Consumer Contract

Task 1:

Listen to a talk and take notes of seven key points and supporting details. Compare your notes with a partner. 

Before you consider signing a contract ...  1. Do you home work and shop around, compare different choices for the prices, guarantee, duration, and any other terms and conditions about the contract. 2.Research about who you're dealing with  by investigating not only world mouth and reputation reference. That's known as performing due diligence is worth to save your valuable time and money. 3. Don't sign the contract immediately when you feel pressure. Don't tend to believe once-lifetime special promise deal.

When signing a contract ... 4. Always get it in writing never rely on verbal promises. Make sure any claims made by the representative are writen into the contract. Don't be hesitant to cross out the part of the contract you disagreed. Make sure any changes are negotiable on both sides and also add some details on the blank spaces. read the fine print, if confused, get advices from lawyer. 5. play language without complicated jargon cause the good trend to the consumers. 6. If and how you can get out of the contract.cooling-off period. 7. get and keep a copy of the contract.

Task 2:

Listen again and answer the questions. 

1.    What can prevent you from getting the best possible service and price?

      Do enough home work before the signing. shop around,investigate and compare  

2.    What are the potential consequences of not performing due diligence?

     Waste you valuable time and money.

3.    What signals should you be wary of when a contract is involved?

     Feeling pressure while you should sign the contact immediately.

4.    What can help prevent misunderstandings or fraud when you sign a contract?

    Get it in writing never use verbal promise

5.    What is contained in “the fine print” and what are the consequences of not reading it?

     make sure you know all details about the contact. make sure avoiding not to be locked in the contract that the worst result is to go to the court.

6.    What points does the speaker make about the language of contracts?

     Use plain language and ask and make sure all details about the contract.

7.    Explain the term direct agreement and give an example of a personal development service agreement.What do both of these agreements have in common?

      door to door.

8.    What are the potential consequences of cancelling a contract?

     Cancelling in the cooling-off period is free, otherwise, it will mostly cost you before it is over.

9.    What will help protect you if there is a breach of contract? 

     find a lawyer 

  

Task 3:

Fill in the following table and add any new idioms/vocabulary that you have picked from the talk.

Key vocabulary	Meaning	Sentences
party	the different sides involved in the contract	Every fair contract should inititively consider about the two party's the profit and responsibility.
offer	supplyment	You should think about the their offer carefully than respond.
acceptance	something you accept
consideration	something you should consider
terms	rule and
conditions
disclaimer	response of deny
cooling-off period		Even it didn't metion in the contract, you could find it in local regulation.
regulated sectors
small claims court
estimate
recourse
buyer’s remorse
arbitration
retainer fee		If you receiv the item you didm't order, you can keep it without retainer fee.
Verbs and verb collocations	meaning	sentences
to be bound by
to be subject to	be controlled by
to breach
to sue
to file a complaint
to resolve
to perform due
diligence
to disclose
information
be liable for
to reserve the right

Customer Vervice

Task 1:

Listen to a dialogue between a customer and a restaurant manager. Answer the questions below.

1. What product or service does the customer enquire about? What are her general requirements?

Family dinner reserving. Her parents forty anniversary of wedding. 30. June 5th.

2. What are the specific items that the customer would like to have included in her order? How will the manager accommodate those needs?

Private dining room. 30 persons. June 5th. Friday. 18 adults including her 84-year grandmother be in the wheel chair, and 12 children from 4 months to 10 years.

Vegetarian dish? They have many vegetarians started from appetizers. realonweal A large  cake.

3. Underline the items from the menu that are not mentioned in the conversation:

• mini pizzas • drinks • steak • Caesar salad • cream filling

4. What is the final order that the manager wants the customer to confirm?

 three appetizers,green salad, vegetarian revioly,veal on tran, dessert, serviced family style, 18 adults and 12 children, cake.

5. How and when will the order be finalized?

After the waiter call the lady back one hour later, and confirm the total costs of the dinner.

6. How would you describe the manager’s style of customer service? Give reasons.

Very specialized and considerable for the customer. 

Mary lee. 5554886666

Task 2:

Listen to the recording again. Record the phrases and expressions you hear. Then, with a partner, add your own expressions to the list.

Asking for information: How may I help you? I'd like to know  if

Clarifying information: Yes  we do. so. what was it?

Changing the topic: that true, but... I guest, but. let's talk about the deserve.

Closing the conversation:I'll wait the back of you. let me sure I got is right.

Task 3:

Locate information relating to each of the situations above. Go to the home page of the Ontario Ministry of Small Business and Consumer Services, and then click on then Your Rights. There are four categories, within your groups, write a quick summary, and then present your findings to the class.

