Monday's Assignment

There are various styles in customer service. Sales techniques can range from subtle or soft-sell to more direct or hard-sell, depending on the type of product or service being offered.

Hard selling is more common in selling real estate, cars, furniture, major appliances, insurance, and financial services because these products and services are usually sold on a commission basis. In most retail stores, however, you will encounter soft selling.

Task 1:

Listen to these two sales dialogues. Answer the following questions.

1. How are the two sales styles different? 


2. What hard-sell techniques does the salesperson use in the first dialogue? 


3. What constitutes soft selling in the second dialogue? 


Task 2:

Click on this link and record your answer. Think of one time when you have been in a  situation, either as a customer or as a seller, and record which sales style was it? What was being sold? Describe how the seller tried to convince you to make a purchase. How did you respond to it? 


Task 3:

Guess the meaning of the following expressions:

Word/expression	Meaning	Sentence
Giveaway
That sounds too good to be true
I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that
I don’t know. That’s kind of soon
Take advantage of
This is a limited offer
a passion for hockey
Hockey gear

Editing checklist correction:

1. PREP (Preposition)

Many job hunters listened to the presentation. The speaker covered many careers: IT, engineering, and nursing. At noon most of them had fallen asleep or gone home.

2. SVA (Subject-Verb Agreement)

One of the speakers mentioned starting a new business instead of a career.

The rest of them, for one reason or another, were not able to even get an audience.

3. CS (Comma Splice)

Most people should practise interviewing skills. They should not think only about the resume; if everyone can only write well, who will do the jobs that require speaking?

4. FRAG (Fragment)

Even though she thinks job fairs are useful, Thelma still stayed home,

because she thought it was more important to update her blog.

Thelma is not a very outgoing person, and she is also not very fluent in French.

5. RUN-ON SENTENCE

When she arrived at the career fair, she was shocked that she could not find her resume. So, Thelma quickly took one from a stack at one of the booths; unfortunately, someone saw her do it, and she was ushered out of the hall by security in a hurry.

6. TENSE

Before I find a job, I must attend as many JSWs as I can.

Sorry, Mr. Thiru, I will not come to the interview tomorrow. I will be back to Brunei.

After all her hard work, most of Thelma's resumes contain comma splices.

7. PERIODS/COMMAS/CAPS/SPACES

Resumes are difficult. Some of themare functional, andothers are chronological. I have seen some that are a hybrid of both; what about yours?

8. PROPER NOUNS

In our career fair, you will find booths by TTC, Toronto Fire Service, Rogers, TD Canada Trust, MicroSkills, and Wal-Mart.

9. SPELLING

The position requires travelling to different places, such as USA and England. Candidates should know how to present PowerPoint presentation, write a resume, and speak two languages at least.