Module 5: Customer Service in Different Contexts (Phone, Email, Chat)
Goal: Help learners understand the differences between phone, email, and chat communication, and use the right tone, structure, and phrases for each.
✅ Suggested Structure: 4 Lessons (One per Channel + One Comparison/Practice Page)
Lesson 1: Phone Communication 📞
Objective: Teach students how to handle customer calls in English with confidence and clarity.
Key Focus:
- Smile when speaking – your voice shows it
- Speak clearly and slowly
- Use polite phrases:
“Thank you for calling.”
“Can I place you on a brief hold?”
“I’ll be happy to help you with that.”
Structure of a Call:
- Greeting
- Listen to the problem
- Ask for details
- Offer a solution
- Confirm and close politely
Activities:
- 🎧 Audio scripts: Good vs. bad phone call
- 🎙 Practice dialogues in pairs (agent/customer)
- 📄 PDF: “5 Golden Rules for Great Phone Calls”
Lesson 2: Email Communication 📧
Objective: Teach the basic structure and tone of professional customer service emails.
Key Points:
- Always use greetings and sign-offs
- Write short, clear paragraphs
- Use polite and neutral tone — even if the customer is upset
- Check spelling and grammar before sending
Email Structure:
- Greeting (Dear Mr. Lopez,)
- Appreciation (Thank you for contacting us.)
- Solution (We will replace your product at no cost.)
- Closing (Please let us know if you need anything else.)
- Signature (Best regards, Carla, Customer Support Team)
Activities:
- ✍️ Rewrite an email in a clearer tone
- 📝 Write a response to a common customer complaint
- 📄 Downloadable template: “Professional Email Format for Agents”
Lesson 3: Chat Communication 💬
Objective: Teach quick, polite writing for chat or instant messaging.
Chat Style Tips:
- Be friendly, fast, and focused
- Keep messages short (1–2 ideas at a time)
- Use names if possible: Hi Maria! How can I help you today?
- End with kindness: Thanks for chatting with us!
Do’s and Don’ts:
✔ Greet quickly
✔ Use easy words
✔ Be positive
✖ Don’t use slang or emojis (unless approved)
✖ Don’t write long paragraphs
Activities:
- ⌨️ Simulate a live chat in pairs
- 🔍 Correct a bad chat (tone, grammar, structure)
- 📄 “Top 10 Chat Phrases” PDF
Lesson 4: Compare & Practice Across Channels 🧠
Objective: Help learners decide how to adjust their tone, timing, and structure based on the communication type.
| Skill / Channel | Phone | Chat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tone | Friendly voice | Polite words | Friendly & fast |
| Speed | Medium | Slow & detailed | Fast but clear |
| Structure | Linear conversation | Full message | Step-by-step |
| Tools | Voice | Grammar | Short messages |
Activities:
- 🎭 Rotate roles: same customer complaint → respond 3 ways: phone, email, chat
- 🎯 Quiz: Which channel fits this situation best?
- 📝 Mini-project: Create a short phone script, write an email, and do a short chat for the same situation
📘 Glossary for Module 5
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Channel | The method of communication (phone, email, chat) |
| Tone | How your voice or words sound to the customer |
| Response time | How fast you reply to the customer |
| Structure | The order and format of the message |
| Polite phrases | Kind and respectful expressions |
| Sign-off | The way you end an email (e.g. Best regards) |
| Live chat | A fast, text-based conversation with a customer |
| Greeting | A way to say hello and start the interaction |
| Signature | Your name and title at the bottom of an email |
| Slang | Informal words not used in professional communication |