Tone, Intonation, Emphasis of the Voice

Your Voice on the Telephone: Tone, Intonation and Emphasis

The way you use your voice on the telephone will impact on how the message is received. Tone of voice, intonation and emphatic stress all carry meaning and can affect the way the other person perceives your message.

Tone: Because there are no visual cues, a listener must rely on the tone of your voice to determine the mood and intent of the call. For example, if you are making a complaint, your tone will be serious. If you feel that your concerns are not being addressed, your tone may change to one of frustration. If you have complained about the same problem to several people, your voice will probably have an angry tone.

Intonation: Intonation refers to the way your voice goes up and down when you are speaking. It’s important to vary your pitch to maintain the listener’s interest. Having a monotonous or flat voice makes the conversation boring for the listener. It also sends the message that you are bored with what the other person is saying.

Emphasis: Emphasis refers to the way certain words are stressed to convey meaning. For example, in each of the following sentences different words are stressed, and the meaning of each sentence is different because of it.

I was told you did the work. vs. I was told you did the work. vs. I was told you did the work.

Task 1:

Listen to segments of eight telephone conversations. Discuss the questions below.

Conversation 1: What message does the tone of the speaker convey? Why?

Complaint. Angry. She got angry about the service of the store and wanted to complain to their manager directly. 

Conversation 2: Describe Eleni’s tone. Describe Adam’s tone at the end of the conversation.

Angry, accusatory, and asking for an excuse of Adam's absence. Feel sorry and explain he was not deliberate.

Conversation 3 and 4: Compare the tone in the two conversations. How are they different?

3:Serious, Gars is in trouble from his supervisor

4:Gars is invited by his colleague 

Conversation 5: Describe Greg Milne’s intonation. What impression of Greg would you have if you received this message on your answering machine?

Desperation. 

Conversation 6: Describe the caller’s tone. What kind of impression does she make?
Would you consider ordering this product based on the sound of her voice? Why?

Perky, Excited, and high pitched. Restrict. Never. Because the she didn't response immediately,seriously and considerably except simple refusal.

Conversation 7, 8: Which words are emphasized in each conversation? Why? How would you emphasize the words in Tom’s sentences?

7:Tuesday, Thursday. Emphasise the time of the require.

8:Tailor, Tate. Emphasise the owner of the home.

Informal calling

Thursday's assignment

Informal Calls: Calling a Friend

Task 1:

Click here to listen to two friends talking on the phone. Write the phrases you hear:

1. A phrase the caller uses to identify herself: 
Hi,Weeda. It's Jean.

2. A phrase the caller uses to find out if the recipient is free to chat: Is this a good time, I'm just calling to say hi?


3. Phrases the two friends use to change the topic: 
So, listen. By the way

4. A phrase the recipient of the call uses to signal that she wants to end the conversation:
Well

5. A phrase the caller uses to cooperate in ending the conversation: 
I should let you go.

Task 2:

Listen to the recording again. Listen for the phrases below and write their meanings.

1. In ages :     for a long time


2. I’m off until January: 
I had finished all errand until January

3. Time for yourself: 
It's free time to do anything for yourself

4. Have someone over: Invite
somebody to someone's house

5. Seeing a man/woman 
dating with a man/woman

6. Kind of faded away 
a little bit disappear

7. He was in IT:he worked in Information and technology field

8. I should let you go 
 It's time to finish our conversation

9. Take care 
        bye

Formal calling

Calling About a Missed Appointment

Missing a scheduled appointment without providing notification is considered rude. If you inadvertently miss an appointment with a service provider or someone you’ve arranged to meet with, you should call to apologize and offer an explanation.

If you miss an appointment with a healthcare provider, you may have to pay for the missed appointment. Many healthcare providers require 24 hours’ notice to cancel an appointment.

Task 1:

Listen to the following telephone conversation in which a patient is apologizing for missing an appointment. As you listen, fill in the blanks.

Hospital: Good morning. Princess Margaret Lung Scan Study.

Patient: Oh, hello. I had an appointment for a lung scan on Monday and I’m…terribly..sorry but I …missed…the appointment. I apologize. I just didn’t notice it on my …calendar…

Hospital: Okay. May I have your name, please?


Patient: Yes, it’s Vivian Bryce – that’s B-R-Y-C-E. My appointment was for 9:45 a.m. on Monday the 12th. I was wondering if I could possibly …reschedule….?

Hospital: Let’s see. How about Wednesday the 21st at 9:15 a.m.?

Patient: No, I’m not available on the 21st. Do you have …anything... on Friday the 23rd?

Hospital: 
Yes, how about 10:30 a.m.?

Patient: Perfect. So that's Friday the 23rd at 10:30 a.m. Bye.

Hospital: Bye.

Task 2:

Complete the table below with the expressions used to apologize and the explanation used in the above telephone dialogue.

Apology	Explanation
I'm terrible sorry but I missed the appointment I apologize	I didn't notice about it on my calendar I was wondering if I could possibly reschedule.

