Dealing with Pitfalls/Problems

Dealing with Pitfalls/Problems

Delivered to Multicrane Perkasa for capacity development program

​Agenda

​Using phrases to tell a problem

​Using phrases to handle a problem

​Practice in a dialogue

ANSWER ME THESE​

Open Ended

What kind of issues have you faced in the work place?

(with clients, with data, with colleagues, with supervisor

Multiple Select

Which phrase is used to HELP someone who has a problem (choose THREE)

• Don’t worry, these things happen.

• What’s the matter?

• I’m sure we can work it out.

• I feel so much better now I’ve told you

• Oopsie, sorry about that. 

Multiple Select

Which phrase is used to TELL a problem (choose THREE)

• I’ve made a mistake

• I’ve got a bit of a problem.

• Oh, I did something and it was such a silly thing to do!

• What’s the matter?

• I’m sure we can work it out.

​COMMON CASUAL PHRASES TO TELL SOMEONE ABOUT A PROBLEM

• ​I’ve made a mistake

  I’ve got a bit of a problem.

  Oh, it was such a silly thing to do!

  I feel so much better now I’ve told you

COMMON CASUAL PHRASES TO HELP SOMEONE WHO HAS A PROBLEM

• Don’t worry, these things happen.

  What’s the matter?

  I’m sure we can work it out.

  Thanks for letting me know

WHEN TELLING A PROBLEM

​USE QUALIFIERS

Qualifiers: words softening message tone/intensity.

Multiple Choice

You are negotiating a contract with a client and have run into some difficulties. How do you report this to your manager?

• I'm afraid we have a bit of a problem.

• We have a big problem.

• We have some major issues to deal with.

Multiple Choice

A shipment to a customer has been delayed. How do you inform your customer of this?

• I'm afraid we have a serious delay.

• I'm afraid we have some really bad news.

• I'm afraid we have a small problem.

Multiple Choice

Your boss expected you to hand in a sales report this morning. It's now noon and you still haven't completed it. How do you inform your boss of this?

• I need more time.

• I need a little more time.

• I need several more hours.

Multiple Choice

You and a colleague are arguing, when your boss walks by and overhears you. He asks you what the problem is. What do you say?

• It's an impossible situation.

• We have a big problem.

• We have a small disagreement.

​LET'S WATCH A VIDEO OF USING QUALIFIERS TO MINIMIZE ISSUES IN BUSINESS CONTEXTS

​

​QUALIFIERS

​a slight delay

a bit of a problem

a slight misunderstanding

a small disagreement

a little more time

a few changes

WRITE HOW TO TELL THESE PROBLEMS

​

Use qualifiers that we have learned earlier

Open Ended

Some clients want your team to take them to the display room, but that room got flood yesterday.

Open Ended

Some items that are about to be showed to clients are severely damaged

Open Ended

The numbers of items do not match with the numbers that are reported

Open Ended

The plane that is supposed to take your equipment to the customers are changing the schedule from two-day to three-day services.

Open Ended

You mistakenly sent a text to your supervisor using all caps lock.

Open Ended

Your mobile phone did not have internet connection and your team members were calling you about the progress report meeting.

PHRASES TO RESPOND TO A PROBLEM​

FOUR WAYS TO RESPOND TO PROBLEMS/PITFALLS

1. ​Apologizing

2. ​Ask for Specifics

3. ​Take Action

4. ​Check back – after the situation has been corrected

​Apologizing:

• ​I’m sorry . . .

• I’m sorry to hear that . . .

• I apologize . . .

• I apologize for the problem . . .

• I apologize for the inconvenience . . .

• My apologies . .

Ask for Specifics:

• Please tell me exactly what the problem is

  Please tell me exactly what happened

Take Action:

• I will send someone to take care of it

  We will send the correct order tomorrow

  Let me check with the shippers and see what happened

  I don’t know what happened, but I will get back with you later today

  Let me straighten this out and I will get back to you today with the solution.

Check back – after the situation has been corrected:

• Ms. Chen, did everything work out to your satisfaction?

  Mr. Wozniak, I wanted to see if the problem has been resolved to your satisfaction.

  Did everything work out okay?

  Did you get what you needed/wanted?

