In business, the customer is always right.

In many cases, they aren't but the whole point of this expression is that you have to behave as if he is right and give him the respect that way.

When you speak English with the customer, there are some particular phrases and expressions you should use so that he sees that you are fully concentrating on him and treat him right.

If you don't want to make a mistake while selling or presenting a project, we suggest you take a look at the following tips and tricks on how to talk to the customer in English.

But now, let's dive in.

Prepare For The Conversation With The Customer

In order to convey the right message to the customer, you should be prepared for the conversation.

Here's what you should pay attention to:

• Practice dialogues before real conversations. Simulating conversations and using particular expressions can help you be prepared for it at any time.
• It is all about being polite. Use phrases such as 'may' instead of 'can.'

Don't forget to say 'thank you' or 'you're welcome.' Include polite expressions in your everyday conversations so the communication will be more efficient.

• Be prepared for the conversation. If you work as a salesperson and you have a meeting with a client, you should do a little research about him or his business before you two meet. Not only will you be well-prepared with all the necessary information but you will also know in which direction the conversation will go.

 5 Handy Tips of How to Talk With Customers in English

With these 5 handy following tips, you can successfully talk to any customer in English.

Don't Forget To Greet Them

The first thing you should do before diving into the conversation is to greet a customer.

Remember to be polite, professional, and not too friendly.

The following English greetings are proper for these occasions:

• Hi
• Hello
• Welcome to [store name].
• Good morning/evening
• Can I help you find something?
• How may I help you?

Examples:

• Good morning. How may I help you?
• Hello! May I help you find something?

Introduction

The next step is to introduce yourself and your company. Use some casual way for the introduction so that the customer doesn't have a feeling that you want to pressure him in some way.

Some of the phrases you may use can be the following:

• Hello, my name is [you say your first and last name].
• Would you be interested?
• may benefit
• May interest you
• save money
• Discount

Example:

Hello, my name is Susan Thompson from XYZ Services. We’ve launched some products recently that may interest you, especially because there’s a discount this week. Would you be interested in hearing a little bit more about them?

Pay Attention to Customer’s Needs

Customers usually have some particular needs, some of them even specific ones. 

Your communication will be much easier if you observe your customer and pay attention to his needs. This way, the whole communication and answering the customer’s requests will be easy.

After you greet your customer, you can pay attention to what he’s searching for. It is likely that he looks after some particular product or compares two similar products.

All that can be helpful so that you can talk to him about what he needs, what can you offer him, even sell some expensive product.

Of course, some vocabulary is more than handy in these situations.

• Check out this product/service
• This product would be a good fit…
• Innovative features/new features/exciting features
• Have you used this or something similar?
• What do you think? 

Example:

You may be interested in Android phones. This one would be a good fit for you. Along with the good price, we offer a discount as well, so this would be a perfect match for you.

Prove The Customer The Value of The Product

Often, the price is something that holds back the customer from buying the product.

One of your jobs, besides using a properly related vocabulary, is to prove to him that the price is reasonable and emphasize the value of the product, so that the customer can see its value.

That way, he will be more convinced to pay a higher price for the valuable product.

In case the product is too expensive for the customer, you can always offer him the similar one for a lower price.

No matter the case, the conversation, and business as well, are successful when you answer your client’s needs and find him what he wants, even if that means that his wallet is a little lighter than he expected. The point is that he leaves happy and satisfied.

Therefore, some of the basic phrases for this part of the conversation are:

• Alternative payment options
• Cash refund
• Cheap for its price and features
• Discount available
• Great find
• Limited supply
• Money-back guarantee
• Pay in installments

Example:

Honestly speaking, it does seem a  little expensive, but if you take a look at the features and other characteristics, it is actually a great find as well as cheap for its price and features. There are also some payment options available, such as paying in installments.

Conversation Closure

Once you two make a deal, the conversation is reaching an end.

That, of course, doesn’t mean that you can behave rudely or don’t pay attention to what you are saying. On the contrary, some words and phrases for conversation closure are necessary so that the whole deal gets a positive note.

• Feel free to call us anytime if you have any questions.
• Looking forward to seeing you again.
• Thank you so much for shopping with us.
• We hope you enjoyed shopping with us.
• We hope you’ll visit us again.

Example: 

We hope you enjoyed shopping with us. Please feel free to call us anytime if you have questions about the product.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, being polite, professional, and using the right words and expressions is always good not only for your business but for you, too.

That way, you send the message of your professionalism and positive experience working with you so the customer comes back and also recommends you to others.

Being polite isn’t only a matter of business but also a part of your culture and respect for others no matter if they are going to buy your product or not.

So, along with being polite, addressing a professional letter properly, and using the proper vocabulary helps your job is successfully done. 

If you’re interested in improving your English, consider these excellent online learning resources: Kick off your journey with Babbel, offering user-friendly, engaging lessons tailored to fit seamlessly into your daily schedule. If you want something more in-depth, there's a great English course on Coursera that covers everything from the basics to more advanced topics. For a more personalized learning experience, connect with native English tutors on Preply, enhancing your speaking and comprehension skills. Take advantage of a 50% discount on your first Preply session by using this link.

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How to prepare myself to talk to a customer in English?

In order to convey the right message to the customer, you should be prepared for the conversation. Here's what you should pay attention to: Practice dialogues before real conversations. Simulating conversations and using particular expressions can help you be prepared for it at any time. It is all about being polite. Use phrases such as 'may' instead of 'can.' Don't forget to say 'thank you' or 'you're welcome.' Include polite expressions in your everyday conversations so the communication will be more efficient. Be prepared for the conversation. If you work as a salesperson and you have a meeting with a client, you should do a little research about him or his business before you two meet. Not only will you be well-prepared with all the necessary information but you will also know in which direction the conversation will go.

How to talk to customers in English?

Don't Forget To Greet Them, Introduction, Pay Attention to Customer’s Needs, Prove The Customer The Value of The Product, Conversation Closure

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