Telephone Number and Telemarketing

Tuesday's assignment

Looking up a phone number on the Internet

If you know a person’s name, you can look up a phone number on the Internet at www.canada411.ca. It’s free! (If you call the operator, you’ll be charged for the service.)

Look up your phone number or your friends’ numbers on www.canada411.ca.

Task 1:

Use the Blue Pages to find the number you would call in the following situations.

1. You want to find a recreation centre near your home.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

2. You need to find a long-term care facility for an elderly relative.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

3. A car ran over a squirrel in front of your house and the squirrel is dead. You need to call someone to come and remove the animal.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

4. You want to find out where you can take a road test to get your driver’s license.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

5. Your employer asked you to work overtime but has not paid you anything extra. You want to know what your rights are.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

6. You have a temporary disability (you broke your leg) and you need to get an accessibility sticker for your car that allows you to park in accessible parking places.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

7. You received a notice with your automobile plate renewal notification that your car has to have an emissions test before you can renew your plate this year. You need to find a garage in your area that does emissions tests.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

8. The snow has not been removed from your street for several weeks and you can’t get your car out of the driveway.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

Task 2:

Read the following article about deceptive telemarketing.

What is Deceptive Telemarketing? Using the phone to obtain payment from you for a non-existent or misrepresented product, service or charitable gift is deceptive telemarketing. Using the phone to obtain your private banking information or credit card number to steal is deceptive telemarketing. Offering you a prize for which you must pay is deceptive telemarketing. Using the phone to obtain your money fraudulently in any way is deceptive telemarketing. It is a serious crime punishable by jail. Telemarketing, the use of telephones to market goods and services, has rapidly expanded in recent years. Sales in Canada now exceed $500 billion dollars a year. Most of these telemarketing activities are legitimate but some are not. Deceptive telemarketing practices have been a problem in Canada, with cross-border implications, since the early 1970s. Telemarketing fraud has now become one of the most pervasive forms of white-collar crime. In 1998, law enforcement and other agencies reported over 45,000 complaints about fraudulent telemarketing. Since 1995, Canadians have lost approximately $200 million as a result of this activity. Criminals are drawn to the offence by large proceeds and relatively low risks of detection, prosecution and punishment. Since the 1980s, low-cost telecommunications have created economies of scale and provided offenders with effective means of conducting potentially massive frauds. A single telemarketer with a well-organized scheme can easily extort several hundred thousand dollars per year from unsuspecting victims. In some cases, the high profits have also attracted organized crime.

Target Groups and Victims

Offenders maximize their profits by focusing on vulnerable target groups. Victims are not chosen at random but rather are methodically selected because they have savings or assets and are perceived to be susceptible. Fraudulent telemarketers often prey on seniors on the assumption that they may be more trusting and polite toward strangers. Offenders have told police their ideal target is an elderly person, home alone, with little or no contact with family members. Another higher risk group is past victims. Once an individual has been identified as being vulnerable, they are repeatedly targeted. Victim information is often sold in the form of "sucker lists" or "hot lists" to other offenders. The Effects of Telemarketing Fraud The estimated $200 million lost by Canadian victims of telemarketing fraud is only a small part of the cost of this pervasive crime. Research conducted by North American law-enforcement and police officials indicates that the elderly are not only more susceptible, but they tend to be more seriously affected. Some have lost their life savings and have been forced to sell their homes. Seniors are often reluctant to report the crime to the authorities or even to family fearing they will be blamed for being “careless” or “greedy.” Some fear they will be seen as incompetent and lose control over their affairs.

Source: PhoneBusters: The Canadian Anti-fraud Call Centre, www.phonebusters.com; extracted June 22, 2009, with permission.

A- Find synonyms in the article for the following words.

1. get                              obtain                                  7. profits                                           proceeds

2. dishonestly                  fraudulently                          8. very large; huge                             massive

3. increased in size          expanded                            9. vulnerable                                      susceptible   

4. are more than              exceed                                10. victimize                                       prey

5. honest                         legitimate                             11. unwilling                                      reluctant

6. common                      pervasive                            12. the object of attention                  target

B-  Choose True or False.

1. Fraudulent telemarketers sometimes pretend to be legitimate charities seeking a donation. T 

2. All telemarketing is dishonest.  F

3. Many fraudulent telemarketers are never caught and punished. T 

4. Fraudulent telemarketing is attractive to criminals because of the potential to make 

large amounts of money with little investment. T 

5. Organized crime is responsible for most telemarketing fraud. F

6. Fraudulent telemarketers target seniors because they have more money.  F

7. A victim of telemarketing fraud is at higher risk of being victimized again. T 

8. Seniors may not report being victimized by a telemarketing fraud because they

are afraid of what their family will say. T