WRITE YOUR RESPONSE ON THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS​

​

Use some phrases of:

​

Apologizing

​Ask for Specifics

​Take Action

​Check back – after the situation has been corrected

Open Ended

Some clients want your team to take them to the display room, but that room got flood yesterday.

Open Ended

Some items that are about to be showed to clients are severely damaged

Open Ended

The numbers of items do not match with the numbers that are reported

Open Ended

The plane that is supposed to take your equipment to the customers are changing the schedule from two-day to three-day services.

Open Ended

You mistakenly sent a text to your supervisor using all caps lock.

Open Ended

Your mobile phone did not have internet connection and your team members were calling you about the progress report meeting.

​VOCABULARY TASK

Learn the following phrases:

1. ​a bit of a

2. feel so much better

3. in private

4. instead of

5. letting me know

6. made a mistake

7. of course

8. these things happen

9. what’s the matter

10. work it out

​LET'S SEE THE OVERALL DIALOGUE

​A: Are you OK? What’s wrong?

B: I’ve got (1)…………………………………… problem.

A: Oh. (2)……………………………………?

B: Can we talk (3)…………………………………… ?

A: (4)……………………………………. Are you OK?

B: Well, I’ve (5)……………………………………. A big mistake.

A: OK. I’m sure we can (6)…………………………………… .

B: I emailed the financial report to Mark Banthorpe (7)…………………………………… Mark Babingall.

A: Don’t worry, (8)……………………………………. It could be worse! Just recall the email.

B: Ah! Thanks. I (9)…………………………………… now I’ve told you.

A: Thanks for (10)…………………………………….

​Choose the correct phrase for each number

Multiple Select

A: Are you OK? What’s wrong?

B: I’ve got (1)…………………………………… problem.

A: Oh. (2)……………………………………?

• a bit of a

• what’s the matter

• these things happen

• feel so much better

Multiple Select

B: Can we talk (3)…………………………………… ?

A: (4)……………………………………. Are you OK?

• in private

• of course

• don't mention it

• somehow over the top

Multiple Select

B: Well, I’ve (5)……………………………………. A big mistake.

A: OK. I’m sure we can (6)…………………………………… .

• made a mistake

• work it out

• told you so

• leave this behind

Multiple Select

B: I emailed the financial report to Mark Banthorpe (7)…………………………………… Mark Babingall.

A: Don’t worry, (8)……………………………………. It could be worse! Just recall the email.

• instead of

• these things happen

• let it go

• due to

Multiple Select

B: Ah! Thanks. I (9)…………………………………… now I’ve told you.

A: Thanks for (10)…………………………………….

• feel so much better

• letting me know

• do not want to do it

• reporting me instead

​LET'S SEE THE OVERALL DIALOGUE

​A: Are you OK? What’s wrong?

B: I’ve got (1) a bit of a problem.

A: Oh. (2) what’s the matter?

B: Can we talk (3) in private?

A: (4) of course Are you OK?

B: Well, I’ve (5) made a mistake. A big mistake.

A: OK. I’m sure we can (6) work it out.

B: I emailed the financial report to Mark Banthorpe (7) instead of Mark Babingall.

A: Don’t worry, (8) these things happen It could be worse! Just recall the email.

B: Ah! Thanks. I (9) feel so much better now I’ve told you.

A: Thanks for (10) letting me know

READING TASK

Your company makes flat-screen TVs. There is a quality problem in the factory and the CEO is writing an e-mail to all the senior managers. The sentences a–f from his e-mail are not in the correct order. Write the correct order to make the email acceptable to be sent.

​

​Example: a - b - c - d - e - f

Open Ended

Write the correct order to make the email acceptable to be sent.

a) This is unacceptable – we are falling a long way behind our competitors in terms of quality.

b) I am very concerned about quality levels in our plant over the last quarter.

c) I’ve just been given the figures – defects are up 8% compared to the same period last year.

d) When I have your initial thoughts by e-mail, I’ll write a short report and call a meeting to discuss it in more detail.

e) Please give this matter your urgent attention, and reply by no later than the end of next week.

f) The situation cannot continue and I want to know your opinions about why quality is so poor.

​Example: a - b - c - d - e - f

Let's Create A Dialogue

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zefGBRMEjRm1ewvc1tZpgLzpIlKiM7FUI1uo0Rga0Ws/edit?usp=sharing