Lesson Four　Switchboard Service

Objectives

To help the students master useful expressions and sentences aboutSwitchboard Service.

To help the students familiar with duties of Switchboard Service.

To help the students make some dialogues about Switchboard Service.

Warming Up

1. Look at the following pictures and fill in the blanksaccording to the corresponding description.

　　　　　　 is an important service in hotel which is based on computerized telephone systems or conventional multi-line telephone systems to complete connections for incoming calls and calls to places outside the hotel.

　　　　　　 serves an important part of the proper functioning of any successful hotel. They usually take calls from guests or others and deal with urgent matter on behalf of the hotel or guests.

Dialogues

Key sentences:

Good morning, this is the operator. What can I do for you?

Could you transfer my call to him?

Domestic or international call?

Please call me again if you need any help.

Wake-up service by operator, computer or knocking at the door?

Pre-questions:

1. Have you ever used the switchboard service in hotel?

2. What are the daily jobs of telephone operator?

3. What should the operator pay attention to when receiving a call?

Dialogue 1

Operator:　 　Good morning, this is the operator. What can I do for you?

Guest:　　　　Good morning. I want to reach another guest in your hotel. He is in room 1301.

Operator:　 　Sure, sir. For room-to-room calls you may dial the room number directly.

Guest:　　　　I have tried it. But I can’t get through. Could you transfer my call to him?

Operator:　 　Okay. May I know the guest’s name, please?

Guest:　　　　John Black.

Operator:　 　Please wait for a moment. I will transfer your call to room1301.

Guest:　　　　Ok.

…　　　　　(A few seconds later)

Operator:　 　Thank you for waiting. But I’ m afraid Mr. Black is not in his room at this moment. Would you like to leave a message for him?

Guest:　　　　All right.

Operator　 　May I have your name?

Guest:　　　　Peter White.

Operator:　 　And your message, please.

Guest:　　　　Please tell Mr. Black I will wait him in the dining room at 5:00 p.m.

Operator:　 　I see. Mr. White, you will wait Mr. Black in dining room at 5:00 p.m. Is that right?

Guest:　　　　That’s right. Thank you.

Operator:　 　You are welcome, sir. Thank you for calling. Good-bye.

Dialogue 2

Operator:　 　Operator. May I help you?

Guest:　　　　Yes. I’ d like to make a call outside.

Operator:　 　Okay.Domesticor international call?

Guest:　　　　I’ d like to reach a friend in the city. How should I do?

Operator:　 　Just dial “6” and then the number directly.

Guest:　　　　Thank you for your help. But if I want to make a call to my family who live outside of the city?

Operator:　 　For all calls outside of the city, you need to dial “0” first and then the area code followed by the number you are trying to reach.

Guest:　　　　Thank you very much. If by chance I need to make an international call to my business partner?

Operator:　 　You can make a call directly from your room. That’s cheaper than going through the General Switchboard. As for international calls, press “3-0-0” before the country code and then press the area code and the telephone number. You can find the country code list on your table.

Guest:　　　　You have been a big help. I will have a try.

Operator:　 　Please call me again if you need any help.

Guest:　　　　Thank you very much.

Operator:　 　You’re welcome. Have a nice evening!

Dialogue 3

Operator:　 　Good evening, operator Alice speaking. May I help you?

Guest:　　　　Mr. Black speaking. I’ d like to have a wake-up call tomorrow morning.

Operator:　 　Certainly, sir. At what time?

Guest:　　　　At around 6:30 p.m.

Operator:　 　All right, sir. Wake-up service by operator, computer or knocking at the door?

Guest:　　　　By operator. Thanks.

Operator:　 　Okay. May I have your room number, sir?

Guest:　　　　Room 2123.

Operator:　 　All right. You will receive a morning call at 6:30 by operator tomorrow morning, Mr. Black. Wish you have a good dream.

　　　　　　(The next morning)

Operator:　 　Good morning, Mr. Black. This is your 6:30 morning wake-up call. I wish you have a nice day.

Guest:　　　　Thank you very much.

Operator:　 　It is my pleasure. The outside temperature is 20℃. It is very warm and comfortable.

Guest:　　　　Okay, I see. Thank you. By the way, I want to check out today. Can you send a bellman to help me carry the luggage down?

Operator:　 　No problem.

Guest:　　　　Thanks a lot.

Operator:　 　I’ m always at your service.

Vocabulary

Useful Expressions

1. Good morning, this is the operator. What can I do for you?

早上好，接线员。我能为您做些什么?

