

friendly. The trainee takes part in role-play simulations in which the

computer acts like a complaining customer. It can be programmed to be

angry, rude, reasonable, or rambling. The trainee's task is to recognize

the warning signs and calm the situation.

At the end of a session, trainees are told how many attempts it has

taken to reach the correct response. The results are saved for the

course tutor to read.

But although the programme uses graphics and text to good effect,

it cannot yet convey complex factors such as the customer's tone of

voice, body posture, or facial expression. Future versions may use video

pictures and sound for greater realism.

However, Mr. Margetts says there are no plans to incorporate a

robot arm that grabs the user by the lapels.

7.15 Answer the questions to the text.

1. What is Mr. Margetts job?

2. Who is the software programme going to help?

3. What two things did Mr. and Mrs. Margetts complain about?

4. What was the manager's response?

5. The text mentions three causes of complaints which are nothing

to do with the quality of service or food. What are they?

6. What questions does the computer ask in order to construct a

customer profile?

7. Which factors decide how a customer will react during a

complaint?

8. During the role play, what must the trainee try to do?

9. What does the programme NOT do yet?

7.16 Do you think this form of training is effective? Give reasons.

7.17 The following is a piece of American humour by Art Buchwald taken

from The International Herald Tribune.

A PHONE COMPLAINT

Washington - News Item: Prices of pay telephones to rise thanks to

FCC ruling. Companies will give no quarter.

"Hello, operator, I wish to complain about the phone companies

hiking the cost of pay phone calls."

"If you wish to register a protest, press 1; if you want to start

trouble, press 2; if you wish to support us in our fight to provide

better service for all Americans, press 3."

* * *

"Look, I don't care who I talk to as long as I can express my

outrage."

"All our outrage lines are busy at this time. Your call is very

important to us, so please stay on the line while we play 'The Magic

Flute'."

"This is ridiculous. I want answers."

* * *

"Press 4 to hear a greeting from our vice president of marketing.

'Hi, thanks for calling. Your telephone company is here to serve you. By

raising the charge a modest 20 or 30 cents we can guarantee speedy and

efficient service, and we will encourage competition in the open market

place. This is a recorded announcement.'"

"How can there be competition if one phone company controls all the

pay phones in the area?"

"Press 5 for an answer."

"Operator, I wish to talk to a human being."

"You can do that by pressing 6 and leaving a message for our

customer relations voice mail."

"Can you at least tell me WHY the phone company is raising its

rates?"

"I can't, but if you press 7 somebody can."

* * *

"This is your telephone-company answer man. We are raising our

rates because our executives have been granted much higher salaries in

addition to stock options that can only be redeemed through our coin

machines. We are not asking for the moon. All we want is a few cents

extra which will go toward the purchase of new equipment, better

designed pay phones and golf tournaments on television."

"Is there anything the consumer can do about it?"

"He can use his cellular phone."

7.18 Describe your own experience of making a complaint.

7.19 Translate a letter from an angry customer to the Izvestia newspaper.

ШУБКА ДЛИНОЙ В ДВА ГОДА

Весной 1996 года после длительных задержек мне как военнослужащему

выплатили денежное содержание. Решил сделать жене подарок к

пятнадцатилетнему юбилею совместной жизни. 25 мая мы пришли в красивый

магазин "Лена" на Невском, 50, чтобы приобрести шубу. Репутация мехового

предприятия не вызывала сомнения. Мы решили заказать пальто из каракуля

(astrakhan) за шесть с лишним миллионов рублей. Нам обещали

"индивидуальный подход" и "высокий уровень обслуживания".

Подход получился вполне индивидуальный. Рассказывать о

многочисленных примерках и переделках не буду. Через 6 месяцев, как раз

к наступлению морозов, шедевр скорняжного искусства был наконец получен.

Но я рано радовался. Не прошло и месяца, как шубка начала лысеть. Много

позже нам с женой стало известно, что она была изготовлена из заведомо

некачественного меха. А тогда сотрудники "Лены" обещали все быстро

исправить. Наконец, 27 марта 1997 года попытки реставрации закончились,

и генеральный директор фирмы признал, что носить шубу невозможно, а

восстанавливать нецелесообразно.

Не желая возвращать мне уже возросшую стоимость изделия и

компенсировать ущерб, фирма сначала предложила подписать соглашение с

обещаниями изготовить новую шубу, как только появится качественный мех.

А пока выдали жене другую, подешевле, поносить. Через месяц подсунули

новый договор, внешне безобидный, но с юридической точки зрения

уменьшающий долг "Лены" как минимум в четыре раза. Сотрудники фирмы

воспользовались моим незнанием закона о правах потребителей, по которому

я мог требовать компенсацию за срыв выполнения заказа.

Но на этом наши мытарства не закончились. Напротив, они только

начинались. Я обратился в суд...

UNIT 8

AN ACCIDENT IN THE FACTORY

fitters' shop слесарный цех

maintenance уход, (текущий) ремонт; техническое обслуживание

repairs ремонт

fatal accident несчастный случай со смертельным исходом

sue возбуждать дело; предъявлять иск

suit иск; судебное дело

negligence неосторожность; халатность, небрежность

safety measures, safety precautions меры предосторожности

safeguard 1. мера предосторожности 2. ограждение, предохранительное

приспособление (машины)

injure повредить; ранить

statutory regulations установленные законом правила

working capacity работоспособность

shop steward представитель интересов группы рабочих в профсоюзе

goggles защитные очки

make a claim against smb предъявить кому-л. иск (о возмещении

ущерба)

foreman мастер; старший рабочий

first aid первая помощь

be entitled to smth иметь право на что-л.

sick-pay пособие по болезни; выплата по бюллетеню

basic rate основная ставка (заработной платы)