Customer Service‏

Would you like to be a king or queen? To have people waiting on you hand and foot?Many Americans experience this royal treatment every day. How? By being customers. The American idea of customer service is to make each customer the center of attention. Need proof? Just listen to the commercials. Most of them sound like the McDonald’s ad: “We do it all for you.” Actually, not all stores in America roll out the red carpet for their customers. But wherever you go, good customer service means making customers feel special. 你想當國王或皇后嗎？想有人把你 服事得服服貼貼的嗎？很多美國人每天 都享受著皇室般的招待。怎樣才能享受 到呢？只要是顧客就可以了啊。美式的 顧客服務就是使每一個顧客成為關注的 焦點。需要證明嗎？聽聽廣告就知道 了。大部份都很像麥當勞的廣告一樣： 麥當勞都是為你。事實上，並不是所有 美國的商店都待顧客如同上賓一般。不 過無論你走到哪裡，好的顧客服務就是 讓顧客覺得自己獨特無比。 People going shopping in America can expect to be treated with respect from the very beginning. Most places don’t have a “furniture street” or a “computer road” which allow you to compare prices easily. Instead, people often use the telephone and “let their fingers do the walking” through the Yellow Pages.From the first “hello,” customers receive a courteous response to their questions. This initial contact can help them decide where to shop. 在美國逛街，顧客們可以從一開始 就享受到受尊重的感覺。大部份的城市 不會有「家具街」或是「電腦路」，讓你 可以輕鬆地比價一番；取而代之的是用 電話，讓他們的手指頭來代步「走過電 話簿」。從第一聲「哈囉」開始，顧客們 的疑問都接收到最殷勤的回答。這個初 步的接觸，可以協助他們決定該到哪兒 去採買。 When customers get to the store, they are treated as honored guests. Customers don’t usually find store clerks sitting around watching TV or playing cards. Instead, the clerks greet them warmly and offer to help them find what they want. In most stores, the signs that label each department make shopping a breeze. Customers usually don’t have to ask how much items cost, since prices are clearly marked. And unless they’re at a flea market or a yard sale, they don’t bother trying to bargain. 當顧客們來到店裡的時候，他們會 受到貴賓般的款待。他們通常不會看到 店員坐在那兒看電視或是玩撲克牌。相 反的，店員會親切地打招呼，並且協助 尋找需要的東西。大部份的商店裡，每 個商品分類區清楚的標示使逛街成為一 項輕鬆的樂事。由於價錢已清楚地標 示，顧客們通常不需要再問價錢。在美 國，除非是跳蚤市場或是舊貨大拍賣， 否則人們不會費事去討價還價的。 What’s in a name?” According to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, not too much. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But Shakespeare may have been wrong. In most cultures, names and titles matter a great deal. 一個名字到底意味著甚麼呢？根據 莎士比亞的名著，羅密歐與茱莉葉，名 字裡沒有太多的意義——「就算給玫瑰 取任何其他的名字，它聞起來還是一樣 的芬芳。」不過莎士比亞也許錯了。因 為在大部份的文化中，姓名和稱謂可是 很重要的呢。 After they pay for their purchases, customers receive a smile and a warm “thank you” from the clerk. Many stores even allow customers to take their shopping carts out to the parking lot. That way,they don’t have to carry heavy bags out to the car. 當他們付錢之 後，店員會給予顧客一個微笑和一句溫 暖的「謝謝」。有些商店甚至讓他們的顧 客將購物推車推到停車場去，這樣他們 就不必提著重重的袋子到車上去了。 In America, customer service continues long after the sale. Many products come with a money-back guarantee. Expensive items—like cars, computers or stereos—often have a warranty that ensures trouble-free use for a period of a year or more. 在美國，顧客服務在成交之後仍持 續良久，很多貨品都是保證可以退款 的，像是車子、電腦或音響這樣高價位 的商品，通常會有保證期限，以保證一 年或更久的時間內使用該產品沒有任何 問題。 Advertisements regularly include the motto “Your satisfaction is guaranteed.” So if there is a problem with the product, customers can take it back. The customer service representative will often allow them to exchange the item or return it for a full refund. Here’s a trivia question: Do you know what’s the busiest time for most customer service representatives? The week after Christmas. 廣告中通常會有「保證讓你滿意」 的標語。所以產品若是有問題，顧客可 以把它送回去，而客戶服務人員通常會 讓他們換商品或是全額退錢。這裡有一 個小問題：你知道什麼時候是大部份顧 客服務人員最忙的時候嗎？聖誕節過後 的那個禮拜。 For many American customers, service is everything. If a person receives poor service from a store, he probably will avoid shopping there in the future. On the other hand, customers often remain loyal to a business that has excellent service even if their prices are high. Customer service in America grows out of the belief that “the customer is always right.” That may not always be true. But, as someone has said, the customer is always the customer. 對許多美國的顧客而言，服務就是 一切，如果有人在某一家店裡受到很糟 的服務，他以後可能就會盡量不再去那 家店購物。另外一方面，一家店若提供 上乘的服務，就算價錢高一點，顧客們 通常會保持對該店的忠誠度。美式的顧 客服務源於一個信念：顧客永遠是對 的。這或許不見得全對，不過顧客永遠 都是顧客！ ?Word Bank wait on someone hand and foot (idiom) 盡心竭力地侍候某人 roll out the red carpet (idiom) 熱烈歡迎 initial (adj) 最初的 make something a breeze (idiom) 使某事輕鬆愉快 flea market (n phr) 跳蚤市場 money-back guarantee (n phr) （不滿意）保證退款 ensure (v) 確保 refund (n) 退款 trivia (adj) 無足輕重的 The Day's Phrase   CouchSurfing offers more than just a free place to sleep 「沙發衝浪」提供旅行者的不僅是一個免費睡覺的地方 After asking Bill to leave for an hour, we decided it was time to show him the door. 在請比爾離開一個小時之後，我們決定是把他趕出去的時候。

As soon as Katherine got in trouble, she made herself scarce.
凱瑟琳只要一遇到麻煩就開溜了。

One of Britain's busiest actors brings "Bond" into the 21st century
英國最忙碌的一位演員將「龐德」帶入二十一世紀

When Roy began to rub up to me, I should have known that he wanted more than just my friendship.
羅伊開始對我示好的時候，我就該曉得他要的不只是我的友誼。

Not all hotel nights are created equal
並非所有旅館過夜滋味都千篇一律
My boss finally decided to crack down on all of the people arriving at work late.我老闆終於決定要對上班遲到的人採取嚴厲的手段。CAN WE DO WITHOUT ZOOS?
豢養野生動物供人們觀賞，這主意究竟好不好？

My father gets a five o'clock shadow when he does not shave.
爸爸沒有刮鬍子，臉上就長出一片黑了。

American actress Sandra Bullock shines on and off the screen
美國影星珊卓‧布拉克幕前幕後都耀眼

Oscar sure is a tough cookie. He hurt his leg but still won the race.
奧斯卡可真是個硬漢。他腿受傷了，卻仍贏了賽跑。

When I asked my brother for help on my homework he told me to get lost!
我求助我哥哥解答功課的問題，他卻叫我走開！

Guangzhou (廣州) hosts the 16th Asian Games
第十六屆亞運由廣州主辦
I often heard my mother say "hands off!" when I was younger.
在我小的時後，我常聽我媽媽說：「不要碰！」