2. I want to reach another guest in your hotel.

我想联系一下你们酒店的另一位客人。

3. For room-to-room calls you may dial the room number directly.

打酒店各房间之间的电话，请直接拨房间号。

4. Could you transfer my call to him?

您能帮我跟他转一下电话吗？

5. May I know the guest’s name, please?

请问客人姓名？

6. Thank you for waiting. But I’ m afraid Mr. Black is not in his room at this moment.

谢谢你的等待。但是，恐怕布莱克先生此刻不在他的房间里。

7. Would you like to leave a message for him?

你要给他留言吗?

8. Mr. White, you will wait Mr. Black in dining room at 5:00 p.m. Is that right?

怀特先生您下午五点在餐厅等布莱克先生对吗？

9. You are welcome, sir. Thank you for calling. Good-bye.

您客气了。谢谢您的来电，再见。

10. I’ d like to make a call outside.

我想往外面打个电话。

11. Domestic or international call?

国内电话还是国际电话？

12. I’ d like to reach a friend in the city. How should I do?

我想联系一个市内的朋友。我该怎么办？

13. Just dial “6” and then the number directly.

先拨6，然后直接拨号码。

14. But if I want to make a call to my family who live outside of the city?

但如果我想给家人打个电话呢？

15. For all calls outside of the city, you need to dial “0” first and then the area code followed by the number you are trying to reach.

打国内长途电话，请先拨0，再拨区号和电话号码。

Exercises

1. Questions and Answers

(1) Who usually receive guests’ telephone calls in hotel?

(2) What should the operator pay attention to when receiving calls in hotel?

(3) Do you know something about telephone language? List some.

2. Match the words or expressions in Column A with their Chinese equivalents in Column B.

3. Choose the right answer.

1. This is 　　　　 speaking, what can I do for you?

A. Operator　　B. Operation　　C. Waiter　　D. Waitress

2. Please wait for a moment; I will 　　　　 your call to room 1228.

A. give　　B. transfer　　C. send　　D. bring

3. Please 　　　　 the line and leave your message when you hear the beep.

A. on　　B. hold　　C. take　　D. wait

4. How can I make an 　　　　 direct dial call from my room?

A. domestic　　B. foreign　　C. long-distance　　D. international

5. I’ d like to have a 　　　　 at 6:30 tomorrow morning by operator.

A. reservation　　B. wake-up call　　C. bath　　D. dinner

6. An operator should be patient, friendly and 　　　　.

A. helpful　　B. helpless　　C. careless　　D. rude

7. The outside 　　　　 is 10℃, and the weather forecast says a 　　　　 is coming.

A. temperatures ... story　　B. wind ... story

C. degrees ... rain　　D. temperature ... storm

8. Please 　　　　 an umbrella and 　　　　 warm when you are going out.

A. take... keep　　B. twitch... have

C. bring... have　　D. hold... keep

9. You can make a call 　　　　 from your room.

A. direct　　B. directly　　C. indirect　　D. indirectly

10. 　　　　 will relax your facial muscles and you sound more sweet and friendly.

A. Smiles　　B. Smile　　C. Have smile　　D. Keep smiling

4. Read the passage and decide if the statements are true (T) or false (F).

The switchboard service is an important service in hotel which is based on computerized telephone systems or conventional multi-line telephone systems to complete connections for incoming calls and calls to places outside the hotel. The hotel operators are responsible for this service, though he or she may never be seen. They handle all in-house calls, local calls, long-distance calls and even international calls. They provide also wake-up calls, Do Not Disturb calls for many guests, especially business travelers. In addition, if the guests are not in room, they also help guest leave message for another guest. Their voices, tones and demeanors can greatly influence the new guests’ image of the hotel and staff. They must be ready at all times to deal with urgent matters on behalf of the hotel or the guest.

With the development of globalization, today most of the operators must speak fluent English. In fact, well-spoken English is a requirement for operators in most large, modern hotels. They also should be well informed about everything of the hotel and their city. So they can help guests solve problems in hotel stay and plan their trip. Operators must be ready to answer any questions regarding hotels, restaurants, sightseeing, hotspots, shopping, entertainment, transportation, and upcoming events.

Exercises:

(1) The hotel operators are responsible for switchboard service. (　　)

(2) The operator cannot provide also wake-up calls. (　　)

(3) If the guests are not in room, the operators can help guest leave message for another guest. (　　)

(4) The voices, tones and demeanors of the operators are very important. (　　)

(5) Today well-spoken English is a requirement for operators in most large, modern hotels. (　　)

Challenges and Solutions

1. If you were an operator, what telephone etiquette should you know?

Solutions:

2. If you were an operator, how to leave telephone message for guests?

Solutions:

3. If you were an operator, how to deal with guest’s complaints?

Solutions:

4. If you were an operator, what should you say to the caller when the guest is not in?

Solutions:

5. If you were an operator, what would you say to guests when you finish the call?

Solutions:

6. If you were an operator, how should you help guests when guests want to make an international call?

Solution:

7. What qualities should a telephone operator have?

Solutions: