Handling Customer Requests by Phone and Email
Read/Listen first
When the customer called, her laptop screen had just turned blue during an online meeting. She was frustrated and worried about missing a deadline, but the support agent stayed calm and polite. He listened carefully, repeated the request to check he had understood, and explained what he was going to do next. First, he said he would create a support ticket so the issue would be tracked. Then he asked her to restart the computer while he stayed on the line. While the system was rebooting, he apologised for the delay and reassured her that many people have had the same problem. After the laptop started again, he was able to guide her through a quick update. In the end, she was relieved, because the agent had solved the issue and had promised to send a short email summarising what they had done together.⚡ Learning goals
- Handle customer requests politely by clarifying the problem and next steps.
- Use past and present perfect to explain what support has already done.
- Reassure frustrated customers and manage expectations about delays or technical issues.
✨ Key language
- I understand this is frustrating for you “I understand this is frustrating for you today.”
- Let me just repeat your request “Let me just repeat your request to be sure.”
- We have already checked your account “We have already checked your account and created a ticket.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Past simple for finished customer calls
Rule: Use the past simple to describe completed actions at a specific time in the past during a support interaction.
Examples: The customer called about a blue screen yesterday.; I checked her account and restarted her laptop.; We solved the issue before the meeting.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners often say has called yesterday; remove has and use simple past: called.
Choose the best past simple sentence for a finished call.
Tip: Use past simple with finished time expressions like yesterday or last week.
Fill with the best answer: The customer ______ us about the problem this morning.
Tip: Use the base verb in past simple form after the subject.
2️⃣ Present perfect for past experiences
Rule: Use the present perfect to talk about past experiences that are relevant now, without giving a specific time.
Examples: Many customers have had this problem before.; We have already checked your account.; I have never seen this exact error before.
Common pitfall + fix: Do not use present perfect with exact time words like yesterday; remove the time or change to past simple.
Choose the best present perfect sentence about experience.
Tip: Present perfect links past experience to the present without a specific time.
Fill with the best answer: Many customers ______ the same issue before.
Tip: Use have or has plus the past participle for present perfect.
3️⃣ Past continuous for background actions
Rule: Use past continuous to describe a longer background action that was in progress when something else happened.
Examples: The system was rebooting when the customer called again.; I was talking to her while my colleague was updating the ticket.; The agent was checking the logs when the screen turned blue.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes forget was or were; always use was or were plus verb plus ing.
Choose the best sentence with past continuous for background action.
Tip: Past continuous often uses while or when to link two actions.
Fill with the best answer: I ______ to the customer while my colleague checked the logs.
Tip: Use was or were plus verb plus ing for background actions.
4️⃣ Would for explaining next steps
Rule: Use would to explain planned actions in a polite, customer friendly way during a call.
Examples: I said I would create a support ticket.; I told her I would stay on the line.; I promised we would send a follow up email.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners may overuse will; use would inside reported speech to sound softer and more natural.
Choose the best sentence for politely explaining the next step.
Tip: Use would after past reporting verbs like said, told, or explained.
Fill with the best answer: We promised we ______ a summary email after the call.
Tip: In reported promises, would is more natural than will.
✍️ Vocabulary
customer request
Meaning: a question, problem, or need that a customer asks you to handle.
Synonyms: inquiry, query, demand, question.
Chunk/Idiom: handle a customer request.
Example: The agent handled the customer request in less than ten minutes.
Morphology: noun phrase; singular, countable noun at the center.
Self-practice: Write three customer requests you often receive at work.
support ticket
Meaning: a recorded case in a helpdesk system for tracking a customer issue.
Synonyms: case, incident, record, entry.
Chunk/Idiom: open a support ticket.
Example: I opened a support ticket so the issue could be tracked easily.
Morphology: noun phrase; support as modifier, ticket as main noun.
Self-practice: Describe one support ticket you opened recently in two sentences.
deadline
Meaning: a fixed time or date when something must be finished.
Synonyms: due date, time limit, cutoff, target date.
Chunk/Idiom: worried about a deadline.
Example: The customer was worried about a deadline for her online presentation.
Morphology: noun; countable, often used with a or the before it.
Self-practice: Say three sentences about deadlines you have this month.
issue
Meaning: a problem or difficulty that needs attention or a solution.
Synonyms: problem, difficulty, trouble, concern.
Chunk/Idiom: solve the issue.
Example: We solved the issue before the customer’s important meeting started.
Morphology: noun; can be countable or uncountable depending on context.
Self-practice: Describe one issue you solved for a customer this week.
reboot
Meaning: to restart a computer or device so the system loads again.
Synonyms: restart, reset, reload, power-cycle.
Chunk/Idiom: reboot the system.
Example: The agent asked her to reboot the system while he stayed connected.
Morphology: verb; regular, reboot, rebooted, rebooting forms are common.
Self-practice: Explain when you last had to reboot your computer and why.
relieved
Meaning: feeling happy and calm again after stress or worry disappears.
Synonyms: comforted, reassured, thankful, at ease.
Chunk/Idiom: feel relieved after a call.
Example: She felt relieved after the agent solved the problem and explained everything clearly.
Morphology: adjective; often used after feel, be, or look as a complement.
Self-practice: Write two situations when a customer might feel relieved with you.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
We have already checked your account and created a ticket for your request. If the problem returns, you should call us again immediately. While I was talking to the customer, my colleague was updating the helpdesk system. The customer was relieved because we had solved the issue before her meeting started.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Which sentence correctly uses the past simple to describe finished actions?
Tip: Use past simple verbs to describe actions that are completely finished.
Which sentence is the best example of present perfect for experience?
Tip: Present perfect often uses words like recently, ever, or never.
Fill with the best answer:
The agent ______ when the customer’s screen suddenly turned blue.
Tip: Use a past simple verb phrase to describe the agent’s reaction.
Fill with the best answer:
The system ______ while the agent reassured the customer.
Tip: Use past continuous to show a longer action in progress.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
What do we call the recorded case in the helpdesk system?
Tip: It is the official record that tracks a customer issue.
How did the customer feel after the agent solved the problem?
Tip: Think about the emotion after stress or worry disappears.
Fill with the best answer:
She was worried about missing a project ______.
Tip: Choose the word that means a fixed time when work must be finished.
Fill with the best answer:
The agent asked her to ______ the laptop before checking anything else.
Tip: Use the verb we use for restarting a computer or system.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Thank you for calling support. Could you tell me what happened?
B: My screen just turned blue and I am afraid I will miss my deadline.
A: I understand this is frustrating. I will stay on the line while we reboot your laptop.
Why this matters:
Handling customer requests clearly and calmly helps people feel safe, even when technology fails. It also builds trust, because customers see that you listen carefully and explain every step. When you manage expectations, customers accept delays more easily.
Verb & Adjective Pack:
handle a request — We handle each request as quickly as possible.
reassure — The agent reassured her that many customers have had this issue.
frustrated — He sounded frustrated but tried to stay polite on the phone.
relieved — She was relieved after she received the summary email.
track — Our system tracks every ticket until the issue is closed.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: Many customers ______ the same problem before.
Tip: Use present perfect to talk about experience that is still relevant now.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: the customer has called us yesterday
Tip: Change the tense so it matches the finished time word yesterday.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
we have already checked your account and created a ticket
Tip: Pay attention to the rhythm and word stress in the sentence.