Tricky conversations
Useful
Phrases
I’m not going to get
into a discussion about…
Clearly…
What you need to do…
But bearing in mind…
I expect you to…
It’s important that you…
I’m not happy with the
effort that you’ve made
I really want to see
some improvement
You’ve got to snap out
of it
I know it’s difficult…
Transcript
Sean: Okay, well, I’m
not going to get into a discussion about who deserved to get the job. Clearly, the
person who was appointed was the right person for the job.
What you need to do is look at your work and
what you’re doing and where that’s taking you in
your career. But bearing in mind that you are still employed to do a job and I
expect you to do that job with a certain attitude. You’re meeting members of the public
quite regularly - it’s important that you aren’t unhappy, or at least that you
don’t show it. This meeting is really just to let you know I’m not happy with the
effort that you’ve made...
Michelle: Okay…
Sean: … and I really
want to see some improvement. I know it’s difficult. I know that it’s depressing not
to get a job, but you’ve got to snap out of it, you’ve got to get
on with the job that you’re doing now.
Resolving difficulties
Useful
Phrases
I’ll come straight to
the point
I wasn’t particularly
happy with…
Frankly…
Well…
I’ve seen very little
change
I’m afraid that…
Despite what you say…
I don’t want to jump to
any conclusions
Transcript
Sean: Michelle, can I
have a word please, in my office? Now then. I won’t take long about this, I’ll come
straight to the point. We had a chat...
Michelle: Yeah.
Sean: At that point, I
wasn’t particularly happy with the way that you were behaving in the office, the way
that you were being uncooperative, a little bit surly with people. And since then, frankly,
I’ve seen very little change.
Michelle: Well, I mean,
I think I’ve made an effort, trying to be helpful like I normally am with people, and I feel
that I’m still doing my job - not that the job’s very interesting . I think
it’s become less interesting since Sarah got the promotion. I think she’s getting some
more of the interesting work.
Sean: Okay, well I’m
afraid that, despite what you say, it hasn’t come across. I don’t want to jump to any
conclusions, but you have taken quite a bit of time off… and …
Michelle: Yeah, but
you’re allowed to take leave, aren’t you?
Sean: You are allowed to
take leave. Hopefully you come back from leave refreshed and
you leave your problems at home.
Asking for a pay rise
Useful
Phrases
It’s a bit difficult,
but …
I really feel it’s about
time
I have made good
progress
I really feel that I’ve
grown in the job
I’ve taken on a lot more
responsibility
It’s time that it was
recognised
It’s time my efforts
were rewarded
I do believe that…
…isn’t too much to ask
Should I put this
request in writing?
Transcript
Abigail: Hi, are you
free for a quick chat?
Mark: Sure, come in,
come in. Sit down. What can I do for you?
Abigail: Okay. Well, it’s
a bit difficult, but … I really feel that it’s about time that I had a pay rise.
Mark: Okay and why do
you feel like that?
Abigail: Well, I have
been here now for three years and in that time I have made good progress. I really feel that
I’ve grown in the job and I’ve taken on a lot more responsibility. I just think it’s
time that it was recognised and that my efforts were rewarded.
Mark: Right. So you feel
that you’re on a low salary for your current position and current responsibilities, do
you?
Abigail: Yeah, I do
believe that what I’ve contributed to the department over recent months means that I
should be paid more.
Mark: Okay, well, what
kind of rise would you be looking for?
Abigail: Well, you know,
I think that 3% on top of the usual annual rise with inflation isn’t too much to ask.
Mark: Three per cent...
Hmm. Right, well, as you know, I can’t just give you a pay rise immediately, just like
that. I’ll have to discuss it with the other managers here. And, as you can imagine,
there aren’t unlimited funds available for things like this.
But you might be pleased
to hear that we are having a pay review meeting very soon and I’ll make sure
we discuss your request then.
Abigail: Okay, fine. Should
I put this request in writing as well? So we all have a record of this discussion?
Mark:
Yes, that’d be a good idea. Email me and also copy it to human resources.
Difficult
clients
Useful
Phrases
You can explain to me
what actually is the problem…
Can I take your name?
I understand you are
having a few problems
Would you like to just
explain from the beginning what’s happened?
I’m sorry for that wait
I don’t know what the
problem was
As you can imagine…
I’m sorry about this, Mr
Anderson
I can actually look into
that for you…
I’m sorry for the
inconvenience
I can assure you
Let me check for you
Transcripts
Angela: Hello, I’m
Angela, I’m the customer services manager. Would you like to come with me and come and
take a seat and you can explain to me what actually is the problem?
Alison: Okay, okay,
fine.
Angela: Can I take
your name?
Alison: Yes, my name’s
Alison.
Angela: Okay. Alison, if
you’d like to make yourself comfortable. As I said, I am the customer services
manager and I’d like to help you. I understand you are having a few problems. Would you like to
just explain from the beginning what’s happened?
Alison: Well, yes. I’ve
just come back from one of your holidays. I went to Crete,
in Greece, got back last week and the whole
thing was a disaster.
Angela: Would you like
to just explain from the beginning what’s happened?
Alison: Well, yes. To
start with, when we got to the airport in, in Crete,
we had a twohour wait on the coach, I
think there was a delayed flight or something, and… and…
Angela: …Right, that’s
quite possible…
Alison: …Yes… And I just
can’t work out why you didn’t take us to our hotel and then come back to the airport
to pick up the people from the delayed flight.
Angela: Right, I’m
sorry for that wait. I don’t know what the problem was. You mentioned a delayed
flight there. As you can imagine, you probably weren’t the
only family on the coach
waiting, and to ferry people to and from resort to the airport would have been
a lot of extra work and they like to try and keep everybody together who
are going on the same flight. I can actually look into that for you …
Karen: Hello!
Mark: Hello, can I speak
to despatch, please?
Karen: You’re through to
despatch.
Mark: Right. Well, I
phoned two days ago to say that I hadn’t received delivery of my order and I’m ringing
again to say it still hasn’t arrived.
Karen: Can I just take
your name please?
Mark: Yes, it’s Mark
Anderson.
Karen: Ah! I think
there’s been a problem with that order, Mr Anderson.
Mark: What kind of
problem?
Karen: Oh, I don’t know
offhand. Let me check for you. Yes, part of the order didn’t arrive here at the
depot, so I couldn’t send it out until we’d received everything.
Mark: Well, surely that
was your problem to sort out without my having to call you back - again. I did phone and
draw your attention to this a couple of days ago. Look, I placed this order weeks
ago. I'm sorry, it’s just not good enough.
Karen: Yeah, I’m
sorry about this, Mr Anderson. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but
I can assure you we’ll do everything we can to send it out to you today.